Name: Prateek Vyas Roll no: 33 Role Of Geomorphology In Mineral Exploration Geomorphology is defined as scientific study of landforms. Geo means ‘earth’, Morpho means ‘form’ and Logy means ‘discourse’ or ‘science’. It is 2 branch of Earth Science, which has grown after the advent of Aerial photographs and satellite data. Geomorphology, along with information on soil, water and vegetation has become one of the essential inputs in planning for various developmental activities. The scope of geomorphology has further expanded with the landform maps widely used in various fields of Fesource surveys, environmental analysis, hydrological studies, engineering applications _and ‘geo-technical studies. As a result, experts in various fields such as geoscience, pedology, hydrology, civil engineering, urban planning etc, have started intuitively using landform maps for various applications in their respective fields. Geomorphology gives the surface indication of hidden minerals. there are four basic points where geomorphology can guide towards the mineral prospecting, 1. Topographic prominence or Topographic depressions can be seen by observing the field from some distance. weathering resistant surfaces stand out as ridges like the quartz vein and especially used for lead and zinc deposits. the direct example of this topographic prominence is gossan(iron hats). in this ‘way, we can use geomorphology in prospecting, 2- Bauxite deposits are easily encountered by observing the geomorphology of an area as these deposits are fairly resistant to erosion and they are also known as residual deposits and their surface indicates many things because they are pisolitic or oolitic in appearance. 3- Placer deposits are also can be found out by looking into the geomorphology of an area 4- mineral oil can find out with the help of geomorphology as folded sedimentary structures are the potential sites for the accumulation of oil and gas. One of the use of geomorphology is to find out thickest regolith which are the main source of cu deposit Geomorphology maps help us to identify sites for placer deposits, Gold placers occur in a wide number of types located in a variety of geomorphological environments. Common type of placer deposits that can be found using geomorphology are© Residual placers © Alluvial placer © Stream placers ‘© Bench placers © Flood gold deposits © Desert placers © Tertiary gravels © Miscellaneous types © Beach placers © Glacial deposits © Eolian deposits © Marine placers Alluvial Diamond deposits can also be find out using geomorphological techniques, Alluvial diamond deposits are derived from the weathering, erosion and transportation of diamonds from diamondiferous kimberlite pipes, dikes, fissures and lamproite intrusions by fluvial processes. These processes can produce large alluvial diamond fields. Alluvial diamond deposits are presently known to occur in South ‘Africa, Angola, Australia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of Congo ("DRC"), Central African Republic, Sierra Leone and Venezuela. The erosion, transport and deposition of diamond from the primary diamond deposit sources occur in five main types of deposit © Fluvial © Plateau gravel deposits m= Eluvial deposits = Colluvial deposits m= Slope deposits = Alluvial deposits © Coastal plain deposits ‘¢ Marine: Onshore (beach) and offshore (marine) deposits; © Lacustrine © Aeolian (wind deflation) and, Glacial Geomorphological mappings are made using Gis softwares and are also available on some of the ‘government organization sites such as Bhuvan, USGS etc. Geomorphological maps can be considered‘graphical inventories of a landscape depicting landforms and surface as well as subsurface materials. Sketches and maps of landscapes and landforms have been fundamental methods to analyse and visualise Earth surface features ever since early geomorphological research. The widespread distribution and extended graphical capabilities of geographic information systems (GIS) as well as the availability of high-resolution remote sensing data such as aerial and satellite imagery and digital elevation models (OEMs) has led to the recent rejuvenation of the method. Geomorphological map can give us lot of landforms details, which are vey useful in mineral exploration planning, detail that a geomorphological map can give us are as follows Colluvial fans Alluvial fans Pediments Landslides Talus Wash plain Meandering Badlands Flood plains Paleolevee Oxbow lake Abandoned Channel Natural Levee Channel Bar Loess Valleys Hills Ridge Sill ridge Basin Dome Dykes Rift valley Scarp Gorge Hogback Plateau top Mesa Butte Dunes Wadi Barchan Playa Desert Pavement Hamada Kame Terrace Esker Horn Nunatak Crevasse Moraines Till Outwash plains