Native Gold and Au-Pt Alloy in Eclogite Xenoliths of Kalyandurg KL-2 Kimberlite, Anantapur District, South India

The paper pertains to the studies carried out on the eclogitic xenoliths of KL-2 kimberlite of Kalyandurg kimberlite cluster in south India. Petrographic studies revealed bi-mineralic and kyanite-bearing eclogitic xenoliths in KL-2 kimberlite. The bimineralic and kyanite-bearing eclogites of Kalyandurg KL-2 kimberlite pipe show variation in modal proportion of garnet, omphacite, clinopyroxene and kyanite. The paper reports discovery of native gold grains and Au-Pt alloy in the kyanite-bearing eclogite xenoliths of KL-2 kimberlite. The flaky gold grains occurring in the matrix of kyanite-bearing eclogite are homogeneous and two grains of Au-Pt alloy with Au and Pt in the proportion of 9.8:1.2 are also present. This is the first report of gold and gold-platinum alloy specs from eclogitic xenoliths of Indian kimberlites.

Automated summary

This paper explores the eclogitic xenoliths of KL-2 kimberlite in the Kalyandurg kimberlite cluster in south India, revealing the presence of native gold grains and Au-Pt alloy in the kyanite-bearing eclogite.