scholarly journals Paleo-Environmental Conditions, Paleoclimatic Significance and Effects of Weathering on Clay Deposits in the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria. Mineralogical Approach

Author(s):  
A. T. Bolarinwa ◽  
Sunday Ojochogwu Idakwo ◽  
D. L. Bish

Combined methods for mineralogical identifications were used to characterise the clay deposits within the Lower Benue Trough of Nigeria to interpret paleo-environmental conditions, the paleoclimatic significance of the trough, and effects of weathering on the minerals as factors that favour its deposition/accumulation within the trough which host other important industrial minerals like coal, barite, limestone etc. Bulk-sample random-powder XRD data and data for clay fractions deposited onto zero-background quartz plates were measured. The samples contained kaolinite, vermiculite, and traces of smectite, and the non-clay phases included quartz, microcline, and muscovite. All samples were unaffected after glycolation, confirming the absence of significant smectite. Muscovite was characterized by the nature of its 10 Å basal peak with a width of <0.10° 2θ, which was very sharp. DTA/TGA results support the presence of kaolinite, and the characteristic kaolinite O-H, Al-OH, Si-OH and Si-O-Al FTIR bands also confirmed its presence. Vermicular and book-like morphologies were observed under the SEM, typical of kaolinitic clay from in situ alteration. High kaolinite abundance in these sediments is consistent with intense weathering of parent rocks rich in Al under wet/tropical paleo-climatic conditions with fresh and/or brackish water conditions in a continental setting. The variety of observed morphologies suggests that the deposits suffered more of chemical weathering. The clay deposits in Lower Benue Trough are quartz-rich, kaolinitic and derived from the chemical weathering of Al-rich source rocks.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santanu Ghosh ◽  
Anwita Ojha ◽  
Atul Kumar Varma

Abstract The present study focuses on the inorganic geochemical features of the bituminous coal samples from the Raniganj and the Jharia Basin, as well as the anthracite samples from the Himalayan fold-thrust belts of Sikkim, India. The SiO2 content (48.05 to 65.09 wt% in the ash yield of the bituminous coal samples and 35.92 to 50.11 wt% in the ash yield of the anthracite samples) and the ratio of Al2O3/TiO2 (6.97 to 17.03 in the bituminous coal samples and 10.34 to 20.07 in the anthracite samples) reveal the intermediate igneous source rock composition of the minerals. The ratio of the K2O/Al2O3 in the ash yield of the bituminous coal samples (0.03 to 0.09) may suggest the presence of kaolinite mixed with montmorillonite, while its range in the ash yield of the anthracite samples (0.16 to 0.27) may imply the presence of illite mixed with kaolinite. The chemical index of alteration values may suggest the moderate to strong chemical weathering of the source rock under sub-humid to humid climatic conditions. The plot of the bituminous coal samples in the A-CN-K diagram depicts the traditional weathering trend of parent rocks, but the anthracite samples plot near the illite field and are a bit offset from the weathering trend. This may imply the plausible influences of the potassium-metasomatism at post coalification stages. The Fourier transform infrared spectra further reveal the hydroxyl stretching intensity of the illite in the anthracite samples substantiating the effect of the epigenetic potassium-metasomatism. The decrease in total kaolinite intensity/compound intensity of quartz and feldspar may provide additional evidence towards this epigenetic event.


2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Clement Bassey ◽  
Oboho Eminue ◽  
Humphrey Ajonina

AbstractA 42 m thick outcropping portion of the Mamfe Formation is subdivided into Manyu (31 m thick) and Kesham (11m thick) Members on the basis of textural, mineralogical and structural differences. The Manyu Member (Albian) consists of folded and indurated, medium to coarse grained arkosic sandstones and thickly laminated organic-rich shales deposited in a lacustrine environment. The Kesham Member (Cenomanian) consists of subarkoses intercalated with massive green shale and mudstone deposited in a fluvial environment. The change in depositional environment was tectonically controlled. The mid Cretaceous paleogeography of the embayment was governed by the NE-SW trending “Ikom ridge” which prevented marine incursion from adjacent the Benue Sea. Evaporites found within the basin were precipitated from ocean water that was periodically spilled by strong tides and storms across the ridge into the embayment. The filling-up of the embayment to base level in the Cenomanian resulted in a shift in the depositional center downstream to adjoining lower Benue Trough. Similarity in heavy mineral composition and maturity of the Cenomanian sandstones with recent clastics in the embayment indicates their derivation from the same source terrain and relatively stable tectonic and climatic conditions at the source area since the Cenomanian time.


2020 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-55
Author(s):  
Lijun Shen ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
Hualiang Shen ◽  
Xiugen Fu ◽  
Youli Wan ◽  
...  

