Geochemical Characteristic and Petrogenesis of Malumfashi Schist Around Tandama Area, North-Western Nigeria
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
British Journal of Applied Science & Technology 20(1): 1-14, 2017; Article no.BJAST.30116 ISSN: 2231-0843, NLM ID: 101664541 SCIENCEDOMAIN international www.sciencedomain.org Geochemical Characteristic and Petrogenesis of Malumfashi Schist around Tandama Area, North-Western Nigeria Idzi O. Alaku1*, Ogunbajo I. Moshood1, Ako T. Agbor1 and Alabi A. Amos1 1Department of Geology, Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria. Authors’ contributions This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Authors IOA and ATA designed the study, performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and wrote the first draft of the manuscript. Authors ATA and OIM managed the analyses of the study. Author IOA managed the literature searches. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. Article Information DOI:10.9734/BJAST/2017/30116 Editor(s): (1) Fazel Khaleghi, Geology Department, Azad University, Iran. Reviewers: (1) José Martínez Reyes, University of the Ciénega of Michoacán State, México. (2) Angelo Paone, Università Degli Studi di Napoli “Federico II”, Naples, Italy. Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/18564 Received 18th October 2016 Accepted 27th February 2017 Original Research Article Published 10th April 2017 ABSTRACT Malumfashi schists which occur in association with migmatite-gneisses and biotite granite, occupy about 60% of Tandama area, north-western Nigeria. These rocks were studied with a view to evaluate their compositional characteristics and their evolution. The lithology revealed from systematic mapping and petrographic examinations shows that the schist is mica schist, which is part of the Malumfashi Schist Belt of Nigeria. The mica schist consists of greater than 50% micaceous minerals and less than 50% quartz and feldspar. It is light grey to silver grey in colour, well foliated and mostly weathered to rusty brown or reddish brown. Mineralogical determinations from optical studies show a high proportion of biotite and minor amounts of plagioclase and quartz. Chemical analysis of the samples obtained by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS) instrumentation method, involving major and trace elements reveals the nature of the mica schist. The A-CN-K diagram reveals a shale protolith which suffered moderate to high chemical weathering, prior to being metamorphosed. Obtained Rb/Sr ratio (>0.4%) and SiO2/Al2O3 values support the shale protolith hypothesis for the schist, diagnostic _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ *Corresponding author: E-mail: [email protected]; Alaku et al.; BJAST, 20(1): 1-14, 2017; Article no.BJAST.30116 geochemical features like the Na2O/Al2O3 values, trace element ratios such as Th/U and REE patterns suggest that the protolith are predominantly derived from felsic igneous sources. Tectonically, SiO2/Al2O3 versus K2O/Na2O plot revealed the protolith to have evolved within passive margin environment. Keywords: Malumfashi schist; inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy; shale protolith; passive margin environment. 1. INTRODUCTION Different models had been put forward for the evolution of the schist belts in Nigeria. McCurry The Basement Complex of Nigeria, which forms [4] is in favour of the evolution of the schist belts part of the Late Archean to early Proterozoic through ensialic processes. [5] favoured the Pan-African mobile belt, is made up of three evolution through ensimatic processes, [6] and lithological units namely; the migmatite-gneisses, [7] suggested the formation of rift zones where the schist belts and the Pan-Africa granites [1]. sufficient extension led to the production of small The schist belts occur dominantly in the western basin. Holt [8] favoured formation through both half of the Basement Complex of the country, ensialic and ensimatic. Geochemical features exhibiting distinct petrological and structural presented by [9] suggested the Kazaure Schist features and they are made up of mainly low to Belt to be of sedimentary origin, probably medium grade metasediments. The schist belt generated from the metamorphism of shale- form essentially north-south trending belts, greywacke. composed largely of metamorphosed pelitic and psamitic assemblages. The Malumfashi schist belt has been studied by [2,3] on a regional scale on the basis of The schists of the study area, which lies between petrography and not geochemistry. The research latitudes 11°22ʹ to 11°30ʹN and longitudes 07° conducted by the Nigerian Geological Survey 23ʹ to 07°30ʹE and covers a total area of 195 Agency (NGSA) has not been published yet. This km2, belong to the Malumfashi schist belt located study investigates the geochemical and in