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A FIELD REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING EXERCISE AT IGARRA AND

ITS ENVIRONS EDO STATE, NIGERIA
Research Proposal · October 2018

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.28080.07687
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A FIELD REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING
EXERCISE AT IGARRA AND ITS ENVIRONS EDO STATE,
NIGERIA.
BY
SAMUEL AYOMIDE OBIDIYA

GEO/2014/0011
SUBMITTED TO
THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, COLLEGE OF

SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, OSUN
STATE UNIVERSITY OSOGBO
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BSC) DEGREE
IN GEOLOGY.
22nd OF APRIL, 2019.

SECTION ONE:
GEOLOGICAL MAPPING REPORT, IGARRA.
1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES .....................................................................................................................4
LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................4
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................7
1.0 Introduction: .......................................................................................................................7
1.1 LOCATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND, GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA ..................7
1.2 AIM, AND OBJECTIVES ...................................................................................................9
1.3 METHODOLOGY ...............................................................................................................9
1.4 PREVIOUS WORKS .........................................................................................................10
1.4 ACKNOWLEDGMENT ....................................................................................................12
CHAPTER TWO: PHYSIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................13
2.0 Introduction: .....................................................................................................................13
2.1 LANDFORMS ...................................................................................................................13
2.2 DRAINAGE PATTERN ....................................................................................................13
..........................................................................................................................................14
CHERTER THREE: REGIONAL SEDIMENTARY SECTION............................................15
3.0 Introduction: .....................................................................................................................15
3.0.1 THE MARGIN SAG BASINS: ...................................................................................15
Niger Delta Basin ......................................................................................................15
Dahomey Basin. ........................................................................................................15
3.0.2 THE INTRACONTINENTAL (INTERIOR FRACTURE) BASIN: .........................15
Benue Trough complex comprises; lower, middle, and the upper Benue .................15
Sokoto Basin..............................................................................................................15
Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin .............................................................................................15
Chad (Bornu) Basin. ..................................................................................................15
3.1 THE SEDIMENTARY SECTION OF THE STUDY AREA: ..........................................15
3.2 THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE STUDY AREA: ..........................................................16
3.2.1 THE BASEMENT COMPLEX: .................................................................................16
3.2.2 THE LOKOJA-BASANGE FORMATION:...............................................................17
3.2.3 THE MAMU FORMATION .......................................................................................17
3.2.4 THE AJALI FORMATION ........................................................................................17
CHAPTER FOUR: THE GEOLOGY OF IGARRA ...............................................................18
4.0 Introduction: .....................................................................................................................18
4.1 THE LITHOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENCOUNTERED ROCKS:............21
4.1.1 METASEDIMENTS:.............................................................................................21
4.1.1.1 FLAGGY-QUARTZ-BIOTITE-SCHIST .............................................................21
2
4.1.1.2 METACONGLOMERATE ..................................................................................36
4.1.1.3 QUARTZITE ........................................................................................................41
4.1.1.4 CALC-SILICATE ROCK (THE META-MARLS) ..............................................44
4.1.1.5 CALC-GNEISS AND THE IMPURE MARBLE {CALCSITIC MARBLE} .....45
4.1.1.6 PHYLLITE (THE PEBBLY-PELITIC-PHYLLITE AND THE ALUMINOUS-
PELITIC-PHYLLITE) ......................................................................................................53
4.1.1.7 SPOTTED SCHIST ..............................................................................................57
4.1.2 GRANITE SUITE: ......................................................................................................58
4.1.2.1 PORPHYRITIC OLDER GRANITE (VERY COARSE-GRAINED).................58
4.1.2.2 HORNBLENDE-GRANITE (COARSE-GRAINED) ..........................................59
4.1.3 MINOR INTRUSIVE ROCKS: ..................................................................................60
4.1.3.1 SYENITE DYKE ..................................................................................................60
4.1.3.2 LAMPROPHYRE.................................................................................................61
CHAPTER FIVE: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES: ..............................................................62
5.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................62
5.1 RELICT SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURE ........................................................................62
5.2 FOLIATION ......................................................................................................................62
5.3 FOLDS: ..............................................................................................................................62
5.3.1 RECUMBENT FOLD .................................................................................................63
5.3.2 CRENULATION .........................................................................................................63
5.3.3 ASYMMETRIC FOLD ...............................................................................................63
5.3.4 KINK FOLD ................................................................................................................63
5.4 LINEATION: .....................................................................................................................63
5.5 BOUDINAGE LENSES ....................................................................................................63
5.6 FAULT BRECCIA ............................................................................................................64
5.7 JOINTS, FAULTS (DIP-SLIP, STRIKE-SLIP), AND FRACTURES .............................64
5.8 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION .........................................................................................64
CHAPTER SIX: METAMORPHISM .....................................................................................66
6.0 Introduction .......................................................................................................................66
6.1 REGIONAL METAMORPHISM ......................................................................................66
6.2 CONTACT METAMORPHISM .......................................................................................67
REFERENCES.........................................................................................................................68
3
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 A stratigraphic section of the sedimentary formation of the study area. ....................17
Table 2. Table Showing Flynn’s Diagram Data of a typical Igarra metaconglomerate seen
during the river traverse of the mapping exercise, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’.
..................................................................................................................................................38
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Navigation map of the area of study (Oloto and Anyanwu, 2013). ...........................8
Figure 2 Map showing drainage and watersheds of the SW, and SS regions of Nigeria from
Hockey et al., (1986. ................................................................................................................14
Figure 3 Geological Map of the Study Area. (Modified after Odeyemi, 1988). .....................20
Figure 4. Hand specimen of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist in Ojirami district, showing the
flaggy nature of the rock i.e. the alternation between the dark & the light coloured bands,
coordinate: N 07° 17.770’, E 006° 9.318’. ..............................................................................23
Figure 5. Inclined fault on a surface that is oblique to the S2 surface (Axial plane), seen on the
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist at Ojitami Oke near Ojirami water works, coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’. ............................................................................................................25
Figure 6. Transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults) in form of shearing on the axial
plane foliation, whereby the quartz vein is stretched in a N-S direction parallel to the axial
plane foliation of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works,
coordinate: N 07° 17.770’, E 006° 9.318’................................................................................26
Figure 7. Evidence of transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults) on the axial plane
foliation, whereby the quartz vein is stretched in a N-S direction parallel to the axial plane
foliation of the rock, seen at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works, coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’. ............................................................................................................26
Figure 8. An evidence of transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults), seen at the top of the
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist (almost parallel to the axial plane foliation of the rock), trending
in a N-S direction similar to the one seen at the top of the outcrop near the Ojirami water
work, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’. ....................................................................27
Figure 9. An open fold that is present on the fold axis of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist
plunging at an angle 006oN, at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’. ............................................................................................................29
Figure 10. An inclusion seen at the top of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, the broken
xenoliths are stretched and aligned in a preferred orientation, the xenoliths are also confined
within the inclusion, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’. .............................................31
Figure 11. Opposite St Patric catholic church a felsic dyke within the of the flaggy-quartz-
biotite-schist, the dyke was seen on the axial plane foliation surface of the rock, the dyke is
about 0.7m thick, and discordant to the direction at which the axial plane foliation of the host
rock trends, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’. ...........................................................31
Figure 12. Present of porphyroblasts within the felsitic dyke that are stretched and aligned
parallel to the direction at which the fine-grained felsic dyke trends but oblique to the host
rock (flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist), coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’. ......................32
Figure 13. The above surface shows a typical upright fold that was seen in Ojirami district,
whereby the relict beds of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist are folded with an average length
of about 4m, coordinate: N 07° 18.580’, E 006° 10.468’. .......................................................33
4
Figure 14. An example of a crenulation cleavage seen at the top of a low-lying outcrop of a
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist along Ojirami-Igarra road towards the northeast direction,
Ojirami-Ogbe area, coordinate: N 07° 18.810’, E 006° 10.880’. ............................................35
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, showing the rough surface of the axial plane, along Ojirami-
Igarra road towards the northeast direction, Ojirami-Ogbe area, coordinate: N 07° 18.810’, E
006° 10.880’. ............................................................................................................................35
Figure 16. A typical example of the metaconglomerate in Igarra that were seen during the
river and road traverse of the mapping exercise, showing different sizes of clast that are
stretched parallel to the axial plane foliation of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006°
5.904’. ......................................................................................................................................37
Figure 17. Metaconglomerate or Pebbly Phyllite exposed along Igarra-Auchi road south of
Igarra near a military checkpoint, showing an evidence of relict sedimentary structure that’s
been preserved, the pro-grading of the clast are present axial plane foliation of the rock,
coordinate: N 07° 7.619’, E 006° 12.632’................................................................................39
Figure 18. A typical example of Igarra metaconglomerate that were seen during the river and
road traverse of the mapping exercise, showing a lenticular quartz vein that is oblique to the
axial plane foliation of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’. ..........................39
Figure 19. A typical example of Igarra metaconglomerate, seen during the river traverse of
the mapping exercise, showing boudinage lenses that are aligned parallel to the axial plane
foliation of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’. .............................................40
Figure 20. A close view of the metaconglomerate exposed south-east of Sebe-Ogbe near
Ekpeshi not too far from unity hotel, along Sebe Ogbe-Ekpeshi road. The metaconglomerate
is clast supported, weakly-foliated, coordinate: N 07° 10.052’, E 006° 10.012’. ....................40
Figure 21. A typical example of the Igarra quartzite that was seen beside a river channel
during the river traverse of the field exercise, showing the strongly foliated nature of the
Igarra quartzite, coordinate: N 07° 17.887’, E 006° 5.947’. ....................................................41
Figure 22. A typical example of fault breccia outcrop in Igarra which indicates a fault zone,
not far from an emplaced xenolitic dyke (which trends E-W) about 30m away, that was seen
during the river traverse of the field exercise, showing evidence of the old foliated quartzite
(planar) which is now disoriented, coordinate: N 07° 17.969’, E 006° 5.891’. .......................42
Figure 23. Hand specimen of a fault breccia seen across a river channel south of the
Anglican nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing evidence of the old foliated
quartzite (planar) which is now disoriented, coordinate: N 07° 17.969’, E 006° 5.891’. ........43
Figure 24. Hand specimen of the Igarra quartzite seen beside a river channel south of the
Anglican nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing evidence of a quartz vein
cutting across the foliation plane of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.887’, E 006° 5.947’. ......43
Figure 25. Hand specimen of a calc-silicate rock seen across a river channel south of the
Anglican nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing the light-greenish bands and
the dark-grey bands of calcium rich rock and phyllite respectively, coordinate: N 07° 17.640
’, E 006° 6.006’. .......................................................................................................................44
Figure 26 A field photograph showing the lithological banding of an impure marble marked
by the intercalation of phyllite inter-banded with some calcareous rock at Ikao area,
coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’...............................................................................47
Figure 27 A field photograph of a strongly foliated impure marble at Ikao area, coordinate: N
07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’. ....................................................................................................48
5
Figure 28 A field photograph of an open fold with plunge/azimuth of 20/24oN, strike/dip of
158°/88 on the foliation plane of an impure marble at Ikao area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E
006° 1.755’. ..............................................................................................................................48
Figure 29 A field photograph of an asymmetric fold on the axial plane of an impure marble
at Ikao area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’. .........................................................49
Figure 30 A field photograph of lamprophyre dyke cutting across an impure marble at Ikao
area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’. .....................................................................49
Figure 31 A hand-sample photograph of a typical Igarra calcsitic marble found at a quarry
center, east of Ikao towards Aiyetoro area, coordinate: N 07° 11.438 ’, E 006° 3.163’. .........50
Figure 32 A hand-sample photograph of a typical Igarra dolomitic marble found by the road
side, along Sebe ogbe-Ekpeshi road, not too far from unity hotel. ..........................................50
Figure 33 A field photograph of typical Igarra phyllite, along Aiyetoro-Sebe Ogbe road
north-east of Igwe showing presence of boudinage structure, coordinate: N 07° 11.679 ’, E
006° 5.235’. ..............................................................................................................................54
north-east of Igwe showing presence of fault breccia, coordinate: N 07° 11.679 ’, E 006°
5.235’. ......................................................................................................................................54
north-east of Igwe showing presence of crenulation, coordinate: N 07° 11.679 ’, E 006°
5.235’. ......................................................................................................................................54
north-east of Igwe showing presence of kink fold structure, coordinate: N 07° 11.679’, E
006° 5.235’. ..............................................................................................................................55
north-east of Igwe, showing evidence of two perpendicular surfaces, coordinate: N 07°
11.679’, E 006° 5.235’. ............................................................................................................55
north-east of Igwe showing presence of tension gashes (En-enchelon), coordinate: N 07°
11.404’, E 006° 5.550’. ............................................................................................................56
Figure 39 A field photograph of typical Igarra phyllite, found not too far from unity hotel,
north-west of Ekpeshi,, along Igarra-Auchi road, showing presence of lamprophyre dyke
cutting across the country rock (phyllite), coordinate: N 07° 11.404’, E 006° 5.550’. ...........56
cutting across the country rock (phyllite), coordinate: N 07° 11.404’, E 006° 5.550’. ...........57
Figure 41 A field photograph of the somolika porphyritic older granite, showing the
alignment of the mineral crystals in a preferred direction, hence giving the rock a weak
foliation fabric, coordinate: N 07° 19.158’, E 006° 8.001’. .....................................................59
Figure 42 A field photograph of a hand specimen of a typical hornblende-granite seen along
Auchi-Okene road, very close to a river channel (River Ogiio), at the north-eastward part of
Auchi, coordinate: N 07° 10.024’, E 006° 19.760’. .................................................................60
6
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.0 Introduction:
Geological field mapping is a very important exercise in geology, because geology is a field
oriented discipline, geologist do say ‘the best geologist is the one who had seen most rocks’,
you can never be a great geologist until you’ve been on the field. It is on this basis, this
fieldwork was carried out, and also a report is submitted to the department of geological
science, UNIOSUN, on the geology of Igarra and its environment. This field exercise is also
a requirement for the award of bachelor degree (B.Sc honours) in the department of geology in
Osun State University, Nigeria. The geological field exercise commenced for 2017/2018 rain
semester, on the 27th of October and ended on the 9th of November, 2018. Comprising of
eighteen students and seven members of the field committee {i.e. seven lecturers} from the
University, to carry out an investigative field mapping exercise in Igarra, which is the
headquarters of Akoko-Edo local government area in the northern part of Edo state, Igarra.
Igarra and its vicinities is very rich in the exposure of outcrops, the field mapping exercise
lasted for fourteen days (14 days).
1.1 LOCATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND, GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA

