Testing Pre-Cambrian Marble Bodies in the Oreke and Owa-Kajola Areas, North Central Nigeria for Multiple Industrial Applications

Abstract

The Oreke and Owa-kajola marble deposit are closely associated with metasedimentary and granitoids assemblages of the Pre-Cambrian Egbe-Isanlu schist belt of Southwestern, Nigeria. The marble and the associating rocks are of Pre-Cambrian age. The physical properties and loss on ignition measurements of the Oreke and Owa-kajola marble deposits were determined to establish its suitability for end-product use. The loss on ignition values vary from low to high (6.00 wt% to 42.50 wt%). The internationally recommended loss on ignition (L.O.I.) value is around 40 wt%. The dolomitic marble is the only type at Oreke and Owa-kajola that fulfils the specifications for use as filler in paper and other industries. The chemical analysis of end products shows that CaO content varies from 10.17 to 56.01 wt%. Other impurities are Fe₂O₃ varies from <0.04 to 10.60 wt%, Al₂O₃ from 0.05 to 13.20 wt%, MgO from 0.73 to 18.45 wt%, and SiO₂ from 0.32 to 44.56 wt%. The bulk samples have shown satisfactory properties (good strength and bulk specific gravity values) corresponding with the requirements of dimensional stones used in the building industry. Oreke and Owa-kajola marble deposits could provide the domestic markets building industry but it might be difficult to supply for the international market because of acute competition from other world deposits.

Keywords: marble, Oreke and Owa-kajola, mineralogy, geochemistry, mechanical properties