Mineralogy of middle triassic ilmenite placer, Kydzrasy river (Pre-Ural foredeep)

We present results of our study of main placer-forming minerals of ilmenite placer. Ilmenite placer is similar to other occurrences in weakly-lithified greywacke Triassic sandstones in the eastern part of the Bolshesyninskaya basin of the Pre-Ural foredeep. The placer is characterized by high contents of ilmenite (up to 102 kg/m3) and substantially differs by its structure and formation conditions from known industrial zircon-ilmenite placers. The determination of potential for the titanium content of Triassic rocks of the region required the solution of problem of identifying source of ilmenite. The study of the typomorphic properties of ilmenite and minerals-satellites concluded - epidote-amphibolite schists or amphibolites were the most likely primary source.