GEOLOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF ROCKS AND BANDED IRON FORMATION OF NORTHERN PART OF WONAKA SCHIST BELT, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

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Date
2014-12
Authors
MUHAMMAD, ABDULLAHI USMAN
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Abstract
Whole rock geochemical analyses using XRF technique as well as flame photometry were carried out major, trace elements and alkali concentrations determination respectively. The data obtained were interpreted using the GCD kit (3.0) software. Petrographic studies of the major rock types reveal the presence of Biotite, Quartz, feldspars as major minerals, while muscovite, garnet, hornblende and tourmaline occur as accessory minerals. In addition, magnetite and manganese are present in the Banded iron formation, the BIF. The area is underlain by rocks of different lithologies ranging from Granite-gneiss, gneiss, schist, Banded Iron Formations, hornfels, greenstone, granodiorites and granites as major rock types while diorite, phyllites and laterites occur as minor lithologies. The granitic gneiss at Kwatarkwashi, biotite muscovite schist and green-stone have sedimentary protholiths, while gneiss, hornfels, granodiorite, medium-grained biotite granite and porphyritic granite are from igneous protholith. The present work has shown the presence of iron in the belt in the form of BIF with Fe (41.62 wt%), Mn (4.37 wt %) and Al2O3 (5.29 wt%) contents comparable to other BIF’s in the country such as the BIF’s from Malumfashi schist belt (Tudun kudu and Unguwar Malam Ayuba), Birnin- Gwari schist belts and in Isanlu, Central Nigeria. The BIF currently discovered through this work is of submarine to hydrothermal origin and is of silicate facie type. This study documented the presence placer gold deposits in the belt. Artisanal gold mining activities is currently going-on in the belt at the north-eastern part of the study area at Koha and Butsa villages within River Gajere that flows in SE-NW direction.
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A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL POSTGRADUATE STUDIES, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA, IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.Sc.) GEOLOGY (MINERAL EXPLORATION) DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY ZARIA DECEMBER, 2014
Keywords
GEOLOGY,, GEOCHEMISTRY,, BANDED IRON,, FORMATION,, NORTHERN PART,, WONAKA SCHIST BELT,, NORTHWESTERN,, NIGERIA.
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