Gold potential of epithermal breccia along the Deldar-Kui-Chitrasani faultin South Delhi Fold Belt, southwest Rajasthan and northern Gujarat

The Deldar-Kui-Chitrasani (DKC) fault is a brittle structure manifested by anastomosing system of fractures in the southwestern part of the South Delh i Fold Belt (SDFB). Based on the identification of cross-fibre and 'jigsaw puzzle' type structures, presence of vugs lined with cryptocrystalline quar tz, replacement of calcite by chalcedonic quartz and evidences of argillic alteration, the breccia along the fault is recognised by present workers as epithermal breccia. Lithogeochemical sampling of the breccia reveals that, besides moderate base metal signatures, gold values are consistently prese nt in significant concentrations comparable to regional anomalies associate d with epithermal gold deposits in the United States. In view of the high p roportion of magmatic rocks in the southwestern part of the SDFB, the DKC f ault zone is considered a favourable target for searching epithermal type o f gold mineralisation.