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Influence of tidal cycle on heavy minerals variation in the
Kottilpadu beach, Kanyakumari coast, Tamil Nadu, India

N.S. Magesh, L.I. Chandralekha, N. Chandrasekar &

S. Kaliraj

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JOURNAL OF COASTAL SCIENCES

Journal homepage: www.jcsonline.co.nr
ISSN: 2348 6740

Volume 1 Issue No. 1 - 2014

Pages 15-21

Influence of tidal cycle on heavy minerals variation in the Kottilpadu

beach, Kanyakumari coast, Tamil Nadu, India
N.S. Magesh*, L.I. Chandralekha, N. Chandrasekar, S. Kaliraj
Centre for Geotechnology, Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu 627 012, India

ABSTRACT

ARTICLE INFO

`
The present study is focused on the influence of tidal cycle on heavy minerals variation in the beaches at Kottilpadu
coast of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu. The study area is enriched with a variety of heavy minerals, most
commonly with ilmenite, along with monazite, rutile, zircon, garnet etc. These placer deposits often vary in
distribution due to the effect of tides as well as waves. 5 sampling stations were selected to represent the beach and
daily monitoring was carried out during high and low tide levels. Moreover, wave parameters such as wave height,
wave period, littoral drift and wave direction are also taken into consideration. Further, the sediment samples were
analyzed for size fraction and mineral composition. The beach morphology was assessed based on beach profile data.
The results reveal that high percentage of heavy minerals is noticed at high tide and low percentage at low tide.
Exceptions are noticed in few samples which may be due to varied hydrodynamic conditions prevails in the study area.
In all samples more than 40% constitute opaques followed by sillimanite <25% and other constitute rest of the
percentage. From the XRD analysis, the peak positions shown by diffractogram is ilmenite (FeTiO3) pyrope and
pseudorutile (Fe2Ti3O9), sillimanite (AlFeO2.SiO5), zircon (ZrSiO4) and rutile (TiO2). X-ray fluorescence analytical
results also reflect what was inferred from XRD and point counting data. The heavy mineral assemblage of the beach
sediment indicates the possibility of mineral supply from alongshore and offshore sources.
*Corresponding author, E-mail address: mageshissivan@gmail.com
Phone: +91 9944717646
2014 Journal of Coastal Sciences. All rights reserved

Received
23 November 2013
Accepted
2 March 2014
Available online
6 March 2014
Keywords
Tidal cycle
Heavy minerals
Beach profile
XRD
XRF
Grain size
Kanyakumari
India

1. Introduction
Coasts are dynamic in nature; it has been changing due to the action
of winds, tides, currents, storms etc. Generally, morphology of the
beach is controlled by wave, climate, tide and sediment
characteristics (Bagnold 1940; Bascom 1951; Johnson 1956; King
1972; Strahler 1966; Eliot and Clarke 1988). Sea level change is also
an important factor that controls beach morphology. The largest
changes evident in a typical sea level record are those due to tides.
Vertical distribution of sedimentation depends on various factors like
breaking wave height period, beach grain size and slope of the beach
state. However, wave condition is the main factor that controls beach
erosion and beach accretion. Most of the times, beach erosion takes
place under the influence of energetic wave condition however beach
accretion and bar formation takes place under calmer wave
condition.
The substratum of sandy beaches is highly unstable, since sand
is continuously transported to the beach during accretion periods,
and removed from the beach during erosion events. The movement
of the sand alters the sediment grain size which results in profile and
slope modification. The process of accretion is normally associated
with a reduction in mean particle size and with a flattening of the
beach slope, whereas erosion produces the reverse. Therefore, the
temporal variation of the slope and mean grain size of a given beach
could be used to as an index of the magnitude of its erosion and
accretion dynamics. A considerable portion of tidal energy is
dissipated along the worlds coast, although the mechanism of such
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dissipation and its influence of heavy mineral entrainment is not as

