THE PRESENT STATUS OF ZIRCON

SUMMARY The present writer (SAXENA, 1966) does not propose that the use of zircons in problems of stratigraphy, pedogenesis and petrology should be discarded. His conclusions (pp.30–31) make a plea for caution in such use. The writer suggests several possible modes of the origin of Lircons and by no means the authigenic mode of origin is more important than any other. Igneous or detrital zircons could certainly be used provided due consideration is given to other possible modes of origin. The solution does not lie in abandoning the use of zircons but an individual case is to be judged according to the local geologic evidence. It may be possible to find the genctic history imprinted on the morphological features of Zircons. Most of MARSHALL'S (1967) criticism is because of his failure to realize the broader genetic aspects of zircons.