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Petrology and Vein Type Mineralization Style of the Gombe Inlier Complex, Gongola Sub-Basin, Northern Benue Trough, Nigeria

Hamisu Maidawa1 Umar Sambo Umar, Ahmed Isah Haruna, Abubakar Isah

Abstract

Gombe Inlier is an exposure of the Nigerian Basement Complex surrounded by Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Upper Benue Trough. This inlier forms part of the tectonically complex region of the West African Craton and consists predominantly of Precambrian crystalline rocks, including granites, migmatites and pegmatites intrusions, these rocks are believed to host significant mineralization, particularly barite, fluorite and other sulphide mineralization due to hydrothermal activities associated with tectono-magmatic processes. However, despite the geological relevance and resource potential of the Gombe Inlier, there is a notable lack of comprehensive petrological and mineralogical studies that can clearly define the nature, extent, and economic viability of these mineral occurrences. The aim of this research is to provide more understanding on the petrology and mineralization characteristics of some part of Gombe Inlier within the Northern Benue Trough. Field mapping, petrographic analysis, and geochemical interpretation were implored to characterize the host rocks and associated mineralization. Result shows that migmatite is the dominant rock in the inlier and is associated with pegmatites, hornfels, quartzite and mylonite. Barite and fluorite are found in all the lithologies as vein-type mineralization which is believed to be hydrothermal primarily basinal brines and magmatic-hydrothermal fluid that mixed with seawater.

Keywords

Gombe InlierBaryteFluoriteHydrothermal mineralizationPetrographyBenue Trough.

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