Igarra area lies approximately within Latitudes 7o 15’ N to 7o 18’N and Longitudes 6o 05’E to
6o 09’E at the northern fringe of Edo State, Nigeria. The study area covers both the old, and
new roads, with some major footpaths, which were used as access path for the field exercise,
the major highway in the area runs from Auchi through Sebe-Ogbe, Ekpeshi, and Igarra down
to Ibillo.
Basement rocks within the Igarra formation that were studied and mapped during the field
exercise, using the river and road traverse method, along an east-west direction across the
outcrops, which includes the following; flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist (along Ojirami-Oke road
very close to an abandoned dam), metaconglomerate, quartzite, fault-breccia, calc-silicate rock,
phyllite, marble, granite, and some igneous intrusions like; xenolithic dyke, syenite dyke (along
Auchi-Igarra road), and lamprophyre. Sedimentary formations within the Igarra schist belt, that
were seen and studied includes; Lokoja-Basange formation, Mamu formation, and the Ajali
formation, stating from Bawa hill along Ibillo-Auchi road, through Afu , Agenebode area,
down to Imiegba, along Jattu road.
Igarra and its environment are easily accessible through the major and minor roads as well as
footpaths, providing easy access to outcrops.
7
Figure 1. Navigation map of the area of study (Oloto and Anyanwu, 2013).
8
1.2 AIM, AND OBJECTIVES
To learn how to carryout proper geological field mapping exercise, in other to understand the
geology of the area, write a proper field report, alongside with a neatly and well-drawn
geological map.
1.3 METHODOLOGY
The road and river traverse in a west-east direction across the outcrop was employed during
the mapping exercise. All details were noted in field note, which includes; locality numbers,
coordinates, rock type, sketches, measurements like; the extent of the outcrops, strike & dip of
the foliation planes, amount of plunge & azimuth of folds and lineation etc. were noted in the
field note, while all necessary parameters were plotted on the graph sheets, tracing papers and
on the field /base map, hand sample of different rock types were also collected from the field
for further investigation purposes. Below are some of the field equipment that were used during
the field exercise:
 Compass/Clinometer: the compass-clinometer was used for taking measurements of

strike & dip, bearing of a target or an object, amount of plunge & azimuth of folds on
different outcrops. It was also used for measuring the direction at which an outcrop or
the lineation of an outcrop trends.
 Topographic map: different topographic maps were used during the course of the field
exercise, depending on the area to be visited, tracing paper was placed on the
topographic map in other locate and plot the precise point of the outcrop’s strike & dip
of the foliation plane, fault plane or fault lines, dyke (xenolithic dyke) were plotted on
the tracing paper, the major roads, newly constructed roads, footpaths, river channels,
name of localities etc. were also indicated in other to produce a geological map of the
study area.
 G.P.S (Global positioning system): the G.P.S was used during the field exercise to
locate prissily the outcrop’s point and also to determine elevation value above the sea
level at a particular point.
 Geologic hammer: it was used for breaking rock sample, in other words to collect hand
specimen of different outcrops.
 Hand lens: it was used for close observation of the minerals within the rock specimen.
 Pacing: To determine the extent of the outcrop.
 Field note: it was used for recording every important observations from one outcrop to
another.
9
 Measuring tape: it was used for measuring the thickness of beds, height of outcrop,
length and width of veins etc.
 Vehicle: it was used as means of transportation, over a long distance traverse.
 Sample bag: it was used for carrying the collected specimen, from the field to the base.
 Camera: it was used for taking photographs of different important features on the
outcrop, from one locality to another.
 Filed board: maps were placed on the board in other to allow easy tracing on the tracing
paper.
 Cutlass: it was used for cutting and clearing of bushes that are obstructing the free
access to outcrops.
1.4 PREVIOUS WORKS

