Mobility of Major and Trace Elements during the Bauxitization Processes in Ngaoundal Area (Adamawa Cameroon): Implication on Mining Perspectives — Oak Academic Publishing
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Mobility of Major and Trace Elements during the Bauxitization Processes in Ngaoundal Area (Adamawa Cameroon): Implication on Mining Perspectives
Department of Mining Engineering, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
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Department of Mining Engineering and Environment, School of Mining, Industry and Geology, University of Abdou-Moumouni, Niamey, Niger
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Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
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Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
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Department of Mining Engineering, Saint Jerome Polytechnic, Saint Jerome Catholic University Institute of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
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Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Garoua, Cameroon
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Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
1 Department of Mining Engineering, School of Geology and Mining Engineering, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
2 Department of Mining Engineering and Environment, School of Mining, Industry and Geology, University of Abdou-Moumouni, Niamey, Niger
3 Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
4 Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
5 Department of Mining Engineering, Saint Jerome Polytechnic, Saint Jerome Catholic University Institute of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
6 Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Garoua, Cameroon
7 Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Ngaoundere, Ngaoundere, Cameroon
This study was focused to assess major and trace elements in bauxitic duricrusts from Ngaoundal and its surroundings in order to establish their mining interest. To this end, fieldworks, mineralogical and geochemical analyses were carried out. Four facies of duricrust were identified and characterized from the summit to the top of the slope of the Ngaoundal mountain: scoriaceous, pisolitic, nodular and massive. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses performed on 16 samples, revealed a significant concentration of Al 2 O 3 mainly in the scoriaceous facies (over 45% in grade), moderate in Fe 2 O 3 (averaging 23.69%) and SiO 2 (averaging 21.7%). Trace elements were generally low, excluding Cr (421 ppm on average), Zr (327 ppm on average and V (213 ppm on average). In addition, the limited quantities of alkalis (Na 2 O, K 2 O) and alkaline earths metals (MgO, CaO) coupled with the very high values of Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and Mineralogical Index of Alteration (MIA), (more than 99%) attest to the intense weathering of the studied materials. Allitization and monosiallitization constituted the crystallochemical phenomena that have led to the development of bauxitic minerals. More than 90% of gibbsite in scoriaceous facies, 52.21% - 76.01% of kaolinite in pisolitic facies and more than 40% of hematite in nodular facies were quantified. The relationships between the constitutive components indicated their interdependency during the bauxitization phenomenon. The mineralogical and geochemical properties highlighted the mining interest of the studied duricrusts to be valorized.
KeywordsDuricrustBauxitization PhenomenonMineralogical and Geochemical CharacterizationMajor and Trace ElementsMining Potential
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