clearly known as those of waves. A storm surge created by the
increased wind forces increases wave height, and a storm surge at
high tide makes the storm wave that much higher. The steeper the
slope, the higher the energy of the wave once it hits the shore and
thus the more sediment it can carry away (Duxbury et al. 2000).
Heavy minerals are economically important, which are
commonly deposited along the beach, if breaking wave height period,
beach grain size and slope of morphodynamic beach state are
favourable. Rich concentration of placer minerals that has high
specific gravity occur at South West coast of India. Best-known
deposits occur in this region are black sands like ilmenite, along with
monazite, rutile, zircon, garnet etc. Heavy mineral deposits are
formed in modern beach environment and older raised beach
deposits formed during Pleistocene. By studying the beach micromorphological change and surf zone dynamics, one can understand
about the accumulation of heavy minerals. Kottilpadu is one of the
important places where heavy mineral deposition is taking place. As
already mining activities are actively going on this area, it is
necessary to understand the heavy mineral accumulation and
provenance of the area. Hence, a study is required to demarcate the
beach morphology and heavy mineral distribution in this area. So the
present study is carried out to identify the micro level changes in
beach morphology and the accumulation pattern of heavy minerals
in the study area by the tidal action.
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2. Study area
The study area (Kottilpadu) is located between Colachel and
Mandaikadu village in Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu with the
coordinates of 8 10 13 N to 8 9 58 N and 77 15 35 E to 77 16
05 E (Fig. 1). It has gently sloping backshore dotted with remains of
tsunami impact scour ponds; damaged trees and undulating
topography with Palaeo-ridges. Beach cusps are common along this
area and landward topography is moderately sloping towards sea.
The entire foreshore and backshore contains black sands and are
enriched with heavy minerals. The study area enjoys sub tropical
climate and experiences tropical monsoon where south-west
monsoon is the dominant one of the two active monsoon seasons.
The rivers and streams of the study area are mostly dry during the
greater part of the year and are flooded only during monsoons. The

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therefore have some component of beach minerals brought in by the

landward wind. The raw sand of Teris is medium grained (-40+60
mesh) with the singular exception at Kulathur-Melmandai, where it
is coarse (-20+40 mesh). The heavy minerals as a class are fine to
very fine (-80+200 mesh). Ilmenite has marginally less TiO2 (49.7 to
45.5%) as compared to that of the beach sands with the FeO/Fe2O3
value of 1.82 to 2.75 implying thereby less weathering and probably
hematite intergrowth in ilmenite. The red Teri sands are derived
from the weathering insitu of coastal dune sands. Reddening of sand
is attributed to the release of iron from the garnet and opaque
minerals (Gardner 1981). The red Teri sand compared with the
beach sands have lesser concentration of heavy minerals but with
large resources in a few well-defined deposits. They contain about
83% of the resources of titanium minerals identified so far in Tamil
Nadu.

Fig. 1 Location map of the study area

southernmost part of Tamil Nadu falling in Kanyakumari district

receives higher rainfall and it is situated in a geomorphic setting
similar to that of adjoining Kerala coast. The study area is highly
dynamic with many cyclic and random processes owing to a variety
of resources and habitats.
2.1. Geology
The study area is surrounded by majestic hills and plains bordered
by colourful seashores. In Kanyakumari region, charnockite group of
rocks are well exposed and consist of pyroxene granulite and
leptynites. They are distributed as thin bands and lenses. Small
patches of limestone deposits are noticed in and around
Karamaniyar river. In contrast to the beach and dune sand, the Teri
sand are uniformly rich in titanium minerals that constitute of the
total heavy minerals followed by sillimanite, zircon and monazite;
however, pyroxenes and amphiboles are almost absent. Garnets are
the most or the second most abundant mineral in the beach sands.
Navaladi-Periathalai and Eravadi-Kilakarai deposits contains up to
1.34% of garnet margin. These two deposits occur skirting the beach
deposits and in some locations even underlain the beach dunes and
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2.2. Geomorphology
The coastal geomorphology of the study area is mainly composed of
beach ridges, rocky shores, sand dunes, sand sheets, swampy
estuarine regions etc. The coastal zone has an average width of 15
km; it is wider (16 km) on the confluence of Tamiraparani and other
minor seasonal streams of variable width are also present. The
shoreline, west of Kanyakumari up to Kollamcode is mostly straight,
barring a few rocky promontories alternating with the bays. The
Tamiraparani delta lacks deltaic protuberance but has the typical
shore concave to sea, implying dominance of marine erosion over
riverine deposition.

