The chemical composition and industrial quality of Barite mineralization in Calabar flank, Oban Massif, Mamfe embayment and Obudu Plateau, southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Barite occurrences in the Calabar Flank, Oban massif, Mamfe Embayment and Obudu Plateau of Southeastern Nigeria have been sampled and  analyzed for the purpose of assessing their chemical composition and
industrial quality. Barite occurrences were observed mostly along faults and unconformities marking the boundaries between the Precambrian basement rocks of Oban and Obudu massifs and the Cretaceous sediments of the Calabar Flank and Mamfe embayment. Occurrences were also observed within the sediments. The chemical data show that BaSO₄, SiO₂ and TiO₂ are the major chemical species of the barite. The Ba and SO₄ content vary between 53.62 – 56.10 wt% and 27.57 – 39.35 wt% respectively across the sampled areas. The specific gravity is 4.45 and this
combined with high BaSO₄ (approximately 94 wt%) shows that the  mineralization is of high industrial quality and compares favourably with the Azara barite deposits of the Benue Trough. The quality of the barite meets American Petroleum institute (API) requirements for use as drilling mud.

KEYWORDS: Barite, mineralization, quality, chemical composition, southeastern Nigeria.