Petrology and Geochemistry of Dolerite Samples from Crushed Rock Quarry Site in Ishiagu Area of the Lower Benue Trough, Southern Nigeria
Abstract
Ten (10) Igneous rock samples were collected at random from freshly dug parts of the Crushed Rock Quarry pit located at Ishiagu in Ebonyi State, Nigeria which is found on the Lower Benue Trough. After the physical observation, three of the samples were later subjected to chemical analysis which revealed that igneous intrusions in ishiagu are mainly intermediate to basic in terms of classification, and also the igneous intrusions found there have a wide range of varieties from acid to basic. The rock samples obtained from the Crushed Rock Quarry site suggest acid or intermediate rock from physical observation. The petrographic study (thin section analysis) show a high percentage estimate of plagioclase (50%) in one of the samples. Other minerals observed were olivine, muscovite, microcline, hornblende, biotite, and pyroxene, which further suggests that the rocks are basic. Geochemical analysis, which is the most precise, put silica (SiO2) percentage content at between 46.96-47.40%, and also a relatively high average content of Cr (233.3ppm), Ni (216ppm), Sr (231.3ppm), V (166.3ppm), Ce (18.2ppm), and Nd (10.5) in trace and rare earth element analyses. Discrimination diagrams plot the rock samples in Komatiite+Basalt+Dolerite field and Ocean Island Basalt field. The existence of this different classes of igneous rock in the same outcrop can be explained by the process known as magma mixing or magma mingling and caused by varying degrees of partial melting of the source magma that formed the rocks.
Keywords
Dolerite, Lower Benue Trough, Petrology, Geochemistry, Igneous Intrusion, Basalt Field
Citations
IRE Journals:
Bariborve Kpegeol
"Petrology and Geochemistry of Dolerite Samples from Crushed Rock Quarry Site in Ishiagu Area of the Lower Benue Trough, Southern Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals Volume 9 Issue 2 2025 Page 1064-1071
IEEE:
Bariborve Kpegeol
"Petrology and Geochemistry of Dolerite Samples from Crushed Rock Quarry Site in Ishiagu Area of the Lower Benue Trough, Southern Nigeria" Iconic Research And Engineering Journals, 9(2)
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