The only detailed published work in the area was by Geological Survey of Nigeria (GSN),
while works of individual workers was also published in journals of Mining and Geosciences
(NMGS). Over the years, extensive works have been done on the basement complex of the
study area (Igarra) by groups of student from different Universities every year, which includes
students from this noble Osun State University, and other Universities like Obafemi Awolowo
University, University of Technology Ogbomoso, Benin State University, University of Port
Harcourt and lot more, they have all mapped the Igarra area in the past years. Most the
geological studies have been carried out on these areas (Igarra) by Falconer (1911); Elueze,
1980, 1991; Turner, 1983; Rahaman, 1992; Odeyemi et al, 1991 and Ekwueme, 1990, 2000;
Okeke and Meju, 1985; Ajibade et al, 1987; Odeyemi, 1988; Ekwere and Ekwueze, 1991;
Imeokparia and Emofurieta, 1991 and Ocan et al, (2003). Attempts have been made by the
wokers to classify the different rocks found therein.
 Falconer (1911):
Falconer (1911) was the earliest worker, and was able to classify the basement rocks into two
groups. These are:
i. Younger granites.
ii. Older granites.
Other workers include Wilson (1922), King and De Swardth (1942), De Swardth (1953); who
at one time or the other worked in various sections of the basement complex.
A later attempt on the classification was done by following:
10
 Rahaman, (1970)
Rahaman (1970) however, improved on the classification scheme of Oyawoye and came up
with six groups. They are:
i. The migmatite-gneiss-quartz complex:
ii. Slightly migmatized to non-migmatized metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks
iii. Charnokitic, Gabbroic and Dioritic rocks [Pan African, 600 + 150 ma].
iv. Metamorphosed to unmetamorphosed. calc-alkaline Volcanic and Hyperbasal rocks
v. Unmetamorphosed dolerite dykes, syenite dykes:
 Oyawoye, (1972):
In his work classified the rocks of Nigeria basement complex into four major groups. His
classification was based on petrological evidences;
i. The Migmatite complex
ii. The Metasedimentary series
iii. The Older granites
iv. The miscellaneous rock types which include Bauchites, Diorite etc.
 Hockey et al., (1986):

Hockey et al., (1986) who also carried out an early work in the Igarra area, described the
following rock types:
i. The impure quartzite as a flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist because the rock is dark coloured
and fine-grained with narrow, alternating, dark grey and light grey bands. He described
the quartzite in the Igarra formation and noticed that they are distinct from the flaggy
quartz biotite schist due to their complete lack of biotite. He however noticed the
presence of muscovite which tends to concentrate in thin laminae which give rise to
generally flaggy appearance. Odeyemi further described the impure quartzite as flaggy
schist typified by distinct fine to coarsed mineralogical banding of alternating light grey
and dark grey layers.
ii. He noticed that within variation in the muscovite content these rocks grade from almost
impure quartzite on the one hand to quartz-muscovite schist on the other.
11
iii. He noticed the metaconglomerate present in Igarra formation appears to be contained
in three zones. The rock of the upper and lower zones area assumed to form lenticular
bodies within the country rock of flaggy-schist and gneiss.
iv. Mica schist
v. Cal-gneiss and marble.
 Odeyemi, (1988):
In his work titled preliminary report on the field relationship of the basement complex around
Igarra, Midwest state classified the rock types into four mayor groups;
i. Migmatite-gneiss complex
ii. The metasediments comprising Schists, Calc-gneiss, Metaconglomerate and Quartzites.
iii. The porphyritic older granites
iv. The late discordant unmetamorphosed Syenite dykes believed to be the youngest.
 Unpublished Works:
There are so many unpublished works on the geology of Igarra and its environs by the staff and
students of Osun state university and other Universities like; University of Ife, Ibadan, Benin,
and, Port Harcourt. These unpublished works are in agreement with the previously done works,
carried out by notable geologist like; Rahaman (1970), Oyawoye (1972), Hockey et al., (1986,
and Odeyemi (1988) etc.
1.4 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Many thanks to God almighty for the provision of good health throughout our stay in Igarra,
and I| thank my parent for their great support over my Education ever since I commenced my
schooling in this great institution, I also wish to express my profound gratitude to the members
of the field committee (my lecturers), without their efforts this field work would not be
accomplished. I also want to thank the University for their Great Support in terms of money
(for subsidizing the cost of the trip) and also for the provision of the bus we used in transporting
ourselves from one location to another in Igarra, I really appreciate you all thanks a lot may
God almighty continue to make your great work fruitful.
12
CHAPTER TWO: PHYSIOGRAPHY
2.0 Introduction:
The physiographic features, land forms and drainage patterns in the study area, have resulted
primarily from the interplay between weathering (especially physical), erosion and geologic
processes.
2.1 LANDFORMS
The region mapped is very much set apart by hills of various shapes particularly along Okene-
Auchi road. The hills present here are uncovered both on the northern and southern piece of
the region and are of various shapes. The hills toward the north are cone-shaped while the hills
toward the south represents an extent of inclines, which isn't cone-like in shape. A conelike
hills is present due to certain underlying geology and irregularly shaped hill, in other words
due to some certain underlying geological feature. It may be geological features, and it may be
structural features or a combination of both. The facts that the hills towards the north, and the
hill towards the south have distinctive morphology might suggest that the geology is also
different. Regardless, toward the west of Igarra is a level peneplain. By and large, a portion of
the regions mapped are level, a few zones are hilly and the hills are mainly conical. Hills are
also present in Igarra and towards the south is a long chine of hills uncovered as granites (older
granite of the pan African age). The ridge extends towards the south, and it is about 1.2
kilometers long.
2.2 DRAINAGE PATTERN

