Heavy mineral sand from the vicinity of Tibolddaróc, Bükkalja region, NE Hungary

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Abstract

Recent placer deposits of ilmenite-rich heavy sand were found in the Bükkalja region, in the vicinity of Tibolddaróc, sampled in a stream bed and in a rill on a dirt road. These placers consist mostly of plagioclase feldspars, quartz and ilmenite. The amount of ilmenite can reach 20-30 wt% in the bulk sample but it is almost 50 wt% in the 0.212 – 0.3 mm grain size fraction. With simple magnetic separation this enrichment can be increased to 70 wt%. In addition to ilmenite, the heavy sand contains a relatively high amount of allanite and zircon as well. In this paper the composition of the heavy mineral sand is studied, as well as the composition of some neighboring Miocene ignimbrite and tuff samples, which also contain heavy minerals.