Compositional Features and Industrial Appraisal of Talcose Rocks around Arigbabu South-Wes

Abstract

Talc bearing rocks around Arigbabu area, in the Ife-Ilesha schist belt, were studied to delineate their compositional features, petrogenesis and their suitability as industrial raw material. Systematic geological mapping was carried out to identify talcose bodies in the area; petrographic studies and X -ray Diffraction (XRD) were carried out to identify the minerals in the talcose bodies, geochemical analysis to determine elemental concentration was carried out using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICPMS). Samples were also subjected to firing and geotechnical test to determine its geotechnical properties. Results revealed the talc deposit are closely association with mafic - ultramafic rocks, quartzite, mica schist and granites. Petrographic and XRD studies revealed that the talcose body are composed of talc, tremolite, chlorite and anthophyllite while geochemical analysis revealed mean values of 56.02%, 25.27%, 6.6%, 2.92% and 1.13 % for SiO MgO, Fe O , Al O and CaO respectively which are comparable to other 2, 2 3 2 3 talc occurrences of southwestern Nigeria. Firing of the talc samples revealed an average Loss On Ignition (LOI) of 6.74%, average linear shrinkage value of 1.52% and mean values of water absorption capacity and pH are 10.36% and 8.08 respectively. Economic appraisal of the talc deposits indicates they are suitable as raw materials for paint, fertilizer, paper, rubber and ceramic manufacturing, subject to appropriate beneficiation.

Publication Info:

Author: Okunlola, O.A. , Adeosun, B. and Olisa, O.G.

Volume: 58

Issue: March

Published By: Journal of Mining and Geology Vol. 58(1) 2022. pp. 25 - 31, 2023-03-01