Geological and mineral Assessment of the Bandan Chromite reserve
Supervisor: Dr. Mirmohammadi, Eng. Ruh Shahriyar
By: Naser Abedian
The Bandan ophiolite melange contains diverse serpantinite, harzburgite, dunite, gabbro, diabase, and plagiogranite with pillow lava and silicic pelagic deposits. All facieses show remarkable metamorphism and alterations. All units are disrupted and there is no kind of a gradual conversion to other facieses.
Volcano-sedimentary facieses cover the ophiolitic melange unconformably. This complex contains limestones, flysch facies, Paleocene - Eocene carbonate facies and Miocene detritic unit that is folded and covers the ophiolitic rock. Mentioned rocks are the most eastern part of the East Iran Mountains created the long N-trending belt between two blocks of Lut and Afghan.
Alumina-rich chromite reserve of Bandan includes pediform, discontinuous lenses, and massive ore with serpantinite cover occurred in the harzburgite of the ophiolitic complex. Occurrence of Bandan Chromite is due to partial melting of the upper part of the earth mantle, and crystallization and magma differentiation in the chamber, snow-like formation of chromite from magma residues and its accumulation over the soft bed of dunite. At the end the plastic type behavior of ultramafic rocks and brittle behavior of chromite and tectonic activities located the chromite in its present position. Because of the high proportion of alumina in the chromite, it can be used in the refractory industries.