3. Methodology
3.1. Field setup
In order to study the deposition and erosion nature during one tide
cycle we selected five stations to represent entire beach by placing
iron rods with loose fitting washer that moves freely along the rod,
parallel to the shoreline in 10 meter interval and perpendicularly five
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meter interval. Initial beach surface level is noticed and daily

monitoring was carried out during high and low tide level. Surface
samples were collected from alternate profiles in LTR, HTR and MTR.
Small topographic changes are obtained by measuring distance
between the beach surface and top of the rod. Disturbance depth is
represented by the thickness of new sand deposits. Moreover, wave
parameters such as wave height, wave period, littoral drift, and wave
direction are also observed. In order to study the changing beach
micro morphology during one tide cycle and related change in heavy
mineral distribution pattern on the beach face, a 50 meter strip of
beach face between the Indian Rare Earths heavy mineral separation
plant and the Kottilpadu village on the south-west coast of India was
selected. Within this 50 meter stretch, five beach perpendicular
profiles were established at 10 meter interval. Along each profile, six
stakes were planted with an interval of five meter (Fig. 2). The
seaward stake (stake with centimeter marking) of each of the profile
was planted approximately along the high tide waterline of the neap
tide in the study area. Initial beach surface level was noted by
measuring the length of the rod above the beach surface up to the tip
of the rod. Similarly, all the 30 stakes were measured as the
benchmark level for the day. Later in a day, measurements were
taken during the high tide time and the low tide time of the day.
During every measurement surface samples were collected from
alternate profiles. During the day, wave parameters were also
measured by manual observation. This pattern of data collection was
carried out for 28 days covering a full tidal cycle from 24th November
2005 to 22 December 2005.

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3.3. XRD analysis

X-ray diffraction is a versatile, non-destructive analytical technique
used for identification and quantitative determination of various
crystalline forms known as phases of compounds present in
powdered and the solid samples. The result of an XRD measurement
is a diffractogram showing phases present (peak position), phase
concentration (peak heights), amorphous content (background
hump) and crystalline size (peak width).
Diffractometer that was used for determination is PANalyticalXpert PRO diffractometer. The ideal powder sample should be
homogeneous, with a grain size between 1 and 25 m. In preparing
the mineral separations for diffraction analysis, grains were ground
in an agate mortar and pestle. The sample prepared in flat sample
holder was mounted on the sample stage of the X-ray diffractometer.
The XRD measurement was performed by operating the equipment
using Xpert data collector software. Further processing on the XRD
data was done using Xpert high score plus software.
3.4. XRF analysis
14 samples were powdered and subjected to X-ray fluorescence
(XRF) using a BRUKER S4 pioneer wavelength dispersive XRF.
Finely powdered sample is pressed into a wafer like pellet for
analysis by X-ray fluorescence technique. For determining major
constituents in the sample, around 5.50.5 g of sample was weighed
out and transfered to a numbered aluminium cap (40 mm diameter)
with the aid of a plastic paper. Out of that 2.5.1 g of sample powder
was weighed on a tracing sheet then sprinkle it over uniformly
spread boric acid so that the sample spread is uniform and covers
completely with boric acid. The sample material was leveled and
placed it over the sample slot and it was subjected to pressing to
form the pellet. The above raised pellet was removed from the
instrument and the flaky materials were removed from the edges of
the pressed pellet and are subjected to XRF analysis.

4. Results and discussion

4.1. Beach micro-morphology

Fig. 2 Field setup and data collection in the study area

3.2. Sediment analysis

The collected samples were washed with freshwater and dried at 60
centigrade. Then the shelly fragments were removed by treating the
sediment with dilute hydrochloric acid. Again the sediments were
dried and sieved on sieve shaker for 15 minutes. Sieve data were
subjected to textural analysis by using a computer program SIZE
which calculates moment measures of sedimentological parameters.
The sieved fractions from +120 to +230 ASTM sieve sets were taken
for heavy mineral separation. Heavy minerals were separated using
analytical grade bromoform (specific gravity 2.8) using normal
laboratory procedures. Separated heavies were examined under
binocular microscope with cross nicols and percentage of each of the
heavy mineral was calculated. Before examining under microscope
the powdered samples were subjected to XRD analysis.
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Sediment budgets are influenced by the long shore sediment

