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Geology and Geochemistry of the Chromiferous Mineralization in the External Zone of the Pan-African Dahomeyides Belt, Northwestern Benin (Gulf of Guinea, West Africa)
Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
Direction Générale des Mines, Cotonou, Bénin
- 1 Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
- 2 Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
- 3 Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
- 4 Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
- 5 Département des Sciences de la Terre, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin
- 6 Direction Générale des Mines, Cotonou, Bénin
International Journal of Geosciences·Volume 10 (2019)·Pages 1068–1080·Published 2 December 2019·DOI10.4236/ijg.2019.1012061
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Abstract
Occurrences of chromium mineral exist in Bénin within the external nappes of the Pan-African Dahomeyides belt. These chromite deposits are podiform types and hosted in the serpentinite. Blackish color, the chromite appears under microscope in transmitted light, as cracked phenocrystals with tangles of the serpentinite venules. Chemical analyses using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer showed the chromite ore consists of about 38% Cr 2 O 3 and total (Cr 2 O 3 + Al 2 O 3 ) is 60%. This chromiferous mineralisation resulted from the magmatic cumulates formation by fractional crystallization of an ultramafic magma.
KeywordsGeologyGeochemistryChromiteSerpentiniteBuemBenin
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