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A few thoughts on the diamondiferous nature of lamprophyres from Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field, Southern India Cover

A few thoughts on the diamondiferous nature of lamprophyres from Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field, Southern India

Mineralogia
Volume 57 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)
By:  and    
Open Access
|Jan 2026
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Location of lamprophyres within the simplified geological map of WKF (modified after Nayak & Kudari, 1999) and disposition of various rare alkaline rocks. Lamprophyre outcrop abbreviations: KKL, Korrakodu (Raghuvanshi et al., 2019); SPL, Sivarampet (Khan et al., 2019; Phani et al., 2018); KGL, Kalagalla (Phani et al., 2020); MDL, Mudigubba (Pandey et al., 2017a); UKL, Udiripikonda (Pandey et al., 2017b); KUL, Khaderpet (Smith et al., 2013); P8, pipe 8 of Lattavaram (Phani, 2019). Alkali syenites (Suresh et al., 2010): Cc, Chintalacheruvu; Dn, Dancherla; Dp, Danduvaripalli; Vd, Vannedoddi; Pd, Pedavaduguru; Rp, Reddypalli; Yp, Yeguvapalli. Syenite- Gs- Golla (Phani et al., 2021); WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

Figure 2.

Field photographs of lamprophyres of WKF. (a) Korrakodu (Raghuvanshi et al., 2019), (b) Kadiri (Pandey et al., 2018), (c) Sivarampet, (d) Kalagalla, (e) Udiripikonda (Pandey et al., 2017a, 2017b), (f) Khaderpet, (g) Mudigubba, (h) Pipe-8 (Lattavaram). See text for photo sources. WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

Table 1.

Some salient features of lamprophyres of WKF and data sources used in this study.

LocationOutcropMineral assemblageRock typeReference
Korrakodu (KKL)DikeDark mica (60%–70%) within groundmass of feldspars, sphene, apatite, carbonates, and zirconKersantiteRaghuvanshi et al. (2019)
Kadiri (KDL)DikeAmphibole (magnesio-hornblende), biotite and feldspar phenocrysts in groundmass of epidote, titanite and apatiteSpessartitePandey et al. (2018)
Sivarampet (SPL)DikePyroxenes, olivine and feldspar in groundmass of mica, ilmenite and secondary amphibole carbonate and chloriteKersantitePhani et al. (2018), Khan et al. (2019), Pankaj et al. (2020)
Kalagalla (KGL)DikePhlogopite-biotite, feldspar, amphiboles in fine grained felspathic pyroxene groundmassSpessartitePhani et al. (2020)
Udiripikonda (UKL)DikeClinopyroxene megacrysts in olivine, mica in feldspathic groundmassKersantitePandey et al. (2017a, 2017b)
Khaderpet (KUL)PlugOlivine pseudomorphs altered to calcite or saponite, fine titanite in a saponite-carbonate or serpentine matrix. rare magnesiochromite with titanite rimsUltramafic lamprophyreSmith et al. (2013)
Mudigubba (MGL)DikeAmphibole, clinopyroxene, sphene, feldspar (albitised)SpessartitePandey et al. (2017a, 2017b)
Lattavaram (P-8)PipeOlivine, serpentinised olivine pseudomorphs, phlogopite, Cr-diopside, pyrope, chromite, ilmenite within groundmass of same compositionUltramafic lamprophyreDongre et al. (2017)

[i] WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

Table 2.

Geochemical data of lamprophyres of WKF in comparison with Jharia lamprophyre.

