Geology, Geochemistry and Genetic Affinity of Ilmenite Occurrences in Campoo-Bissaula, Southeast Adamawa Massif Northeast Nigeria

Campoo-Bissaula covers an area of about 72 km2 and is located within 7° 02ˈ and 7° 05ˈ N and 10° 22ˈ and 10° 27ˈ E on the southeastern part of Adamawa Massif, northeast Nigeria. The rock types in the study area are predominantly banded gneiss, diorite and syeno diorite with basalt occurring as subordinate. Mineral resources include amethyst, rutile, ilmenite, hematite, etc. Ilmenite occurs along a structurally controlled River at Campoo-Bissaula (River Akpo) trending E - W (0800). This paper seeks to unfold the geology, geochemistry and genetic affinity of ilmenite (FeTiO3) occurrences in the study area. Field mapping was carried out by road, river/stream and compass traversing. Stream sediments were taken randomly upstream along the stream. Soil samples were carried out at the banks of the river while samples of the host rocks were taken from all the different rock exposures around the river. Geochemical analysis of stream sediments was carried out at the NGRL, Kaduna using AAS while rock and soil samples were carried out at ACMES Lab, Canada using ICP-MS. The geochemical data revealed enrichment of Fe2O3 and TiO2 in diorite, syeno diorite and basalt as well as soils and stream sediments around the study area. Diorite has mean concentration of 12.51 wt.% (Fe2O3) and 2.63 wt.% (TiO2); syeno diorite has 10.92 wt.% (Fe2O3) and 0.91 wt.% (TiO2) and basalt has 13.34 wt.% and 4.04 wt.% of Fe2O3 and TiO2. The soil has mean concentration of 11.94 wt.% (Fe2O3) and 9.28 wt.% (TiO2) while the stream sediments have 36.52 wt.% (Fe2O3) and 44.82 wt.% (TiO2). Ilmenite (FeTiO3) concentration in the area is dominated in the stream sediments which constitutes 51.52 wt.%; host rocks has 8.76 wt.% and soils is 12.48 wt.% respectively. Some physical properties of the ilmenite (FeTiO3) include submetallic to metallic luster, black colour, hardness of 5.5 and specific gravity of 4.7. The occurrences and the genetic affinity/source of Ilmenite (FeTiO3) occurrences in the area can be ascribed to the unroofing and subsequent denudation of the iron-rich rocks whose origin is related to the evolution of mafic magma that arose during melting of the mantle. This possibly highlights the relevance of significant alteration of host rocks in the evolutionary history of the ilmenite (FeTiO3) occurrences in Campoo-Bissaula area. Ilmenite (FeTiO3) is mostly used to produce titanium metal, synthetic rutile, pigments, alloys and powders.