transport and cross shore sediment transport. From 24 November
2005 to 22 December 2005 observations on the beach morphology
were conducted daily to assess the beach type in particular the
presence/absence of nearshore bar morphology and erosion scarps.
Comparing beach profiles from beginning to end reveals the beach
dominated by deposition. Here beach cusps also play an important
factor for changing beach morphology. Cusps shift in 4 to 5 days
interval westward and the wave height ranges from 0.7 to 2 meter.
A crucial notion is that waves, currents, tides and sediment
transport do not depend only on external forces but also on the local
topography and composition of the seabed. Hence, the magnitude
and direction of sediment transport is not the same at different
places in the coastal zone. At some places there will be erosion and at
other places there will be deposition of sediment. As a result, seabed
and shoreline are continuously changing and this change in turns
affects waves, currents and tides.
Sedimentary coastal environments are characterized by the
continuous mutual adaptation of coastal morphology and water
motion. Therefore the data collected in the study is likely to give a
broad idea of how the different dynamics factors such as tide, wave

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and current independently or in combination affects the sediment

accumulation on a high energy beach.
The activation depth represents the thickness of bottom
sediment layer affected by hydrodynamic processes, essentially
waves and currents during a time span varying from few minutes or
hours to tidal cycle or several days. As observed by several authors,
vertical distribution of disturbance and mixing depths depends on
various factors like breaking wave height and period, beach grain
size and slope and the morphodynamic beach state (King 1951;
Otvos 1965; Williams 1971; Greenwood and Hale 1980; Wright
1981).
The configuration is designed such a way that resultant database
would provide not only the surface but the depth of activation as
well. As of the south-west coast of India is concerned, it is usually
dominated by shoaling and breaking waves, and the tide is believed
to have little or no effect on sediment transport from sub-tidal bars,
being responsible only for modifying the shoaling and breaking
patterns of waves (Wijnber and Kroon 2002).
Gentle observation of the fluctuations in the beach face suggests
that during storm-wave events, sediment migrated offshore from the
crests and landward slopes to the side of the bars but sometimes no
significant changes were noticed. When wave energy condition were
moderate, the crests of profile one and two increased this
phenomenon appears to be coincided with the cusps formation.
Lateral migration of the cusps could be monitored in these profiles.
In general it occurs when significant wave height is less than 1 m.
The study area is gently sloping, dissipative beach with a
nearshore bar system and a prominent berm at the backshore.
During high wave conditions, the berm is eroded and sediment
migrates offshore to be stored in a nearshore bar. It is suggested by
Aagaard et al. (2005) that the magnitude of shoreline erosion during
a sequence of high wave energy condition is dependent upon the
slope of the beach face.
During the study period of 28 days, the observation of two storm
events was noted in which berm was found to be eroded significantly
during the beginning of the first storm and that erosion was greater
on sections of the beach where the slopes were steeper. Therefore it
is suggested that the gently sloping, dissipative intertidal zones like
the one studied here the beach is relatively stable under high-energy
conditions.
4.2. Grain size
To understand the depositional environment of the coastal
sediments, grain size analysis has been carried out. The statistical
method has been applied in diagnosing the finer differences that may
exist within a particular environment of the same physiographic
units such as dune, berm, high tide, mid tide and low tide sediments
