Petrographic and Geochemical Characteristics of Metacarbonate in Northcentral Nigeria; Potential Applications in Industries
Jimoh A. Onimisi *
School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia and Department of Geology, Federal University Lokoja, Kogi State, Nigeria
Kamar S. Ariffin
School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Hashim B. Hussin
School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
Norlia BT. Baharun
School of Materials and Mineral Resources Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The mineralogical characteristics of metacarbonate from the Obajana area were determined with combine petrographic and X-ray diffraction methods. These methods revealed that the marble samples contains major proportion of calcite with minor quartz, dolomite, graphite, pyrite, olivine and phlogopite as accessory minerals. Also, analytical data from inductive coupled mass plasma spectrometry (ICPMS) showed an average SiO2 of 2.39%, high CaO content of 54.89%, with low MgO content of 1.1% and iron oxide content of 0.33%. Trace element composition, indicated that the metacarbonate is rich in Ni, Rb, Sr and Ba compared to Co, Ga and Nb in the metacarbonate. These characteristics make the metacarbonate suitable for major industrial use especially the production of high grade precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC).
Keywords: Metacarbonate, basement complex, marble, accessory mineral, precipitated calcium carbonate