Assessment of Industrial Potentials of Marble Deposits in Ugya, North Central Nigeria Based on Mineralogical and Chemical Studies

Abstract

This study was conducted to ascertain potential industrial uses for Ugya marble
deposits in Nasarawa state, North Central Nigeria. This requires mineralogical and
geochemical characterisation of the deposits, which contain white and gray
varieties. The characterisation was achieved by combining geological mapping with
X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry analyses of the
marble samples. Field geological mapping reveals schist, white and gray marble
varieties, quartzite and granite as the rock units in the area. The white variety
contains 53.75 wt% CaO, 0.80wt% MgO, 1.03 wt% SiO2, 0.17 wt% Na2O, 0.35 wt%
K2O, 0.47 wt% Al2O3, 0.14 wt% Fe2O3, 0.31 wt% P2O5, 0.21 wt% SO3 and 42.92 wt%
Loss on Ignition (L.O.I). The gray marble contains 42.92 wt% CaO, 7.80 wt% MgO,
4.58 wt% SiO2, 0.31 wt% Na2O, 0.15 wt% K2O, 0.80 wt% Al2O3, 0.86 wt% Fe2O3,
0.03wt% P2O5, 0.04wt% SO3, and 42.44wt% Loss on Ignition (L.O.I). Mineralogical
composition of the white and gray marble shows calcite content of 97.47 wt% and
73.27 wt% respectively, while the dolomite content is 1.73 wt% and 17.63 wt.%
respectively. Subsidiary mineral content in both marble varieties are quartz and
muscovite. The white marble is suitable for manufacture of Portland cement,
sodium carbonate, calcium carbide, bleaching powder, ammonium nitrate fertilizer
and sugar. It is also used as flux in smelting of metalliferous ores in metallurgical
industry, neutralization of sewage, water softening and as filtering gravel in water
treatment plant. Both white and gray marble have potential to be used to enhance
soil nutrient status, as soil acid ameliorant and source of calcium in livestock and
poultry feeds. Both the white and grey marble need to be beneficiated to be
applicable in pharmaceutical, paper, paint, rubber and glass industries.