(Mohan and Rajamanickam 1998; 2001).
In the present study, an endeavor has been made to make use of
the grain size characteristics of sediments collected from different
location within the study area that are subjected to various degree of
erosion, transportation and deposition mechanisms. The various
structural parameters obtained through graphic and moment
methods are shown in table 1.
4.2.1. Frequency curves
In the study area, the frequency pattern point towards the presence
of polymodal distribution having peaks at 1.0 to 1.6. The first
population constitutes 12% to 23% of the sand. The excessive
coarser population of sediments is suggestive of the influence of
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open sea conditions and strong winnowing action that in turn results
in the removal of fines. It is supplemented by the presence of rocky
beaches around the region. The characteristic presence of two
populations may be attributable to the role of multisource probably
the conditions here, the continuous stay of fine sediments may be
ascribed to the prolific supply of the same through the rivers as well
as the shelf.
4.2.2. Mean
The mean reflects the overall average size of sediment as influenced
by source of supply and environment of deposition. It is the function
of (1) total amount of sediment availability, (2) the amount of energy
imparted to the sediments (3) nature of transporting agent. Here,
mean value fluctuates from 1.98 to 3.17 phi which indicates the
presence of finer sand and that may be due to the influence of higher
wave energy and cusps shifting. The distribution of coarser sand in
the study area indicates high energy environment which can alter the
nature of sediments to a considerable extent.
4.2.3. Standard deviation
In the study area, the standard deviation values ranges from 0.41 to
0.79 which shows well sorted to moderately well sorted. Here the
sorting measures are of similar nature, where averages grain size as
well as the modal distribution of sub-population is found to vary
characteristically. The high tide and low tide region may probably
due to uniform addition of a particular grade of grain size from the
reworked beach ridges, while the mid-tide region is expected to face
the removal of the fine sand uniformly.
4.2.4. Skewness
Skewness measures the asymmetry of the distribution and it also
shows how closely grain size distribution advances the normal
Gaussian probability curve and the more extreme the value the more
non-normal the size curve. Skewness has proved its efficacy in
distinguishing many sedimentary environments like beach, aeolian,
fluvial etc. (Folk and Ward 1957). It can be a sensitive indicator of
sub-population mixing and the sign of the skewness is closely related
to the environmental energy. The presence of negative skewness
implies high-energy and winnowing action whereas the positive
skewness is attributed to low energy condition with accumulation of
finer sediments. The skewness values in the study area ranges from
0.31 to -0.17. In general, based on the classification of Folk and Ward
(1957) the skewness values of these beach sands vary from very
negatively skewed to positively skewed.
4.2.5. Kurtosis
The graphic kurtosis is the qualitative measure of the part of
sediments already sorted elsewhere in a high-energy environment
and later transported and modified by another type of environment
(Folk and Ward 1957). But the moment kurtosis is an index of mixing
of two populations (Thomas et al 1972). Jaquet and Vernet (1976)
have recommended the usage of graphic kurtosis to recognise the
inherited characters of population and moment kurtosis for
measuring the mixing between end populations. The graphic kurtosis
varies in the study region from 0.06 to 1.53. They are platykurtic to
leptokurtic. The movement of long-shore currents and the fluvial
discharge of sediments from the river mouth have probably brought
out mixing of sediments to the beach face.
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4.3. Heavy minerals