Drainage pattern is the arrangement of a river and its tributaries. However, the drainage pattern
in an area describes the characteristic way tributaries or streams (that feed other large streams
and rivers) branch-off in different directions. The nature of a drainage pattern can vary from
one type of relief to another, primarily in response to the kinds of rock on which the streams
developed.
The drainage pattern of the study area varies, depending on the landform i.e. relief. It is mainly
dendritic and trellis (e.g. Ojirami River which flows from the north to the southern part of the
area) which is structurally controlled, the trellis drainage pattern is produced in areas in which
there are structural complexities, the differences in rock resistance is responsible for redirected
stream development. In some places the stream or river flows along; the major joints, faults
and fractures of the outcrop in an east-west direction, for example the river channel that cuts
across a low-lying Quartzite seen at locality 14, coordinate: N 07° 16.780 ’, E 006° 5.677’, the
13
river flows along major joints and faults of the outcrop, in an east-west direction which resulted
in fracturing of the rock itself, parallel to the foliation plane of the rock.
Figure 2 Map showing drainage and watersheds of SW, and SS regions of Nigeria from
Hockey et al., (1986).
14
CHERTER THREE: REGIONAL SEDIMENTARY SECTION
3.0 Introduction:
Basically basins are response depression of large size which may be of structural or erosional
origin. The sedimentary basins of Nigeria belong generally to the post Hercynian basin of West
Africa. These sedimentary basins are result of pre-existing tectonic forces in the past that
affected the floor of the basins. Most sedimentary basins in Nigeria consist of different types
of sedimentary deposits which occur in different environments. The sedimentary basins
comprise different Formations as a result of distinctive sediments that make up the lithologies
of each type area and the paleontologies that describe them. The sedimentary basins of Nigeria
can be grouped into two; (1) the margin sag basins and (2) the intracontinental basin.
3.0.1 THE MARGIN SAG BASINS:

 Niger Delta Basin
 Dahomey Basin.
3.0.2 THE INTRACONTINENTAL (INTERIOR FRACTURE) BASIN:
 Benue Trough complex comprises; lower, middle, and the upper Benue
 Sokoto Basin
 Mid-Niger (Bida) Basin
 Chad (Bornu) Basin.
3.1 THE SEDIMENTARY SECTION OF THE STUDY AREA:

The Anambra basin-Calabar flank region is generally considered as an upper cretaceous-lower
tertiary descendant of the southern Benue trough. The Anambra basin-Calabar flank region was
a fault-controlled depression within the basement complex of the African shield.
The Benin flank is an extension of the Anambra basin, towards the western part of Nigeria,
within which the Igarra formation fall under this flank. The Benin flank of the Anambra basin
constitute of the following formations that were deposited on top of the basement complex,
which were seen during the course of our field exercise:
 Lokoja-Basange formation
 Mamu formation
 Ajali formation.
15
3.2 THE STRATIGRAPHY OF THE STUDY AREA:
Stratigraphy is a branch of geology which studies rock layers and layering (stratification).
About half of the surface area of Nigeria is being covered by sedimentary rocks which are to
be composed of sands and sandstones, clays and limestone. The remaining of the country is
being classified as the basement complex regions.
3.2.1 THE BASEMENT COMPLEX:

Igarra area, which encompasses the study area, lies within the southwestern Nigerian basement
which itself is a part of the Nigerian Basement Complex. The Nigerian Basement Complex is
also a part of the Pan African mobile belt that lies between the West African craton to the east
and the Congo craton to the southwest within the African continent. The Basement Complex
in Igarra area consists of the following four major rock groups (Odeyemi, 1988 and Adekoya,
2003):
(i) Migmatites, biotite and biotite-hornblende gneisses;

(ii) Low to medium grade metasediments (the schist belt) consisting of schists, calc-
silicate gneisses, marbles, polymict metaconglomerates and quartzite;
(iii) Syn- to late-tectonic porphyritic, biotite and biotite-hornblende granodiorites and
adamellites, charnockites and gabbros; and
(iv) Minor felsic and mafic intrusives comprising pegmatite, aplite, dolerite,
lamprophyre and syenite dykes. The study area is underlain in most parts by the
metasediments, referred to as the Igarra Schist Belt, which presumably overlies an
older gneiss-migmatite basement, possibly of Liberian age (Odeyemi, 1988).
The schist belt or the metasedimentary succession in Igarra area consists predominantly of
pelitic to semi-pelitic rocks of low to medium grade metamorphism. Major rock types exposed
in the area include (i) semi-pelitic phyllites; (ii) quartz-biotite schist; (iii) mica schist; (iv)
calcsilicate gneiss and marble; and (v) metaconglomerate; all of which have been deformed in
at least two episodes (Odeyemi, 1976).
The most easterly schist belts in south-western Nigeria are distributed around the Okene
migmatitic nucleus. It trends NNW with a length of only 50 km and in the west is joined to the
NW-trending Owo belt and to the Itobe belt in the east which may have extended into the Muro
Hills in the north (Obaje, 2006)
16
3.2.2 THE LOKOJA-BASANGE FORMATION:
The Lokoja-Basange formation belongs to the Benin flank of the Anambra basin, the oldest of
all the formations studied, and it marks an unconformity between itself and the basement
complex, which is known as non-conformity. It is made-up of Sandstones, it is overlain by the
Mamu formation and underlain the Basement rocks. The Lokoja-Basange formation is of
Campanian age.
3.2.3 THE MAMU FORMATION