2a. Representative major oxide compositions.
KKLKDLSPLKGLUKLKULMGLP8Jharia
SiO246.7453.7147.3242.845.147.452.7241.9544.5
TiO21.80.92.372.182.382.660.761.34.81
Al2O317.6412.2413.949.0214.197.519.145.188.38
Fe2O38.5210.329.891611.278.477.050.1
MnO0.1430.170.130.180.170.230.180.10.13
MgO3.128.3587.57.4313.8011.1519.338.18
CaO6.628.68.538.358.8111.40128.636.85
Na2O3.322.493.11.12.11.432.210.350.33
K2O6.631.313.093.734.730.831.130.575.52
P2O50.950.280.480.430.670.280.370.31.6
LoI3.421.522.78.542.3710.91.5814.510.88
Total98.999.999.5899.8399.2296.4599.7199.4698.9
Mg#6360.258.2477.462.3971.576.884.562
2b. Selected cationic wt.% and trace element concentrations in ppm
LocationSampleAlFeTiKNaYTaSc
KarraokoduKR19.336.621.085.51.64226.29
KarraokoduKR29.556.081.085.411.87226.19
KarraokoduKR39.166.631.085.521.5746.39
KarraokoduKR49.496.61.025.421.59256.37
KadiriKD16.488.020.541.091.36160.330
KadiriKD26.487.510.451.792.35150.329
KadiriKD37.765.890.351.71.83120.421
KadiriKD47.316.960.471.571.40150.325
SivarampetSP16.777.070.972.971.4022.332.1215.82
SivarampetSP26.196.741.022.821.3124.52.3213.2
SivarampetSP36.997.790.92.661.4225.32.3414.45
SivarampetSP46.787.160.9731.5622.332.1214.82
KalagallaKL14.778.240.712.270.8217.32.0117.09
KalagallaKL26.257.380.722.160.6712.51.8916.4
KalagallaKL36.468.560.722.490.6615.71.9415.8
KalagallaKL45.458.210.842.151.2917.042.0415.5
UdiripikondaUD17.515.961.423.931.56257.515.96
UdiripikondaUD27.075.951.373.961.27237.075.95
UdiripikondaUD37.596.271.473.831.66247.596.27
UdiripikondaUD47.623.151.443.462.08257.623.15
KhaderpetKH10.682.740.40.680.319.151.36
KhaderpetKH20.782.740.330.780.539.651.38
KhaderpetKH30.82.780.410.80.3710.928
KhaderpetKH41.112.660.321.110.7413.81.88
MudigubbaMD14.848.470.460.411.63160.154
MudigubbaMD25.137.490.40.651.87150.150
MudigubbaMD34.47.60.40.381.59170.156
MudigubbaMD44.17.660.410.471.57170.155
Pipe 8LV12.745.480.780.470.268.884.868.42
Pipe 8LV22.755.790.820.50.339.7510
Pipe 8LV32.726.090.810.490.249.65.610
Pipe 8LV42.75.870.080.480.3310.24.910
JhariaJH148.243.584.310.694111.421
JhariaJH22.67.661.973.420.1926011
JhariaJH33.467.322.944.010.5357.0140
JhariaJH43.667.313.473.920.5640024

[i] See Table 1 for data sources.

[ii] KDL, Kadiri; KGL, Kalagalla; KKL, Korrakodu; KUL, Khaderpet; MGL, Mudigubba; UKL, Udiripikonda; WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

Figure 3.

Geochemical diagrams plotted using cationic wt.% (Ilupin & Lutz, 1971; Ilupin et al., 1974). (a) K vs Al diagram, (b) Ti vs K variation diagram, (c) Ti vs Al diagram, (d) K vs Fe diagram. Data used for comparison: Wajrakarur diamondiferous kimberlites (Phani & Raju, 2017), Narayanpet barren kimberlites (Dongre and Chalapathi Rao, 2012), Wawa diamondiferous lamprophyre (Lefebvre et al., 2005).

Figure 4.

Geochemical diagrams showing diamondiferous character of WKF lamprophyres. (a) Ta vs Sc variation diagram (Kaminsky et al., 2005) showing lamprophyres in comparison with other rock types. (b) Fe2O3 (wt.%) vs Y (ppm) diagram showing distinction between diamondiferous (prospective) and barren (non-prospective) kimberlites (Birkett et al., 2004). (c) Bivariant diagram between DG and TiO2 (wt.%) for lamprophyre samples of WKF showing inverse relation. Data for WKF kimberlites from Phani (2019). DG, diamond grade; WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

Table 3.