Heavy minerals in the study area are fine-grained and the heavy
mineral percentage on beach face at different tidal conditions is
shown in table 2. Heavy mineral percentage was low at the time of
high tide and more heavies at the time of low-tide condition from the
beginning of the study to 30/11/05. But from 1/12/05 to 15/12/05
i.e. one spring tide to next spring tide, heavies are high at the time of

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high tide condition. From 19th onwards again heavies are low at the
time of high tide and high at the time of low tide conditions. This is
due to the swash hydraulics of grains and beach sand sorting.
In point counting, opaques are high in both high and low tide
samples. In all samples more than 40% constitute opaques followed
by sillimanite <25% and other constitute rest of the percentage. High
percentage of opaques is obtained at the low tide condition (> 50%).
The samples were subjected to magnetic separation primarily before

S.No. Id
Phi 10
Phi 12
Phi 16
Phi 25
Phi 50
Phi 70
1 P1S1:6.00
1.26
1.87
2.24
2.46
2.92
3.55
2 P5S1:2.00
1.52
1.7
2.08
2.27
2.64
2.9
3 P3S4:2.00
0.04
1.19
2.08
2.29
2.77
3.27
4 P1S6:6.00
1.71
2.08
2.39
2.54
2.75
2.95
5 P5S6:2.00
1.38
2.08
2.52
2.7
3.18
3.71
6 P5S1:6.00
1.65
2.1
2.51
2.67
3.14
3.65
7 P1S1:6.00
1.47
1.84
2.44
2.62
3.01
3.66
8 P1S6:2.00
2.07
2.42
2.62
2.72
3.01
3.38
9 P5S6:6.00
1.52
1.94
2.17
2.32
2.69
3.03
10 P3S4:6.00
0.2
1.41
2.14
2.5
2.85
3.33
11 28/11/P3S
1.21
1.87
2.25
2.48
2.73
2.98
12 P1S6:9.15
1.54
1.91
2.13
2.26
2.6
2.94
13 P5S6:9.15
0.54
1.14
1.68
1.88
2.25
2.65
14 P6S6:4.30
1.64
2.06
2.33
2.52
2.85
3.45
15 P3S4:4.30
0.8
1.84
2.36
2.56
2.87
3.31
16 P1S6:4.30
1.79
2.09
2.38
2.56
2.88
3.39
17 P3S4:6.00
0.2
1.41
2.14
2.5
2.85
3.33
18 P1S6:5.45
2
2.06
2.23
2.36
2.67
2.94
19 P3S4:10.3
1.85
2.32
2.59
2.68
2.92
3.33
20 P6S6:5.45
1.56
1.93
2.26
2.49
2.77
3.12
21 P3S6:5.45
1.11
1.61
2.03
2.12
2.37
2.73
22 P1S6:10.3
1.81
2.09
2.38
2.56
2.91
3.36
23 1/12:P1S6
1.78
2.07
2.3
2.49
2.8
3.22
24 P3S4:11.1
1.82
2.16
2.55
2.69
3.09
3.6
25 P3S4:6.15
1.64
2.08
2.4
2.56
2.85
3.25
26 P1S6:6.15
1.63
2.06
2.37
2.54
2.78
3.05
27 P5S6:11.1
0.68
1.54
1.91
2.09
2.46
2.84
28 6/12:P5S5
0.54
1.02
1.37
1.56
1.88
2.41
29 P1S4:3.00
0.63
1.39
1.86
2.12
2.65
3.06
30 P5S6:3.00
0.07
0.53
0.84
1.13
1.74
2.24
31 P1S1:10.1
1.57
2
2.17
2.31
2.68
3.08
32 P5S6:10.1
1.01
1.7
2.29
2.54
2.84
3.21
33 P3S4:10.1
2.02
2.2
2.54
2.62
2.85
3.19
34 P5S2:10.1
2.02
2.28
2.57
2.66
2.9
3.32
35 P1S6:3.00
0.63
1.15
1.64
1.89
2.47
2.85
36 P1S6:10.1
0.84
1.55
2.04
2.26
2.7
3.08
37 29/P3S4:5
1.1
1.85
2.15
2.28
2.66
3.08
38 P6S6:10.0
1.05
1.76
2.16
2.34
2.74
3.2
39 P1S6:5.00
1.74
2.18
2.56
2.66
2.94
3.43
40 P1S6:10.0
1.62
2.03
2.27
2.47
2.73
2.98
41 P3S4:10.0
1.58
2.01
2.24
2.43
2.77
3.18
42 P6S6:5.00
1.98
2.09
2.33
2.51
2.75
2.99
43 15/P3S4:75
1.57
1.98
2.2
2.36
2.71
3
44 P5S6:11.1
1.41
1.89
2.17
2.33
2.7
3.04
45 P1S1:11.1
1.54
2.04
2.35
2.54
2.81
3.19
46 P3S4:11.1
1.57
1.98
2.2
2.36
2.71
3
47 P5S6:7.45
1.53
1.94
2.33
2.55
2.88
3.39
48 P1S6:7.45
1.04
1.67
2.09
2.23
2.61
2.97
49 P5S2:7.45
1.62
2.03
2.32
2.53
2.89
3.33
50 19/P5S6:2
1.46
1.95
2.26
2.48
2.78
3.13
51 P5S6:9.45
2.03
2.5
2.61
2.7
2.94
3.33
52 P1S6:2.15
2.03
2.27
2.56
2.64
2.85
3.15
Table 1. Various textural parameters obtained through graphic and moment methods
19

O F

Phi 80
3.8
2.99
3.47
3.1
3.91
3.85
3.9
3.52
3.3
3.56
3.23
3.17
2.87
3.7
3.51
3.65
3.56
3.12
3.52
3.37
2.9
3.57
3.45
3.82
3.44
3.3
2.98
2.67
3.38
2.49
3.35
3.37
3.4
3.54
2.99
3.38
3.34
3.45
3.69
3.24
3.41
3.28
3.27
3.29
3.42
3.27
3.64
3.21
3.51
3.36
3.49
3.33

