Abstract
The mineralogy of some carbonate rocks from the Abakaliki Basin has been investigated to determine the depositional environment classification and assess the suitability of the rocks for application in geotechnical construction and industrial process systems. The method of investigation included field mapping and petrographic and geochemical techniques to characterize their field characteristics, mineral types and texture and chemical contents. Mapping revealed two lithologic units of sandstone and shale that associate with the carbonates in a similar sequence. The carbonates contain fossils and are composed of calcite, quartz and rockclasts. The grains have angular to sub-rounded sphericity and are dispersed in hetereolithic groundmass. The major oxide composition shows average value of 32.30wt% SiO2, 26.37wt% CaO, 7.23wt% MgO, 6.56wt% Fe2O3, 4.38wt% Al2O3, and 3.23wt% K2O + Na2O in decreasing order of abundance. Concentrations of trace elements are significantly higher (> 100 ppm) for V, Cr, Sr, Zr, Cu, Ba, Pb and Zn and comparatively lower for Sb, Ge, Ce, Y, As, Hg, Tiand Au. The studied rocks qualify as biomicrite or wackestone and range from dolomitic, through carbonaceous to siliceous limestone deposited in a wide spectrum of environment from shallow marine to transitional setting. The rocks are marginally suitable for use as aggregates due to the presence of deleterious contents of quartz and organics. For cement production, their low content of CaO, relatively high SiO2, comparatively high LOI and elevated abundances of contaminant heavy elements are major limitations. Similarly, in paper, plastic, paint, metallurgy and pharmaceutics, the rocks are unsuitable due to the constituent minerals.
Similar content being viewed by others
Data availability
Data sets acquired in the course of this study and/or analysed therein will be provided by the corresponding author if requested.
References
Agagu O, Adighije CI (1983) Tectonic and Sedimentation framework of the lower Benue, southeastern Nigeria. J Afr Earth Sci 1:267–327
Akande SO (1999) Fluid flow histories in Cretaceous sediments of the Benue rift basins Nigeria: fluid inclusions, isotopes and alteration mineralogy constrains. Bull NAPE 14:112–129
Amajor LC (1987) The Eze-Aku sandstone (Turonian) Ridges of south-eastern Nigeria: a reinterpretation of their depositional origin. J Min Geol 23:17–26
Amajor LC (1992) Storm-induced turbidite-like deposit: an example from the TuronianThe Eze-Aku Formation at Nkalagu, south-eastern Nigeria. J Min Geol 28:7–17
Ahmad F, Quasim MA, Ahmad AHM (2021) Microfacies and diagenetic overprints in the limestones of Middle Jurassic Fort Member (Jaisalmer Formation), Western Rajasthan, India: Implications for the depositional environment, cyclicity, and reservoir quality. Geol J 56(1):130–151
Banerjee L (1980) A subtidal bar model for the Eze Aku Sandstone. Sedim Geol 25:291–309
Banerjee I (1981) Storm lag and related facies of the bioclastic limestones of the Ezeaku Formation (Turonian) Niveria. Sediment Geol 26:133–147
Banerjee L (1982) Trace fossil of the bioturbated sandstone facies of the Eze Aku Formation Nigeria. Indian J Earth Sci 9:93–98
Ames J, Cutcliffe W (1983) Cement and cement raw materials. In Lefond SJ (ed) Industrial rocks and minerals: New York, American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc., pp 133–159
Bektas F, Wang K, Ren J (2015) Carbonate aggregate in concrete. Final Report submitted to Minnesota Department of Transportation Research Services and Library 395 John Ireland Boulevard, MS 330 St. Paul, Minnesota, pp 55155–1899
Bell FG (2007) Engineering Geology. Elsevier
Bell FG (1993) Durability of carbonate rock as building stone with comments on its preservation. Environ Geol 21:187–200
Cratchley JC, Jones JP (1965) An interpretation of the geology and gravity anomalies of the Benue valley Nigeria. Overseas Geological Survey, London, Geophysics Paper 1, pp 26
Calzia J, Matt J, Gantenbein M (1995) Geology, geochemistry and resource potential of carbonate rocks in the San Bernardino National Forests, California, pp 11–17
Dangote Cement Factory Obajana (2016) Clinker analysis at Dangote Cement Factory Obajana as at 26/08/2016. 8:53 am for Cement production in the Company
Danner W (1966) Limestone Resources of Western Washington: Washington Division of Mines and Geol Bull 52:473–485
Dunham RJ (1962) Classification of carbonate rocks according to their depositional texture. In: Ham WE (ed) Classification of carbonate rocks, Tulsa, OK, AAPG Memoirs, pp 108–121
Ene GE, Okogbue CO (2012) Occurrence and industrial properties of some barite deposits in the Abakaliki Basin, Southeastern Nigeria. Nat Resour Res 21:347–357
Folk R (1962) Spectral subdivision of limestones types. In: Ham WE (ed) Classification of carbonates rocks. Am Assoc Petrol Geol Memoirs 162:62–84
Harben PW (1995) The industrial minerals handbook. A guide to Markets, Specifications and Prices, Ontario, 2nd edn, pp 36–43
