280 crore-year-old quartz veins found in hillock near Siddipet

Hyderabad: Crores of years ago, when the Earth was still in its formative stage, its crust cooled enough for rocks to form. It was during that time that most of the rock formations one sees today began to take shape. Now, quartz formations dating back to 250 crore to 280 crore years have been identified […]

Hyderabad: Crores of years ago, when the Earth was still in its formative stage, its crust cooled enough for rocks to form. It was during that time that most of the rock formations one sees today began to take shape.

Now, quartz formations dating back to 250 crore to 280 crore years have been identified recently near Siddipet by members of the Kotha Telangana Charithra Brundam (KTCB). Seen as thin vein-like patterns on a granite hillock – Gattumallannagutta, about 50 km from Siddipet, these formations offers a glimpse into the age of the rocks. According to KTCB convenor Sreeramoju Haragopal, such formations in Telangana were most likely formed about 250 crore years ago.

According to Chakilam Venugopal Rao, retired Deputy Director general of Geological Survey of India (GSI), these quartz veins likely formed when the granite surrounding it formed. “Granite formations like this one were most likely formed when magma (molten rock) gushed out of the surface hundreds of crores of years ago. As it cooled down, gaps were likely to form between the rocks and other molten rock material, which had a high concentration of silica seeped into these gaps to form the quartz,” says Rao. Adding that their thin, long appearance led to people terming it as veins.

“Such formations can reveal a lot about the formation of the earth and can aid in dating the rocks in the surrounding areas as well. People assume that techniques like carbon dating are used but those techniques don’t work for rocks and other geological aspects,” says Haragopal.

These veins, according to Rao, are not just on the surface of the granite but are also located to a certain depth.

“As the quartz and other silicate material settles down, it seeps into the cracks and crevices and can be below the surface as well. Sometimes it also formed in various shapes over the surface, leading people to believe that it is a divine object. In reality, it is just a natural geological activity,” explains Rao, adding, “In many cases, they also have a directional orientation as they flowed and formed in a particular direction.”

Formations like these can aid research a lot in the geological history of a region. “Such formations tell a lot about the petrogenesis, i.e. the origin and formation of rocks,” adds Rao.

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