The Mamu formation is also part of the Benin flank of the Anambra basin, and it marks an
unconformity between itself and the Lokoja-Basange formation, which is known as dis-
conformity. It is overlain by the Ajali formation and underlain by the Lokoja-Basange
formation. It is older than the Ajali formation that is at the top of the basin. It is composed of
shale, siltstone, concretional layer of iron-stone, and in carbonaceous rock in some locality e.g.
The Mamu formation at Imiegba. They belong to the late Campanian – early maestrichtian age.
3.2.4 THE AJALI FORMATION

The Ajali formation is also part of the Benin flank of the Anambra basin, and it marks an
unconformity between itself and the Ajali formation, which is known as dis-conformity. It is
underlain by the Mamu formation. This formation is the youngest of all the formations that
were studied. It is composed mainly of sandstones that are friable, and shows cross-bedded
laminations. It is incoherent and non-fossiliferous due to its porosity, and unconsolidated
nature. The age is middle to upper maestrichtian.
Table 1 A stratigraphic section of the sedimentary formation of the study area.
SEDIMENTAY SEQUENCE AGE
Ajali formation Campanian age-maastrictian age
Mamu formation Early maastrictian age
Lokoja-bassange formation Campanian age
Basement rock > Pan-African age
17
CHAPTER FOUR: THE GEOLOGY OF IGARRA
4.0 Introduction:
In order to describe the occurrence, structural and stratigraphic relationships, classification and
illustration of the metamorphic history and evolution of the rocks of the Precambrian basement
complex, as well as correlation between these rocks and other Pan-African belts, people like
Oyawoye (1964), Rahaman (1973, 1976, 1988), Odeyemi (1988) and many others had to carry
out extensive study of these rocks especially those of Igarra schist belt.
The most easterly schist belts in south-western Nigeria are distributed around the Okene
migmatitic nucleus. It trends NNW with a length of only 50 km and in the west is joined to the
NW-trending Owo belt and to the Itobe belt in the east which may have extended into the Muro
Hills in the north (Obaje, 2006).
Igarra area, which encompasses the study area, lies within the south-western Nigerian basement
which itself is a part of the Nigerian Basement Complex. The Nigerian Basement Complex is
also a part of the Pan African mobile belt that lies between the West African craton to the east
and the Congo craton to the southwest within the African continent. The Basement Complex
in Igarra area consists of the following four major rock groups (Odeyemi, 1988 and Adekoya,
2003):
(i) Migmatites, biotite and biotite-hornblende gneisses;

