The mineralogical status of ilmenite from a prominent modern placer deposit of India is illustrated using different techniques. Compositional, powder XRD, TGA and SEM analyses prove that consistent low temperature alteration took place in Chavara ilmenite leading to the formation of a pseudorutile-hydrated-ilmenite stage. Except for the indication of a geochemical zonation at the southern tip of the deposit, the Chavara ilmenite points to a common origin throughout its 22 km stretch along the coast. We advocate a major segregation activity by marine factors to the accumulated sediments in the shelf zone in order to originate such a huge deposit of homogeneous composition.
