American Journal of Scientific Research ISSN 1450-223X Issue 11(2010), pp.86-91 © EuroJournals Publishing, Inc. 2010 http://www.eurojournals.com/ajsr.htm Distribution and Percentage of Heavy Minerals along Makran Coastline of Pakistan M. Afzal Farooq Choudry Department of Environmental Science, FUUAST, Karachi, Pakistan E-mail: drafzalfarooq@yahoo.com Yasmin Nurgis Environmental Research Center, Bahria University, Karachi, Pakistan Asif Hussain Department of Environmental Science, FUUAST, Karachi, Pakistan Haq Nawaz Abbasi Department of Environmental Science, FUUAST, Karachi, Pakistan E-mail: hn.abbasi@yahoo.com Abstract Placer minerals are formed as a result of disintegration of heavy minerals as suitable places. The heavy minerals serve as s index for stratigraphic correlation of unfossiliferous starta. The study area extends from Phore to sonmiani along the Makran coastline of Pakistan. 55 surficeal sand samples from the study area have been analyzed to determine weight percent of 8 economic mineral species relative to their heavy mineral assemblage. Particular attention has been focued on delineating ilmenite, zircon, and garnet concentration. Total heavy minerals are almost identical in all study area. The diversity of economic minerals species within study area is observed where total heavy mineral percentage exceeds 3 percent have been analyzed for potential resources, It is estimated that all the zones studied contain sufficient amount of valuable minerals, the bulk of which is ilmenite. Keywords: Heavy minerals, Makran coastline, Ilmenite, Zircon and Garnet 1. Introduction Mineral sand deposits are defined as a loose aggregate of unlithified mineral or rock particles of sand size (generally 0.02 to 2.0 mm) forming an unconsolidated or moderately consolidated sedimentary deposit consisting essentially of medium grained clastics. These are derived from the weathering of pre-existing rocks, and accumulated by wind or water. Mineral sand deposits are syngenetic concentrations of valuable mineral particles with high specific gravity accumulated within the sand deposits, also known as placer deposits. Beach placer deposits around the world are known for ilmenite, rutile, Zircon, monazite, sillimanite, and garnet. These enriched in radioactive minerals are of special interest for their use in nuclear industry (Alencar and Freitas, 2004) and potential for environmental hazards engendered from natural radiation (Vassas et. al., 2006). Heavy minerals are economically valuable (Moham, 2000).