(ii) Low to medium grade metasediments (the schist belt) consisting of schists, calc-
silicate gneisses, marbles, polymict metaconglomerates and quartzite;
(iii) Syn- to late-tectonic porphyritic, biotite and biotite-hornblende granodiorites
and adamellites, charnockites and gabbros; and
(iv) Minor felsic and mafic intrusives comprising pegmatite, aplite, dolerite,
lamprophyre and syenite dykes. The study area is underlain in most parts by the
metasediments, referred to as the Igarra Schist Belt, which presumably overlies
an older gneiss-migmatite basement, possibly of Liberian age (Odeyemi, 1988).
The schist (metasediments) occurs as a supracrustal cover on the basement and consists
predominantly of pelitic to semi-pelitic rocks of low to medium grade metamorphism. Major
rock types exposed in the area include (i) semi-pelitic phyllites; (ii) quartz-biotite schist; (iii)
mica schist; (iv) calcsilicate gneiss and marble; and (v) metaconglomerate; all of which have
been deformed in at least two episodes (Okeke and Meju (1985), Ajibade et.al, (1987),
Odeyemi (1988), Ekwere and Ekwueze (1991), Imeokparia and Emofurieta (1991) and Ocan
et.al, (2003).
18
The presence of both calcareous rocks and conglomerates sets it apart from the other schist
belts described. These rock types, together with quartzites, occur as bands in the dominant
biotite schists. Gneisses at the margins of the belt may be a highly metamorphosed basal part
of the sequence; they are equivalent to the non-migmatitic gneisses described by Furon (1960)
from the margins of other schist belts in this eastern region. The main structure is an open
synform, but this re-folds earlier E–W folds. Porphyritic granites intrude the centre and margins
of the belt. Similar lithologies occur in schist belts in the Kabba, Jakura and Lokoja areas which
also have associated granite plutons. They represent well-sorted shelf and littoral deposits.
Their diverse structural trends and association with Pan African granites had indicated a
Kibaran age. (Obaje, 2006).
19
Figure 3 Geological Map of the Study Area. (Modified after Odeyemi, 1988).
20
4.1 THE LITHOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENCOUNTERED ROCKS:
During the mapping exercise we can perceive and delineate three unique classes of rocks,
which are igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks. Thus, we can state with some
dimension of certainty that the geology of the zone mapped can be separated into two: the
basement rocks and the sedimentary rocks. The basement rocks happens as the metasediments,
and additionally the igneous rocks (granite), the igneous rocks (granite) also occurred as
inclusions, veins and intrusives within the metasediments like metaconglomerate. The
following are basement rock types which were seen during the field exercise, and are further
explained below:
 THE METASEDIMENTS:
a. Flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist
b. Metaconglomerate
c. Calc-silicate rock or impure marble
d. Quartzite
e. Marble
f. Phyllite
g. Schist.
 THE GRANITE SUITE:
a. Hornblende-granite (coarse-grained)
b. Porphyritic older granite (very coarse-grained)
 THE INTRUSIVE IGNEOUS ROCKS :
a. Syenite Dyke
b. Lamprophyre
c. Quartz vein
d. Xenolithic Dyke.
4.1.1 METASEDIMENTS:
The metasedimentary succession in Igarra area consists predominantly of pelitic to semi-pelitic
rocks of low to medium grade metamorphism. Major rock types exposed in the area include
the following are the main rock units: (i) Flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist (ii) Metaconglomerate
(iii) Quartzite (iv) Calc-silicate rock or impure marble (v) Marble (vi) Phyllite (vii) Schist.
4.1.1.1 FLAGGY-QUARTZ-BIOTITE-SCHIST
This rock type is the dominant rock unit in the Igarra schist belt. Typical examples are well
displayed along the Igarra-Auchi road, Ojirami-Igarra road in the Ojirami district, and also
21
south of the road from Sebe-Ogbe to Otwa as described by Hockey et al., (1986), which was
confirmed during the course of our field exercise. The flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist at Ojirami
district which generally trends in a N-S direction, as elsewhere, the outcrops this rock unit are
hilly (see figure 5), slightly hilly or low-lying in nature. The rock is a dark coloured and fine
grained with millimetric or narrow, alternating, dark grey and light grey bands (see figure 4).
The darker bands is more rich in biotite than that of the lighter bands, marks the flaggy character
or nature of the rock, meanwhile the lighter bands which are very rich in quartz have a fine-
grained, and granulitic texture. The light-grey bands are generally thicker than that of the dark
bands with an average thickness of about 4mm and 2mm (or even more narrower) respectively
thickness may vary from one locality to another, to an extent that may be traced out to about
1m long or may be lesser in another locality, hence giving the rock itself a schistose character
or nature. This rock unit is composed of quartz, mica, and feldspar mineralogically, but
mineralogy composition also varies particularly to the northeast of Ojirami near Imorga to a
richer pale greenish banding which is known as the calc-silicates i.e. calcium rich bands, of an
average thickness of about 2mm. There is no regularity to this banding, the greenish bands are
not prominent around the outcrop bands (Hockey et al., 1986).
22
Figure 4. Hand specimen of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist in Ojirami district, showing the
flaggy nature of the rock i.e. the alternation between the dark & the light coloured bands,
coordinate: N 07° 17.770’, E 006° 9.318’.
23
The flaggy nature of the rock which is usually seen as the Axial plane foliation which may be
accompanied by gentle/small scale folding (open fold, see figure 9) or shearing in some
locality. Hence, giving the rock an axial plane foliation or sometimes axial plane cleavage (only
when the foliation is not prominent) on the top of the outcrop, the quality of the axial plane
foliation may vary from different part of the rock from axial plane foliation to axial plane
cleavage. This rock unit is also accompanied by faults trending in a N-S direction almost
parallel or slightly oblique to the axial plane foliation of the outcrops in some locality (see
figure 5) , for example an isolated-hilly outcrop of about 17m high and about 10m long which
was seen at Ojirami off Ojirami-Igarra road beside the Ojirami water works, shows an evidence
of two different kinds of inclined fault seen on a surface that is oblique to the S2 surface (Axial
plane): (i) High angle Normal fault(at an angle of about 85o) and (ii) High angle Reverse fault
(in form of shearing at an angle of about 85o) (see figure 5). Meanwhile there are also evidence
of a transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults) on the axial plane foliation surface at the top
of the outcrop (see figure 6 & 7), whereby some of the quartz vein are stretched in a N-S
direction parallel to the axial plane foliation of the rock. An evidence of this transcurrent fault
(Strike-slip sinistrial fault) was also seen at the top of another isolated-hilly outcrop, about
200m away from the Ojirami water works towards the northeast direction, along this same
Ojirami-Igarra road, Ojirami-Ogbe area (see figure 8).
24
Figure 5. Inclined fault on a surface that is oblique to the S2 surface (Axial plane), seen on a
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist at Ojitami Oke near Ojirami water works, coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’.
25
Figure 6. Transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults) in form of shearing on the axial
plane foliation, whereby the quartz vein is stretched in a N-S direction parallel to the axial
plane foliation of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works,
coordinate: N 07° 17.770’, E 006° 9.318’.
Figure 7. Evidence of transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults) on the axial plane
foliation, whereby the quartz vein is stretched in a N-S direction parallel to the axial plane
foliation of the rock, seen at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works, coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’.
26
Figure 8. An evidence of transcurrent fault (strike-slip sinistrial faults), seen at the top of the
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist (almost parallel to the axial plane foliation of the rock), trending
in a N-S direction similar to the one seen at the top of the outcrop near the Ojirami water
work, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’.
27