Phi 100
4.21
3.45
3.9
3.49
4.29
4.24
4.3
3.92
3.81
3.95
3.74
3.65
3.41
3.99
3.94
4.04
3.95
3.56
3.92
3.86
3.36
3.97
3.92
4.22
3.86
3.72
3.48
3
3.91
3.05
3.83
3.76
3.82
3.95
3.55
3.94
3.84
3.98
4.14
3.76
3.87
3.82
3.72
3.73
3.89
3.72
3.99
3.63
3.9
3.8
3.93
3.67

Mean
2.99
2.57
2.77
2.74
3.21
3.17
3.12
3.05
2.72
2.85
2.74
2.64
2.27
2.96
2.91
2.97
2.85
2.67
3.01
2.8
2.43
2.95
2.85
3.16
2.9
2.82
2.45
1.98
2.63
1.69
2.73
2.84
2.93
3.01
2.36
2.71
2.71
2.78
3.06
2.75
2.81
2.79
2.72
2.72
2.86
2.72
2.95
2.64
2.91
2.8
3.01
2.91

SD
0.74
0.49
0.76
0.39
0.68
0.66
0.74
0.45
0.57
0.74
0.53
0.52
0.64
0.64
0.61
0.61
0.74
0.45
0.48
0.57
0.48
0.58
0.57
0.63
0.53
0.48
0.56
0.63
0.76
0.79
0.57
0.58
0.46
0.5
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.66
0.58
0.5
0.57
0.5
0.53
0.56
0.55
0.53
0.64
0.58
0.58
0.55
0.43
0.41

Skew
0.11
-0.16
-0.08
0.02
0.03
0.05
0.14
0.16
0.15
-0.07
0.04
0.16
0.03
0.21
0.07
0.2
-0.7
0.1
0.27
0.1
0.17
0.11
0.17
0.12
0.13
0.13
0.01
0.17
-0.02
-0.03
0.19
-0.06
0.24
0.29
-0.17
0.03
0.16
0.11
0.28
0.12
0.13
0.17
0.11
0.09
0.15
0.11
0.12
0.05
0.07
0.09
0.31
0.2

ORIGINAL

Kurt
0.88
1.15
1.13
1.41
0.9
0.89
0.96
0.94
1.08
1.26
1.53
1.04
1.21
0.85
1.16
0.97
1.26
1.06
0.99
1.25
1.17
0.96
1.04
0.92
1.06
1.35
1.07
0.96
1.1
0.93
0.98
1.27
1.16
1.03
1.02
1.19
1.02
1.06
1.04
1.4
1.01
1.48
1.12
1.06
1.16
1.12
1
1.08
0.96
1.17
0.92
1.12

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O F

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S C I E N C E S

conducting XRD analysis. Peak positions shown by diffractogram is low heavy indicative elements. During low tide the panning and
ilmenite (FeTiO3) pyrope and pseudorutile (Fe2Ti3O9) in magnetic, gravity separation action prompts a high heavy mineral development
sillimanite (AlFeO2.SiO5), zircon (ZrSiO4) and rutile (TiO2) in during high tide time.
magnetic.
ID

Tide
Total Wt. of %L
Wt. of
%Heavy
Cond
Wt.
Light
heavy
P1S6:2.00
L
10.99
4.42 40.22
6.75
59.78
P1S6:6.00
H
3.12
1.89 60.58
1.23
39.42
P1S6:5.00
L
23.03
4.83 20.97
18.19
78.98
P1S6:10.00 H
9.14
4.7 51.37
4.44
48.56
P5S6:5.45
L
16.31
7.46 45.77
8.84
54.21
P5S6:10.30 H
12.99
8.49 65.34
4.5
34.63
P1S6:6.15
L
7.65
4.75 62.09
2.86
37.39
P1S6:11.15 H
21.15
7.62 36.03
13.52
63.92
P1S6:10.15 L
13.75
4.18 30.44
9.54
69.48
P1S6:3.00
H
5.95
2.44 41.08
3.46
58.25
Fig. 4 XRD peaks of heavy minerals in Low tide condition
P1S6:7.45
L
6.5
4.68
72
1.73
26.62
P1S6:11.15 H
13.34
5.9 44.23
7.3
54.72
P5S6:9.45
L
16.86
7.02 41.63
9.84
58.37
P5S6:2.15
H
7.68
7.08 92.25
0.59
7.74
Table 2. Heavy mineral assay on the beach face during different tidal
conditions

