Heavy mineral placer deposits of Ekakula beach, Gahiramatha coast, Orissa,India

Ilmenite, hematite, garnet, monazite, zircon, rutile, magnetite, sillimanit e, pyroxene and amphibole from the beach sands of Ekakula, Gahiramatha coas t, Orissa, India are reported here for the first time. Their total concentr ation varies from 26.4 to 100%. Ilmenite, monazite and zircon are between 1 00 and 300 mu m in size and are well rounded in shape. Ilmenite-hematite in tergrowth is common. Ilmenite has 50.02-54.73% TiO2, 42.42-46.90% FeO (tota l Fe) and small amounts of Al, Mn, Mg, Ca, Ba, Si, V, Cr, and Zn. The bulk samples contain 10.63-41.42% TiO2, 6.15-26.07% FeO, 5.86-16.75% Fe2O3, 7.41 -61.74% SiO2, 1.39-12.83% Al2O3 0.32-4.97% CaO, 0.53-4.24% P2O5 0.17-3.27% MgO, 0.15-2.97% Na2O, 0.07-2.34% K2O and 0.05-0.71% V2O5 together with appr eciable amounts of La, Ce, Pr: Nd, Sm, Eu, Y, U, Th, Zr, and trace amounts of Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Co, and Cr. Khondalite, charnockite, calc-silicate granu lite, leptynite, migmatite, gneiss, basic granulite and pegmatite of the Ea stern Chats appear to be the major source for the above heavy mineral assem blages. The samples an amenable to gravity and magnetic methods of benefici ation.