CHEMICAL ASSESSMENT AND INDUSTRIAL QUALITY OF GONGILA LIMESTONE, GONGOLA BASIN NIGERIA
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
World Journal of Applied Science and Technology
Abstract
The limestone facies of the Gongila Formation constitute an
important sedimentary unit in the Gongola Basin. At Ashaka Cement quarry,
where the limestone is well exposed and being worked for cement
manufacturing, logging and sampling of the limestone beds were carried out
and samples selected for geochemical analysis. The chemical composition of
ten limestone samples provides insight into the industrial quality of the
limestone and environmental effects of some of the associated elements in
the study area. Chemical analysis of the limestone shows high CaO
(43.06%) content but low MgO (0.70 %) indicating that calcite is the
principal carbonate mineral. The low MgO suggests lack of dolomitization
process. The limestone saturation factor L.S.F, A.R and S.R values indicate a
moderate purity limestone that is suitable for the manufacture of Portland
cement. Fe2O3 with average of 2.01% indicates low oxidizing conditions and
that the pH of the water was not favourable for formation of Iron III oxides.
Low alumina (Al2O3 4.36%) probably reflects low energy environment. The
concentration of level of some toxic Trace elements and heavy metals were
evaluated and their mean values (ppm); Pb (4.92), Ti (0.94), Cu (8.41), Rb
(36.03), Ni (6.70), As (5.87), Cd (0.1), Sn (1.23), and Zn (15.9) are
considered not too high to cause health hazard in the environment.