GENERAL GEOLOGY AND GEOLOGICAL MAPPING OF NORTH ULU CHEMOR WITH EMPHASIS ON METAMORPHISM

Kinta valley possesses many geological and landscape features with heritage value of national and regional significant. Conserving some of these geological and landscape features as protected geoheritage sites and establishing others as nature geotourism sites will help the proposed Kinta Valley Geopark to protect its natural environment from further damages due to any large scale unsustainable utilization of its natural resources. Metamorphism grade/pattern occurred in the rocks nearby granitic intrusion is unclear. Hence, the aim of this study is to map out the metamorphism grade of North Ulu Chemor area. This area has well-preserved outcrop compared to other area near to foothill of the granitic intrusion, it may give chances to us to study this topic in detail. Petrographic and geochemical analysis were used to derived the mineralogy contain in the rocks and classified them based on their grade of metamorphism accordingly. These findings show that the metamorphic rock had gone through different stage of metamorphism. Petrography result shows that the presence of chlorite, muscovite in phyllite and development of foliation and crenulations in phyllite and moderately developed schistosity along the intrusive contacts and shear zones indicate that the rocks in the area have experienced low grade of metamorphism in the area. The metamorphism at the area is due to the regional metamorphism since the contact limestone with the granite still not affected which can turn it into marble. Towards the NW, the grade of metamorphism increased.