Summary of certain DIMs in lamprophyres in comparison with kimberlites and lamproites of WKF.

LocalityCHRCrDiILMGRTOLVSPNTTNDIA
Lamprophyresa
Korrakodu (KKL)
Kadiri (KDL)
Sivarampet (SPL)XXX
Kalagalla (KGL)X
Udiripikonda (UKL)XXX
Khaderpet (KUL)XXXXXXX
Mudigubba (MGL)X
Lattavaram (P-8)XXXXXX
Kimberlites and lamproitesc
Muligiripalli (P-5)XXXXXXXX
Tummatapalli (P-13)XXXXXXX
Pennahobilam (P-16)XXXXXXX
Pennahobilam (P-17)eXXXXXXX
Lattavaram (P-4)XXXXXXXX
Venkatampalli (P-7)XXXXXXXX
Timmasamudram (TK-4)bXXXXXXXX
Chigicherla (CC-5)XXXXXXXX
Brahmanapalli (B1)dXXXXXXXX

CHR, Chromite; CrDi, Cr-diopside; DIA, Diamond; DIMs, diamond indicator minerals; GRT, Garnet; ILM, Ilmenite; OLV, Olivine; PHL, Phlogopite; SPN, Spinel; TTN, Titanite; WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

a See text for references.

b Srinivas Choudary et al. (2007).

c Ravi et al. (2016).

d Phani et al. (2022).

e Sahoo et al. (2025).

Table 4.

TiO2 and DG values of lamprophyres of WKF in comparison with kimberlites.

LocationDGTiO2
Karraokodu1.851.80
Karraokodu1.71.805
Karraokodu1.861.81
Karraokodu1.951.71
Kadiri5.160.9
Kadiri5.820.75
Kadiri5.660.59
Kadiri5.010.79
Sivarampet2.431.62
Sivarampet2.261.7
Sivarampet2.871.5
Sivarampet2.471.79
Kalagalla4.251.18
Kalagalla3.631.2
Kalagalla4.061.2
Kalagalla3.431.4
Udiripikonda1.362.38
Udiripikonda1.432.28
Udiripikonda1.372.45
Udiripikonda0.752.41
Khaderpet7.350.66
Khaderpet7.390.55
Khaderpet6.30.68
Khaderpet5.90.53
Mudigubba7.080.76
Mudigubba7.100.66
Mudigubba7.650.66
Mudigubba7.460.69
Pipe 83.741.3
Pipe 83.691.36
Pipe 83.931.35
Pipe 83.940.133
Jharia0.775.97
Jharia1.523.28
Jharia0.884.91
Jharia0.745.79
WKF Kimberlitesa
Pipe-37.541.58
Pipe-47.371.56
Pipe-52.735.36
Pipe-710.680.79
Pipe-99.80.71
Pipe-106.622.2
Pipe-117.481.27
Pipe-131.826.62
Pipe-16b1.74.5

a Phani (2019).

b Phani & Raju (2017).

DG, diamond grade; WKF, Wajrakarur Kimberlite Field.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/mipo-2026-0001 | Journal eISSN: 1899-8526 | Journal ISSN: 1899-8291
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Language: English
Page range: 1 - 17
Submitted on: Apr 26, 2025
Accepted on: Nov 23, 2025
Published on: Jan 28, 2026
Published by: Mineralogical Society of Poland
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: Volume open
Keywords:
Lamprophyre,
calc-alkaline,
aillikite,
diamond prospectivity,
WKF
Related subjects:
Geosciences,
Geophysics

© 2026 P. Ramesh Chandra Phani, Ioannis Kamvisis, published by Mineralogical Society of Poland
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Volume 57 (2026): Issue 1 (January 2026)
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