the NW of Nigeria. It is one of the twelve schist petrogenetic features of part of Malumfashi schist belts so far recognized in Nigeria, comprising belt, around Tandama area, in order to basically of schists, migmatite-gneiss, quartzite, reconstruct its evolution. and Older granite with aplite and pegmatite forming minor lithologies. Malumfashi schist belt 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS consists mainly of muscovite and biotite schist and phyllite interbedded with thin quartzites [2]. Field study and laboratory work constitute the The pelitic rocks include minor graphitic and research methodology. The field study involved feldspathic schists, and contain frequent quartz of mapping of all the lithological units within the and quartz-tourmaline veins. Interbedded study area. The study was carried out utilizing quartzites are dominantly massive. Well-bedded rock exposures along roads and stream quartzite units, sometimes several tens of metres channels. Spatial relationship, texture and thick, also occur. Minor rocks are spessartite structural characteristics of the rock exposure quartzite, calc-silicate rocks and anthophyllite were studied. A base map was used to mark the cordierite schist. Amphibolite form occasional corresponding points where rocks occur in the discontinuous bands, with the largest occurrence field and were sampled. Detail observation of being only approximately 12 m thick. The lithological contacts was also done by careful Malumfashi schist belt has been compared studying of areas in the field where lithologies lithologically with the Kushaka schist belt [3]. But change form one type to another. there are other important differences: (1) the quartzites are detrital and not chemically In the laboratory, rock thin sections were precipitated iron-silica formations; and (2) rocks prepared from representative rock samples of basic igneous composition are much less collected from the field and the thin sections important. The rocks represent a fairly well were prepared and used for petrographic studies. differentiated sequence of muds and fine-grained Both the thin section preparation and the sands. Structurally, the Malumfashi belt appears petrographic study were done in the Department similar to the Zungeru-Birnin Gwari Schist belt, of Geology laboratory, Federal University of matching it closely in size and form [3]. Technology, Minna, Nigeria. 2 Alaku et al.; BJAST, 20(1): 1-14, 2017; Article no.BJAST.30116 Thirteen rock samples obtained from the field composition qualifies it to be mica schist. The were taken to the Department of Geology and schist is light grey to silver grey in colour, well Mining, University of Jos, for sample preparation. foliated and mostly weathered to rusty brown or The samples were broken into smaller pieces reddish brown. The pelitic schist generally shows using geologic hammer, the smaller fragments a NE-SW orientation (strike) and with an average were crushed and reduced to powder using dip value of 54° W. Quartz veins within the pelitic FRITSCH Pulverisette 7. The powdered schist are concordant and parallel to the original samples, pulverised to 8% passing 200 mesh, fabrics of the pelites, and are between 0.05 to and measured to 5 g were transferred into 0.15 mm wide. labelled dispersing gloves for transportation to Acme laboratory at Vancouver, Canada, where In thin section, quartz occurs as coarse-grained, the whole rock geochemical analyses were done stretched, and white to greyish anhedral blasts. using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for major oxides Biotite occurs as light brown leaflet sometimes and Inductively coupled plasma mass slender and prismatic with occasional stumpy spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements. For laths and is pleochroic from light brown to the XRF method, a predetermined amount of reddish brown, showing alignment in the foliation sample is roasted to determine the loss on plane (Fig. 2). The feldspar mineral grains ignition (LOI). The roasted sample is then fused present are mainly plagioclase and minor K- in a platinum-gold crucible with a commercial feldspar. The plagioclase displays a narrow albite lithium tetraborate (LiB4O7) flux. The molten twin lamellae characteristic of more sodic material is cast in a platinum mold. Fused discs plagioclase, probably oligoclase. The K-feldspar are then analyzed by XRF. For the ICP-MS is colourless and the crystal form is subhedral to method, prepared sample is digested with a anhedral displaying cross-hatched twinning, modified Aqua Regia solution of equal parts typical of microcline. They sometimes exhibit concentrated HCl, HNO3 and DI H2O for one poikiloblastic texture and are characterized by hour in a heating block or hot water bath. Sample inclusion of fine quartz and some mica. The is made up to volume with dilute HCl.