Geology and gold mineralisation in Buddini Gold Deposit, Hutti-Maski greenstone belt, Karnataka

The Buddini Gold Deposit is located in the southern part of the gold-bearing Archaean Hutti-Maski schist belt in northern Karnataka. Gold mining in the Buddini deposit dates back to ancient times. The main litho-units of the area are chlorite schist, andesite, gabbro and dolerite dykes and quartz-ankerite veins, Quartz-ankerite-sulphide veins, striking N-S to N 25 degrees W - S 25 degrees E, with steep dips of 75 degrees due west, represent the auriferous reefs, and occur within sheared chlorite schist. The alteration envelopes are characterised by chloritisation, propylitisation, carbonatisation, sericitisation, silicification and pyritisation. Ore minerals are pyrite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, sphalerite, galena, haematite, goethite, ilmenite, rutile, ankerite and calcite, The mineral assemblages of the predominant rock types of the area indicate that the rocks were subjected to a low-grade metamorphism equivalent to quartz-albite-epidote sub-facies of greenschist facies of metamorphism. The detailed exploration at Buddini confirms that, Buddini can be worked as a satellite deposit to the existing mines and can produce gold to meet the ever increasing national requirements.