This was done in order to get an overall frame of the heavy

mineral constituents in the sample. It is believed that during the high
tide conditions the bulk of the sediment been scooped towards high
water line. Therefore, the admixtures of all the constituents will be in
the sediment load. During the low tide condition, the water starts
recede and so a kind of panning and gravity separation is happening
in the beach face. This phenomenon is reflected as high heavy
percentage during the low tide condition. Total heavy mineral
Fig. 5 XRD peaks of heavy minerals in High tide condition
content that has obtained by gravity separation are shown in figure
3. The majority of the samples are showing high percentage of heavy
The present study has clearly indicated the patterns and the
observed concentration of heavy minerals in the study region put
forward implied that north ward moving current is the most
favourable direction for accumulation of placers. Further, the heavy
mineral assemblage of the beach sediment with respect to the nature
of catchment rocks of the study region indicate the possibility of
mineral supply from additional agency such as alongshore and
offshore sources. Extreme events such as tsunami and storm surge
have a significant role in the distribution pattern of heavy minerals
on the beach face. However, such events have the capability to
change the morphodynamics of the coast.

Fig. 3 Heavy mineral assemblage in point counting

minerals at high tide and low percentage at low tide conditions (Fig.
4&5). Two sample showing variation from others due to
hydrodynamic conditions prevail in that time i.e. in response to
pressure gradients caused by the elevation variation of the water
surface due to the magnitude of the tidal cycle.
X-ray fluorescence analytical results also reflect what was
inferred from XRD and point counting data. As discussed the earlier,
high-tide samples were found to be of low TiO2 and FeO content
when compared to the low tide samples (Fig. 6). This phenomenon
Fig. 6 XRF analysis data for high and low tide samples at different dates
can be explained as an earlier that the onrush of heavy sediment load
during high tide time dilutes the heavy mineral content and so the
20

ORIGINAL

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J O U R N A L

5. Conclusions
From the analysis of grain size data it is observed that characteristic
environment of the position of wave influenced in the study area.
From the study of heavy mineral assemblages it is accomplished this
region with the non-opaque concentration ranges from 7.02 to
22.45% whereas opaque concentration ranges from 37.5 to 56.84%.
The X-ray fluorescence analytical results are also in line with XRD
results and the point counting data. It is inferred that the high tide
samples were found with low TiO2 and FeO contents when compared
with the low tide samples. During low tide condition the panning in
gravity separation action prompts the high heavy mineral indicative
elements during low tide time. This zone allots the presence of high
concentration of heavy minerals due to west ward direction currents.
Many of the lamellae are found to be of very fine in nature and hence
magnetites may be attributed to have been derived from igneous
suite of rocks. The present study is useful for exploitation of placer
minerals and understanding the concept of tidal behaviour on the
deposition of heavy mineral placers.

O F

C O A S T A L

S C I E N C E S

Otvos, E.G., 1965. Sedimentation-erosion cycles of single tidal periods on Long

Island Sound beaches. J Sediment Petrol 35(3), 604-609
Strahler, A.N., 1966. Tidal cycle of changes in an equilibrium beach, Sandy
Hook, New Jersey. J Geol 74, 247-268
Thomas, R.L., Kemp, A.L.W., Lewis, G.P.M., 1972. Distribution, composition and
characteristics of the surficial sediments of Lake Onterio. J Sed Petrol 42,
66-84.
Wijnberg, K.M., Kroon, A., 2002. Barred beaches. Geomorphology 48, 103-120.
Williams, A.T., 1971. An analysis of some factors involved in the depth of
disturbance of beach sand by waves. Mar Geol 11, 145-158.
Wright, L.D., 1981. Beach cut in relation to surf zone morphodynamics. Proc
17th Int Coastal Eng Conf ASCE pp 978-996.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Centre for Earth Science Studies,
Akkulam, Thiruvananthapuram to provide necessary laboratory
facilities to carry out the research work. We also thank Dr. Terry
Machado, Scientist E, Centre for Earth Science Studies, Akkulam,
Thiruvananthapuram for his guidance to carry out the field work.

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21

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