Abstract
This study delves into the brief geological, mineralogical and geochemical aspects of iron deposits in the Jol Khand region of Balochistan, Pakistan. The Jol Khand iron ore deposit is situated within the Middle part of the Late Cretaceous Sinjrani Volcanic Group, constituting a significant component of the Chagai arc. The arc, extending approximately 500 km in length and 150 km in width with an east-west orientation, represents a vital geological feature in the western-north region of Pakistan, with extensions into Afghanistan and Iran. The deposit, characterized by lenticular bodies ranging from 35 cm to 5 m in thickness, is located in the Sinjrani Volcanics atop; a steep slope adjacent to the Jol Khand stream, approximately 27 km northeast of Chagai village. This study highlights the deposit’s volcanogenic origin, emphasizing its superior quality and grade compared to other deposits within the Chagai arc. With an average iron content of 64.70 wt. % and an additional average of 1000 ppm of vanadium, the commercial potential of the ore is further enhanced. Initial estimates suggest iron ore resources in the area to be around 6.5 million tons. The ore is volcanogenic extrusive in origin, which was developed in the lower part of a subvolcanic upper-level magma chamber due liquid immiscibility of a Fe-rich homogenous silicate melt and subsequently erupted in a subaerial environment.
Keywords: Geological exploration, modelling, Jol Khand Iron ore, Pakistan