Helene M (2013) New computerized method for the geochemical classification of Precambrian carbonate rocks. Case of a set of African Cap carbonates. Int. J. Geol. 4:1–13
Hershey RE, Maher SW (1985) Limestone and dolomite resources of Tennessee. State of Tennessee. Department of conservation, Division of Geology, Nashville, Tennessee
Kogbe CA (1989) Paleogeographic History of Nigeria from Albian Times. In: Kogbe CA (ed) Geology of Nigeria. Elizabethan Publishing Company, Lagos, p 375
Lawal O (1991) Palynological age and correlation of a black shale section in the Ezeaku Formation, lower Benue trough, Nigeria. J Afr Earth Sci (and Middle East) 12(3):473–482
Martinet R, Sougy J (1961) Practical utilization of chemical classification of carbonate rocks. C r Somm Soc Geol 23:81–92
Mathur NK, Jakhar SR, Rajendra M (2016) Calcium carbonate and derived products. Int J Sci Res (IJSR) 5(4):1–6
Nicolas G (2009) Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford
Nwachukwu S (1972) The tectonic evolution of the southern portion of the Benue Trough, Nigeria. Geol Mag 109:411–419
Nwajide CS (2013) Geology of Nigeria’s sedimentary basins. CSS Bookshop Ltd, Lagos
Obiora SC, Umeji AC (2005) Petrography of some altered intrusive rocks from the lower Benue Trough. Nigeria J Min Geol 41:1–9
Obiora SC, Charan SN (2010) Geochemical constraints on the origin of some intrusive igneous rocks from the Lower Benue rift, Southeastern Nigeria. J Afr Earth Sci 58:197–210
Obiora SC, Umeji AC (2004) Petrographic evidence for regional burial metamorphism of sedimentary rocks in the Lower Benue rift. J Afr Earth Sci 38:269–277
Ojoh KA (1992) The southern of the benue trough cretaceous stratigraphy, basin analysis, paleo–oceanography and geodynamic evolution in domain of the South Atlantic. Nig Assoc Petrol Explor Bull 7:131–152
Olade MA (1979) On the genesis of lead-zinc deposits in Nigeria Benue rift (Aulacogen): a reinterpretation. J Min Geol 13:20–27
Paige-Green P (2007) Durability of basic crystalline rocks and specification for use as road base aggregate. Bull Eng Geol Environ 66:431–440
Power T (1985) Limestone specifications: industrial minerals, in Mineral facts and problems: U.S. Bureau Mines Bull 6:65–91
Peters SW (1978) Mid-Cretaceous paleoenvironments and biostratigraphy of the Benue Trough, Nigeria. Geol Soc Am Bull 89:151–155
Pettijohn FJ (1975) Sedimentary rocks. Harper and Row publishers, New York
Přikryl (2021) Geomaterials as construction aggregates: a state‑of‑the‑art. Bull Eng Geol Environ 80:8831–8845
Rabaha M, Ewais CMM (2009) Muilti-impregnating pitch-bonded Egyptian dolomite refractory brick for application in ladle furnaces. Ceram Int 35:813–819
Reineck HE, Singh IB (1973) Depositional sedimentary environments. Springer, New York
Reyment R (1965) Aspect of the Geology of Nigeria. Ibadan University Press, Ibadan
Roser B, Korsch R (1986) Determination of tectonic setting of sandstone-mudstone suites using SiO2 Content and K2O/Na2O. J Geol 19:260–278
Tang M, Deng M, Lon X, Han S (1994) Studies on alkali-carbonate reaction. ACI Mater J. American Concrete Institute, Farmington Hills, Michigan, pp 26–29
Tepordei V (1985) Crushed stone: in mineral facts and problems: U.S. Bureau of Mines Bull 675:757–768
Tuğrul A, Yılmaz M (2012) Assessing the quality of sandstones for use as aggregate in concrete. Mag Concr Res 64(12):1067–1078
Tuğrul A, Zarif IH (1999) Correlation of mineralogical and textural characteristics with engineering properties of selected granitic rocks from Turkey. Eng Geol 51(4):303–317
Ugwuanyi M (2017) Suitability of carbonates from Abakaliki fold belt asraw material in cement production. Unpublished Industrial Training Report. Department of Geology, University of Nigeria Nsukka
Umeshwar P (2003) Economic geology. Satish Kumar Jain for C.B.C, New Delhi, pp 204–207
Umeji OP (1993) Hummocky cross-stratification in the Turonian EzeAku Sandstones of southeastern Nigeria: sedimentological significance. J Min Geol 29:71–76
Uzuakpunwa AB (1986) A pre-Albian succession in parts of southeastern Nigeria. Cahiers Geologiques 9:358–362
Varela JJ, Petter CO, Wotruba H (2006) Product quality improvement of Brazilian impure marble. Min Eng 19:233–363
Whiteman AJ (1982) Nigeria: its petroleum resources and potential. Graham and Trotman, London, p 396
Wyllie DC, Mah WC (2004) Rock slope engineering, 4th edn. Taylor & Francis Group, New York
Funding
There was no funding received for the conduct of the study expressed in this article.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
All the authors contributed in the conceptualization and design, data collection and analyses, and data interpretation and drafting of manuscript of the work in the article.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Ene, G.E., Dumbo, M.J. & Ugwu, F.O. Evaluation of the influence of mineralogical attributes on the economic potentials of some carbonate rocks from Abakaliki Fold Belt, south-eastern Nigeria. Carbonates Evaporites 39, 39 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-024-00946-5
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13146-024-00946-5