Sandstone-type uranium mineralisation in the early tertiary sedimentary sequence in Tarol-Maltu area, Solan District, Himachal Pradesh

Ground radiometric survey carried out in the early tertiary Dagshai-Kasauli Formations in the northwestern foothill Himalaya has led to the discovery of uranium mineralised sandstone bands extending for about (a) 500 m, with 5-10 m width, at Tarol, 8 km southwest of Solan and (b) 250 m, with 4- 7 m width, at Maltu, 6.5 km southwest of Solan, in the Solan district of Himachal Pradesh. Grab samples from (a) Tarol assayed up to 1.41% eU3O8, 1.65% U3O8 (β/γ) and <0.005% ThO2 and (b) Maltu assayed up to 0.24% eU3O8, 0.28% U3O8 (β/γ) and <0.005% ThO2. In both the localities, majority of the samples show disequilibrium in favour of parent (uranium). Uraninite and uranophane are the main uranium minerals, which occur in close association with disseminated pellets of organic matter. (author)