Abstract: TRACE ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN COPPER BEARING SANDSTONES OF AZARA, NORTHCENTRAL NIGERIA (GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA

VINCENT, Victor Ikechukwu, Department of Geology, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Sangere-Futy, Yola, P.M.B 2076, Nigeria; Department of Geology, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Sangere-Futy, Yola, P.M.B 2076, Nigeria and NTEKIM, Eyo E., Department of Geology, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Sangere-Futy, Yola, P.M.B 2076, Nigeria, mkmyers45@gmail.com

The Benue Trough of Nigeria is a polymetallic basin formed from rifting of the central West African basement. The Middle Benue Keana sandstone of Late Cenomanian age is a copper bearing strata within the Keana formation. Mineralization is primarily hosted in gray sandstone capped by a later staged ferruginized band.

Element considerable enriched in the copper bearing sandstone are Mo,Cu and Pb through which copper bearing and non-bearing sandstones can be differentiated with concentration level for this elements reducing from ore bearing strata to ferruginized band to barren reddish/gray sandstone.

Preliminary REE data shows LREE enrichment in the copper bearing sandstones with HREE slightly enriched at the extremities bordering the wall rock.

We hope this data forms a baseline for further exploration to establish areal extent of the mineralization within the basin

GSA Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado, USA - 2016

TRACE ELEMENT DISTRIBUTION IN COPPER BEARING SANDSTONES OF AZARA, NORTHCENTRAL NIGERIA