PETROGRAPHY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF METASEDIMENTS FROM BUGAJI, PART OF MALUMFASHI SHEET 79 NE, KANO STATE, NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

This research is aimed at determining the protolith of metasediments that underpin the geology of Bugaji region of Kano State. The study area was mapped systematically and the lithologies encountered include phyllite, undifferentiated schist, quartzo-feldspathic schist, and gneiss. Samples taken from several outcrops were subjected to mineralogical and geochemical analyses using X-ray diffraction and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), respectively. The metasedimentary rocks have evidently undergone significant deformation textures (foliation, lineation, and fractures), and metamorphism, indicating the area is situated in a tectonically active zone. Quartz, feldspar, mica, and a number of accessory minerals make up majority of the metasediments, while the geochemical data show enrichment of aluminum, silica, and iron. The geochemical indicators support the idea that the rocks developed on a continental margin. The mineralogy and geochemistry indicate the rocks likely came from a source region with a predominance of granitic rocks.

Keywords

• quartzo-feldspathic schist
• phyllite
• metasediments
• protolith
• petrographic analysis
• gneiss
• schist belt
• metamorphism