Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development
Open Access

Abstract

The mineral belts of Nigeria include both Pan African structures (N-S, NNE-SSW, ENE-WSW), well preserved in the Western Province of the Nigeria basement complex and the Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic structures (NE-SW and ENE-WSW), less well defined in the Eastern Province of the Nigeria basement. Analyses of these belts revealed that the stress pattern of the Nigerian landmass has changed appreciably from N-S and NNE-SSW trend to NE-SW and ENE-WSW trend over a period of time from Pan African to Early Cenozoic. These changes have led to the growth of intraplate tensional stresses with the resultant development of tensional features such as the Sn-Ta pegmatite belt, the Sn-Nb Younger Granite belt and the Pb-Zn Benue Trough. The mineral belts are connected with deep seated structural features probably extending down to the upper mantle but do not source their metals from this depth except in the case of Cr-serpentinite. The structures serve more as passages for heat/fluid needed to mobilise the metals for redeposition in favourable structures than conduits for transfer of metals from the mantle. The mineralisation belts source their metals from the adjoining wallrocksi, basement rocks and/or sedimentary rocks.

Biography

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