The Khondalites of Orissa, India - A Case Confusing Terminology

Abstract

The paper traces the progressive metamorphosis of the term 'Khondalite' from 1902 to 1975 from a specific rock name to the collective group name of a suite of high grade metamorphic and metasomatic rocks and presents examples of the extent of compositional variations of these rocks from Dhenkanal, Angul and Tikarpara areas of Orissa. It is recommended that prevalent usage of the term 'Khondalite' as a mapping unit should be discontinued by general consensus, since the term can now be used only in the sense of a 'group'.