Employing Principal Component Analysis and K-Means Clustering to Elucidate the Geological Compositional Process at N’Guérédonké Ultramafic Fe-Ti Deposit — Oak Academic Publishing
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Employing Principal Component Analysis and K-Means Clustering to Elucidate the Geological Compositional Process at N’Guérédonké Ultramafic Fe-Ti Deposit
Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Technique, Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo, Maradi, Niger
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Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Technique, Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo, Maradi, Niger
1 Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Technique, Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo, Maradi, Niger
2 Département de Géologie, Faculté des Sciences et Technique, Université Dan Dicko Dankoulodo, Maradi, Niger
The N’Guérédonké deposit, Faranah Province (Republic of Guinea), is part of the Leonian-Liberian crystalline shield, consisting of Archean granitoids and greenstone formations with a syn-tectonic ultramafic intrusion. This complex features a dunite core enveloped by wehrlite, pyroxenite, and gabbro, characterized by significant Fe-T mineralization, particularly ilmenite and magnetite in the southern pyroxenite unit, showing the highest TiO 2 grades. The study uses Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on samples to identify correlations among chemical elements. Three main components accounted for 77.01% of the variance (PC1, PC2, PC3), indicating key lithological signatures. K-Means clustering identified four distinct clusters related to lithological characteristics; Cluster 1 as fresh unaltered rocks, Clusters 2 and 4 are associated with Fe-Ti ore whereas Cluster 3 represents alteration patterns with Clusters 2 and 4 identified as priority targets for Fe-Ti ore. NGU has characterized a unique signature of Fe-Ti oxides in ultramafic deposits, such as titaniferous magnetite and chromite spinels, through Fe, Ti, and Cr correlations. Late mobilization of Cu and Zn suggests magmatic fractionation, with a notable negative correlation between SiO 2 and Fe (−0.88) indicating fractional crystallization. The study identifies various clusters based on geochemical analyses, with Cluster 1 reflecting primary lithology and Cluster 3 relating to hydrothermal alterations. Exploration is guided by understanding geochemical complexity in ultramafic deposits.
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