HYPERSPECTRAL SIGNATURES AND PETROGRAPHIC STUDIES OF STEATITE DEPOSIT WITHIN ULTRAMAFIC (PYROXENITE) ROCK OF DHARWAR CRATON, AROUND KARIGAALA AREA, MYSURU DISTRICT, KARNATAKA, INDIA

India as subcontinent is rich in mineral resources. Steatite deposits are one among the leading deposits in Precamrian rocks of Dharwar Craton, Southern India. Steatite occurrence and deposit are associated with Ultramafic (Pyroxenite) rock around Karigaala area, Mysore district, Karnataka. Random samples collected in the field with ground truth check were studied primarily to demarcate Steatite and to understand the field relation with their associated litho units. Steatite is a metamorphic rock which consist majority of talc mineral along with other minor minerals. Steatite has lot of uses like it is used to produce monuments, slabs, surface plates, oven floors, masonry heaters, fireplace liners, carvings, beads, mold and electronic insulators etc. The study area confirms to Sargur Group of rocks comprising granitic-gneiss, metapelites, banded amphibolites, pyroxenites, meta ultramafics, and meta-sedimentary rocks of Precambrian age. The present study aims to study the petrological, geochemical and spectral behavior of steatite and associated lithological contacts occurring in the study area. Petrography helped to know the other minerals which are associated with steatite, SEM-EDX studies helped to know the high Mg elemental percentage present in the given steatite sample. The spectral signatures of the collected samples were derived in laboratory environment to achieve better accuracy. It is observed that the pyroxenites of the study area altered to workable deposit of steatite occurring around Karigaala area of Mysore district. It is also observed that spectral signatures of chrysotile mineral belongs to a variety of Asbestos in Steatite rock occurring in study area suggests harmful effect for human beings lungs if they inhale or exposed to it for longer duration