Geology of the PQ deposit, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The PQ heavy mineral sand deposit is located on the west coast of Sri Lanka, approximately 30 km north of the town of Puttalam within the North Western Province. The PQ heavy mineral deposit was previously defined and explored between 1994 and 2002. Since 2010 further evaluation work has been completed. The ilmenite dominated deposit is hosted in a Quaternary to Recent age sedimentary sequence overlying the Miocene Vanathavillu limestone. It is a relatively homogenous red-brown palaeo-dunal deposit that extends for more than 5 km in length, is up to 3-km wide and contains 46.4 Mt of heavy mineral. Mineralisation commences from surface to a depth of over 50 m and grades range between 1.0 and 50.4% total heavy minerals. The PQ deposit shares many similar attributes with the teri sand (red sands) environments in southern India in terms of size, increased heavy mineral concentration, depositional environment and age.

Keywords:

• Puttalam
• PQ
• Ilmenite
• Red dune
• Heavy mineral sands

Acknowledgements

The author acknowledges the permission of Iluka Resources Ltd to publish this paper. Acknowledgement is also given to all those who contributed to the advancement of geological understanding of the PQ deposit. Thank you to A. Cook and R. Tyler of Iluka Resources Ltd for reviewing the manuscript.