RESEARCH PROPOSAL

ECONOMIC EVALUATION AND PROVENANCE STUDIES OF PLACER GOLD IN

THE QUARTERNARY SEDIMENTS OF SHAIDU AND SURROUNDING AREAS,
DISTRICT NOWSHERA, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN.

SUBMITTED BY:

MUHAMMAD FARHAN
(M.S SCHOLAR)

RESEARCH SUPERVISOR:

DR. LIAQAT ALI

(ASSISTT. PROF)

CO- SUPERVISOR:

DR. TAHIR SHAH

(PROFESSOR)

GRADUATE STUDIES COMMITTEE

_________________
Dr. M. Tahir Shah
Professor
NCE in Geology

_________________
(Member)
Dr M. Arif
Professor
Deptt. of Geology

_________________________
(Convener)
_______________________ (Member)
(Member)
Dr. Nimmat Ullah Khattak
Professor
NCE in Geology

______________________
(Member)
Dr. S. Shafiq-ur-Rehman
Professor
Deptt. of Environmental Sciences

NATIONAL CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE IN GEOLOGY,

UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR, PESHAWAR
(DECEMBER, 2012)
0

ECONOMIC EVALUATION AND PROVENANCE STUDIES OF PLACER GOLD IN

THE QUARTERNARY SEDIMENTS OF SHAIDU AND SURROUNDING AREAS,
DISTRICT NOWSHERA, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN.
Exploration of placer deposits has got much attention because these deposits
constitute 69% of world gold (Sutherland, 1985). Placer deposits are formed by accumulation
of heavy minerals with specific gravity more than 2.65 along the rivers and streams
(Mudaliar et al., 2007). According to Gary et al. (1972) placer is defined as A mineral
deposit, formed by mechanical accretion of mineral particles from weathering fragments.
Several of the world important mineral products have been obtained from placers, e.g. placer
gold deposits in New Mexico (Johnson, 1972; North and Mclemore, 1988, McLemore, 1994),
placer gold from Ghana, a major West African gold producing country (Komla and Sammy,
1995), placer gold from the Late Archean Witwatersrand sedimentary rocks in South Africa
(Lalomov and Tabolitch, 1997), Klondike in Canada (McCracken et al., 2007) and the gold
placers in Arizona (Wilson, 1961).
Morphology of alluvial gold grains plays an important role in the estimation of
transport distance and their chemistry gives indication of source mineralization (Knight et al.,
1999; Mortensen et al., 2005; Mudaliar et al., 2007; Rasmussen et al., 2007; Youngson and
Craw, 1999 and Townley et al., 2003). Alluvial gold grains are found in three different
morphological forms including Pristine, Modified and Reshaped (Dilabio, 1991 and
McClenaghan, 2005). The shape of the gold particles is distorted during transportation due to
abrasion with rock fragments and hard minerals and hence responsible for increasing flatness
associated with distance of transport (Knight et al., 1999; Leake et al., 1998 and Townley et
al., 2003). The morphological characteristics of gold grains have also been correlated with
distance of transport by various workers (Averill and Zimmerman 1986; Giusti 1986; Averill
1988; DiLabio 1991, Townley et al., 2003, Shah et al., 2007). Chemical composition of
alluvial gold is also an important factor which can give the idea about source mineralization
and distance travelled by the gold grains (Outrigde et al., 1998; Knight et al., 1999;
Wierchowiec, 2007). For example, concentrations of Ag in gold grains also determine the
distance travelled by the gold grains after its liberation from the source rock (Chapman et al.,
2002).

Fig.1. District map showing location of study area.

The study area is located near Shaidu and the surroundings areas of district Nowshera
in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, this area is a part of the Peshawar Basin (Fig. 1). The
presence of placer gold in these areas has already been reported by Shah et al. (2007) in the
Shaidu area. According to these authors the major agents of transporting quaternary
sediments, hosting placer gold, is mainly the River Kabul. Although the presence of placer
gold has been confirmed in Shaidu area, however, the area still needs to be investigated in
detail in order to understand the detail morphology and chemistry of gold grains and hence
the genesis of gold. This study is, therefore, aimed to account for size, morphology (surface
texture, flatness index, roundness and folding etc.) and chemistry/bulk chemistry of gold
grains.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

2

To determine gold in panned concentrates, sediments and fluvial deposits.

To measure the size and to scan morphology of gold grains for understanding the

transportation mode.
To determine the trace element composition of gold grains for understanding the

provenance of gold in the area.

To evaluate the economic importance of the studied placer gold for the erection of the
gold extraction plant.

METHODOLOGY
FIELD METHODOLOGY
Field work will be conducted to understand the geology of the area. Potential sites for
the placer gold will be selected based on Shah et al. (2007) and also getting information from
local gold washers. A number of systematic techniques will be adopted to collect samples
through a random pattern from all potential sites. The samples will be taken in such a way
that these represent the bulk concentration. About 15-30kg of sample will be collected from
each site with materials finer than 2mm through screening as suggested by Ashley (2002).
Panning will be carried out in the field and samples collected will be stored in the polythene
bags. These sample bags will be given proper systematic numbers in order to avoid errors and
confusions. Samples will be transported to the Geochemistry Laboratory, NCE in Geology
University of Peshawar.
LABORATORY METHODOLOGY
Gold grains from panned concentrates will be separated using binocular stereomicroscope. A binocular stereo - microscope will be used to examine gold grains but very
small grains (<60m) will be studied under scanning electron microscope (SEM). The SEM
will also be used to examine the morphology of all the gold grains (Dilabio, 1991; Zhou and
Wang, 2003; Mudaliar et al., 2007). For this purpose special type of unpolished gold grains
will be selected which will help in understanding the features like roundness, folding and
flatness etc. (Mudaliar et al., 2007) in the Department of Physics, University of Peshawar.
Bulk chemical analysis of sediments for trace elements will be carried out using Atomic
Absorption Spectrometry and the grain analysis will be carried out on electron microprobe in
the National Centre of Excellence in Geology, University of Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH

This study will give the information about the gold particle size, morphology (shape,
surface, texture, roundness and flatness index) and possible genetic aspect of alluvial gold in
Shaidu and surrounding areas. The source of alluvial gold will be identified and possible
information about the sources (proximal/distal) and nature of gold will be obtained. This
study will help in establishing techniques by which we can explore and exploit the placer
gold deposits. Moreover the grade and tonnage of the placer deposits will be calculated in the
light of economic importance. If the deposits are proven economical, then the manufacturing
of a pilot plant in the area will be recommended for large scale economic recovery of gold
and silver which will certainly help in improving the socioeconomic condition of the area.
The outcomes of this study will be published in the journals of international repute.
STUDY PLAN
S. No.

Activity

Planned time frame

1.
2.

Collection of Field data

One month
Completion of experimental Four months

3.

work in the laboratory

Thesis writing, with checking Four months
from the Supervisors

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