Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Bauxite Ore of Mambila Plateau, NE Nigeria

International Journal of Geoinformatics and Geological Science

© 2021 by SSRG - IJGGS Journal

Volume 8 Issue 3

Year of Publication : 2021

Authors : Audu Mohammed Daya, Ahmad Isah Haruna, Abubakar Sadiq Maigari, Jamila Ibrahim Shekarau, Isah Yahuza

10.14445/23939206/IJGGS-V8I3P106

How to Cite?

Audu Mohammed Daya, Ahmad Isah Haruna, Abubakar Sadiq Maigari, Jamila Ibrahim Shekarau, Isah Yahuza, "Mineralogy and Geochemistry of Bauxite Ore of Mambila Plateau, NE Nigeria," SSRG International Journal of Geoinformatics and Geological Science, vol. 8,  no. 3, pp. 42-51, 2021. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23939206/IJGGS-V8I3P106

Abstract:

The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil and gas, with about 90% of her foreign exchange earnings coming from that sector. The need to diversify the economy has frequently been emphasized, and one of the key areas is solid minerals. Bauxite is one of the ingredients required for the refractory and production of aluminum metal by the Iron and Steel industries. The aim of this research is to determine the mineralogy and chemical composition of the bauxite ore in the Mambila Plateau. The methods adopted for this study involved channel samples collection, mineralogical and geochemical studies. Sixty (60) pits were excavated at block I, and forty-two (42) pits were excavated at block II on a regular grid interval of 100m x 100m to an average depth of 5m each. A total of two hundred and thirty-eight (238) samples, comprising 120 samples from Block I and 118 samples from Block II, were analyzed. XRD results showed gibbsite as the major mineral phase with small amounts of hematite, kaolinite, and quartz. Geochemistry of the bauxite ore is characterized by enriched Al2O3 (39.50% - 78.20.0%), erratic amounts of SiO2 (2.89% - 25.13%) and Fe2O3 (5.98 % - 21.96%).

Keywords:

Mambilla Plateau, XRF, XRD, gibbsite, hematite, kaolinite, quartz

References:

[1] Plunkert, P. A. Bauxite, and Alumina. 2000. U.S. Geological Survey Minerals Yearbook –(2002)
[2] Gow, N. N. and Lozej, G. P. Bauxite. Geoscience Canada, 20(1), (1993). Retrieved from https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/GC/article/view/3785
[3] Daya, A. M.; Haruna, A. I.; Maigari, A. S. and Yahuza, I. Geology and Possible Host for Bauxite Mineralization of Mambila Plateau, NE Nigeria. SSRG International Journal of Geo-informatics and Geological Science 8(3) (2021)22-28. https://doi:10.14445/23939206/IJGGSV8I3P104
[4] Simpson, E. S., and Gibson, C. G. The distribution and occurrence of the baser metals in Western Australia: Western Australia Geological Survey, Bulletin 30 (1907)104-105.
[5] Saint-Smith, E. C. A. geological reconnaissance of a portion of the southwest division of Western Australia: Western Aust. Geological Survey, Bulletin 44(10), (1912).
[6] Simpson, E. S. Laterite in Western Australia: Geological Mag., 9 (1912)399-406.
[7] Tomich, S. A. Bauxite in the Darling Range, Western Australia: Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy Proceedings, 212 (1964)125-135.
[8] Grubb, P. L. C. Some aspects of lateralization in Western Australia: Journal Royal Society of Western Australia, 49 (1966)117-125.
[9] Baker, G. F. U. Bauxite deposits of the Darling Range, Western Australia: Twelfth Pacific Science Congress, Canberra (1971) (unpublished).
[10] Baker, G. F. U. Origin of Darling Range bauxites, Western Australia: Economic Geology, 67 (1972) 981-982.
[11] Davy, R. A study of laterite profiles in relation to bedrock in the Darling Range, near Perth. W.A. West. Aust. Geol. Surv., Rep. (1979a).
[12] Murray, A. M. Bauxite, in Mining in Western Australia, edited by R. T. Prider: University of Western Australia Press, Perth, (1979)101-110.
[13] Loughnan and Sadleir. Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of bauxites, Darling Range, Western Australia Applied Geochemistry 6(3), (1984)https://doi.org/10.1016/0883-2927(91)90001-6
[14] Ball, P. J., and Gilkes, R. J. The Mt. Saddleback bauxite deposit, South Western Australia: Chemical Geology, 60 (1987) 215-225.
[15] Grubb, P. L. C. Mineralogical anomalies in the Darling Ranges bauxites at Jarrahdale, Western Australia: Economic Geology, 66 (1971) 1005-1016.
[16] Davy, R., and El-Ansary, M. Geochemical patterns in the laterite profile at the Boddington gold deposit, Western Australia: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 26 (1986) 119-144.
[17] Sadleir and Gilkes. Development of bauxite in relation to parent material near Jarrahdale, Western Australia Journal of the Geological Society of Australia  23(6)(1976) https://doi.org/10.1080/00167617608728948
[18] Monti, R. The Boddington lateritic gold deposit, Western Australia: a product of supergene enrichment processes, in Ho, S.E., and Groves, D.I. eds., Recent advances in understanding Precambrian gold deposits: Nedlands, University of Western Australia Publication Number 11 (1987) 355-368.
[19] Playford, P. E. Observations on laterite in Western Australia: Australian Journal of Science, 117 (1954) 11-14.
[20] Prider, R. T. The lateritized surface of Western Australia: Australian Journal of Science, 28 (1966) 443-451.
[21] Indian Bureau of Mines. IS Specifications of Bauxite (52nd Edition) for Refractory Industry (IS: 10817-1984: Reaffirmed 2008), (2015).