Fluid inclusion study of radioactive granitoids and cherty cataclasite in the southeastern part of Nanded district, Maharashtra: implications for Uranium mineralisation

Radioactive granitoids and cherty cataclasites are delineated in Thadisaoli–Khatgaon and Shahpur–Sujayatpur sectors in southeastern part of Nanded district, Maharashtra, which have recorded anomalous radioelemental contents (Granites: upto 1% U3O8 and 0.20% ThO2; Cherty cataclasites upto 0.11% U3O8 and <0.005% ThO2) and enrichment in trace element and rare metal and rare earth element concentration (Nb: upto 146ppm, Y: upto 226ppm, Zr: upto 559ppm and total REE: upto 2010ppm). The mineralised granitoids are affected by profuse pegmatitic/quartzo-feldspathic, quartz and epidote venations and mainly confined along the NE–SW and NNE–SSW faults/shear zones. Radioactive phases are represented by discrete uranium/thorium ore minerals (uraninite, β-uranophane and thorite) and high content of resistates viz., apatite, zircon, allanite, sphene, cerianite, monazite and ilmenite.