Petrographic Evaluation of Rocks around Arikya and its Environs, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

The study area covers Arikiya and parts of Wayopini in Lafia Local Government Area of Nassarawa State, situated in central Nigeria. This falls within the Basement Complex of central Nigeria that forms part of the Upper Proterozoic mobile belt extending from Algeria across the Sahara into Nigeria, Benin and the Cameroon. The area consists of gneisses, granite gneisses, migmatites and Porphyroblastic gneiss. Dolerite dyke and Pegmatite form intrusions into the host rocks. The major rock forming minerals are plagioclase, orthoclase, quartz and biotite, The major structures includes joints, foliations, quartz vein, fold and fault, Predominant structural trends include the NE-SW and NW-SE with minor E-W and N-S structural trends which are in agreement with the general trend of structures in the Basement Complex. Mineral resource potential of the study area include feldspar and mica from the gneiss and pegmatites as well as alluvial garnets, columbites, tantalite, and cassiterite (derived from the pegmatites) as evidenced from mining activities along river channels in the entire area.