The geochemistry of the clastic sedimentary units of the Suonahu Formation from the QD17 well in the northern Qiangtang basin, Tibet, was studied using various chemical analyses. SiO2/Al2O3 ratios indicated that compositional maturity and recycling of the sediments were low to moderate. The total rare earth element (∑REE) contents of the clastic sediments ranged from 29.28 to 191.92 ppm. Element abundances suggest that the studied clastic sediments in the northern Qiangtang Basin were mainly sourced from felsic rocks mixed with small amounts of intermediate rocks, and that they were mostly developed in a continental setting. The REE geochemistry of the clastic sediments suggests that these different lithological samples were derived from a similar terrigenous source and that the Eu anomaly was inherited from the source rocks. The paleoclimate index (C-value) varied from 0.01 to 0.36, reflecting generally arid to semiarid conditions. In addition, Rb/Sr (about 0.41) and Sr/Cu (about 37.02) ratios support the idea that arid conditions prevailed during the deposition of the Suonahu Formation. Sr/Ba ratios (0.48–3.23) suggest a paleoenvironment with variable salinity. The covariation among this factor and paleoclimate indicators suggests that variations in climatic conditions exerted a primary control on salinity. The chemical index of alteration (CIA), A–CN–K ternary diagram, and low Th/U ratios indicate that the parent rocks of the clastic sediments experienced weak chemical weathering. Two multidimensional tectonic discrimination diagrams based on major elements show that the Suonahu Formation was deposited in a rift-related basin. The TiO2 versus Zr, La/Th versus Hf, and Co/Th versus La/Sc bivariate diagrams and multi-major elements discrimination diagram indicate that the detritus was primarily derived from felsic igneous rocks with less contribution from intermediate igneous rocks.


2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. TANVEER ◽  
M.M. JAVAID ◽  
R.N. ABBAS ◽  
H.H. ALI ◽  
M.Q. NAZIR ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Catchfly (Silene conoidea), an annual herb, is usually recognized as an emerging weed species in Eurasia and North America. The presence of somatic seed polymorphism might aid in the adaptation of this weed in different climatic conditions. We conducted laboratory and greenhouse experiments to study the seed polymorphism and influence of various environmental factors like temperature, salt stress, osmotic stress and burial depth on the germination and emergence characteristics of catchfly. Optimum germination of seeds of all colors was recorded at a temperature of 15 oC. Germination of catchfly seeds of all colors followed decreasing trend as NaCl concentration increased from 50 mM to 200 mM. Seed germination was maximum (87-96%) at 0 MPa but gradually decreased to 40% as osmotic stress increases up to -0.4 MPa and completely inhibited at 0.6 MPa of all seed colors. A slight increase (from 60 to 95%) in the germination of seeds of black and dark brown colors was observed when seeding depth increased from 0 to 2 cm but decreased when seeding depth increased from 2 to 4 cm in seeds of all colors. There was no emergence of catchfly at seeding depth of 6 cm or greater. Our results concluded that catchfly seeds have the potential to germinate and emerge in various environmental conditions, but germination/emergence percentage of seeds of all colors will be different in different environmental conditions. Soil amendments including deep ploughing may aid for the successful management of this weed in cultivated areas.


Algologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 440-451
Author(s):  
M. Shamina ◽  

Cyanobacteria are organisms which play a vital role in various molecular and biotechnological aspects in food industry, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, neutraceuticals, biofuel production, etc., it is necessary to understand its adaptability to various environmental conditions. Furthermore it is equally important to discover new cyanobacterial taxa and with it occasional changes in taxonomic classification, thus the author set out to study cyanobacteria in extreme climatic conditions of desert, where temperatures are mostly above 45 oC. The taxonomic composition of cyanobacteria of Masirah Island, Sultanate of Oman, was studied for the first time. The studied samples were collected during the period of 2017–2019. The ten samples belonged to two orders: Oscillatoriales Schaffner and Synechococcales L.Hoffmann, Komárek & J.Kastovsky. All of them were filamentous non-heterocyst forms. Three species belonged to the genus Leptolyngbya Anagn. & Komárek, the genera Oscillatoria Vaucher ex Gomont and Lyngbya C.Agardh ex Gomont were represented by two species each, while the genera Pseudanabena Lauterborn, Planktolyngbya Anagn. & Komárek and Geitlerinema (Anagn. & Komárek) Anagn. were one species.


2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-23
Author(s):  
Jan Kavan ◽  
Veronika Anděrová

AbstractA new non-invasive method based on picture analysis was used to estimate the conditions in Svalbard reindeer populations. The well-being of an individual subject is often expressed through visual indices. Two distinct reindeer populations were compared based on their antler parameters. Relative antler size and number of tines are variables supposed to reflect correspondingly the environmental conditions of sedentary populations within the growing season. The occurrence areas of two studied populations are distinctly isolated – separated with high mountain ridges, glaciers and fjords. The population in Petuniabukta occupies a sparsely vegetated region with harsh climatic conditions, whereas Skansbukta represents an area with continuous tundra vegetation cover, milder climatic conditions and, consequently, also a longer vegetation season. These environmental factors probably caused significant differences in the relative antler size and number of tines in the studied species. The Skansbukta population exhibited a larger relative antler size and higher number of tines than the population in Petuniabukta (both parameters differed significantly, p < 0.01). This difference reflects concisely the different environmental conditions of both locations. A comparison of Skansbukta population antler characteristics between years 2017 and 2018 did not reveal significant changes, most probably due to very similar atmospheric conditions in these two years (in terms of air temperature).


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