This rock unit in some locality show at least two episodes of deformation, at times three
episodes of deformation in some locality i.e. D1, D2, & D3. Taking again for example an
isolated-hilly outcrop of about 17m high and about 10m long which was seen at Ojirami off
Ojirami-Igarra road beside the Ojirami water works, here there are only two episodes of
deformation, which produces two surfaces, the S1-surface and the S2-surface that can be seen
on the rock.
The first episode of deformation here i.e. D1 produces a surface called S1 (i.e. the millimetric
banding or the initial horizontal foliation surface.
The second episode of deformation here i.e. D2 which was accompanied by M2), since it is a
folding deformation, it is known as F1 (which was later discovered to be the F2) to produces
another surface called S2 (i.e. the axial plane), formed as a result of the folding of the S1-surface
(which has a planar or horizontal foliation) is now curvilinear.
The S1-surface is the older surface i.e. the initial planar or horizontal foliation surface that was
later folded, while the S2-surface is the younger surface that was later formed by the folding of
the S1-surface (which has a planar or horizontal foliation) is now curvilinear. These two types
of foliation surfaces are not parallel (but perpendicular) to each other but they tend to intersect
and produce an intersection lineation which is the trace of S2 on S1-surface, and on the contrary
to produces another intersection lineation which is the trace of S1 on S2-surface on the rock.
The flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist also shows evidence of a gentle fold known as an open fold
that is present on the axial plane foliation at the top of the rock (see figure 9). One of the open
folds that was observed; the fold axis of the open fold is plunging 0160 north and the amount
of plunge is 24 degrees.
28
Figure 9. An open fold that is present on the fold axis of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist
plunging at an angle 006oN, at Ojitami-Oke near Ojirami water works coordinate: N 07°
17.770’, E 006° 9.318’.
29
This rock unit in some locality is composed of igneous inclusion (Xenolith), and igneous
intrusives body (Dyke) (see figure 10 and 11), for example an isolated-hilly outcrop along this
same Ojirami-Igarra road, about 200m away from the Ojirami water works towards the
northeast direction, Ojirami-Ogbe area. The broken xenoliths with an average length that range
from about 5cm to 15cm are stretched in a preferred orientation, and confined within the
inclusion (see figure 10). The inclusion is rotated clockwise to the axial foliation cleavage of
the host rock (flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist) that trends N-S direction (see figure 11). The dyke
is about 0.7m thick, and discordant to the direction at which the axial plane foliation of the host
rock (flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist) trends, the dyke is very fine grained, with a felsic
composition, and it is composed of porphyroblasts that are stretched and aligned parallel to the
direction at which the dyke trends (see figure 12), forming a kind of lineation i.e. a preferred
alignment of the porphyroblasts on the dyke surface.
30
Figure 10. An inclusion seen at the top of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, the broken
xenoliths are stretched and aligned in a preferred orientation, the xenoliths are also confined
within the inclusion, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’.
Figure 11. Opposite St Patric catholic church a felsic dyke within the of the flaggy-quartz-
biotite-schist, the dyke was seen on the axial plane foliation surface of the rock, the dyke is
about 0.7m thick, and discordant to the direction at which the axial plane foliation of the host
rock trends, coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’.
31
Figure 12. Present of porphyroblasts within the felsitic dyke that are stretched and aligned
parallel to the direction at which the fine-grained felsic dyke trends but oblique to the host
rock (flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist), coordinate: N 07° 17.928’, E 006° 9.741’.
32
This rock unit in some locality along Ojirami-Igarra towards the northeast direction, Ojirami-
Ogbe area, about 1km kilometers away from the previous outcrop that has xenolith inclusions,
coordinate: N 07° 18.580’, E 006° 10.468’.
The rock also show an evidence of preservation of the primary sedimentary structure i.e. relict
beds (see figure 13) to form a surface called S0 (i.e. the relict beds of different lithological
banding) which is parallel to the S1-surface (millimetric or mineralogical banding) to produce
S0 /S1-surface (i.e. lithological bedding/mineralogical banding) in form of an upright fold (see
figure 13).
The average thickness of each beds is about 20cm with an average wave-length of about 4m in
length, hence the S1-surface (millimetric or mineralogical banding) is also preserved within the
S0-surface. The S1 and the S2 surfaces are not parallel to each other but they tend to intersect
and produce an intersection lineation which is the trace of S2 on S1-surface, and on the contrary
to produces another intersection lineation which is the trace of S1 on S2-surface on the rock.
The Strike/Dip of the S2-surface, the Strike/Dip of the S1-surface and the direction of
Plunge/Azimuth of the L1 on S2 surface are measured and listed below.
Figure 13. The above surface shows a typical upright fold that was seen in Ojirami district,
whereby the relict beds of the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist are folded with an average length
of about 4m, coordinate: N 07° 18.580’, E 006° 10.468’.
33
This rock unit in some locality along Ojirami-Igarra road towards the northeast direction,
Ojirami-Ogbe area, show an evidence of another episode of deformation D3, since it is a folding
deformation, it is known as F2 (which was later discovered to be the F3 after seeing the
recumbent fold at Gbageri) to produce a surface known as S3 (i.e. crenulation cleavage), with
a rough Axial plane i.e. (see figure 14 and 15) the original S2-surface is now sigmoidal in other
word crenulated, this developed as a result of shearing that occurred on the Axial plane
cleavage in a micro or small scale fold in form of crenulations to produce crenulation cleavage.
Hence the trace of S2 (i.e. L2) is seen on the third surface S3, an intersection lineation is
produced which is the trace of S2 (Axial plane) on S3-surface.
34
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist along Ojirami-Igarra road towards the northeast direction,
Ojirami-Ogbe area, coordinate: N 07° 18.810’, E 006° 10.880’.
flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, showing the rough surface of the axial plane, along Ojirami-
Igarra road towards the northeast direction, Ojirami-Ogbe area, coordinate: N 07° 18.810’,
E 006° 10.880’.
35
4.1.1.2 METACONGLOMERATE
During the mapping exercise two different kinds of metaconglomerate were seen:
 The Igarra metaconglomerate (matrix supported)
 The metaconglomerate near Ekpeshi not too far from unity hotel (clast supported),
along Sebe Ogbe-Ekpeshi road.
The Igarra metaconglomerate outcrops are low-lying in most locality or slightly hilly (less than
5m high) in some locality (see figure 16), in other words the nature of the outcrop may vary
from a low-lying outcrop to a slightly hilly (less than 5m high) outcrop which were seen during
the river traverse of the mapping exercise.
The Igarra metaconglomerate is dark-grey in colour, poorly sorted, matrix supported, this rock
unit generally trends in a N-S direction, it is strongly foliated, the foliation is marked by the
intercalation bands between the light greenish bands of calc-silicate rock and the dark bands of
phyllite, combination of both the light and the dark coloured bands forms the matrix of the
metaconglomerate, while the clast are usually ellipsoidal in shape, and shows an evidence of
pro-grading (relict sedimentary structure) in terms of the clast distribution within the matric in
some locality along Ibillo-Auchi road, not too far from a military checkpoint ( see figure 17).
The matrix are fine-grained, these rock unit are generally strongly foliated, the foliation is
marked by the intercalation bands between the light greenish bands of calc-silicate rock and
the dark bands of phyllite, combination of both the light and the dark coloured bands forms the
matrix of the metaconglomerate. The clast are sub-rounded, lenticular in shape (ellipsoidal
shape) parallel to the axial plane foliation of the rock and varies in size, ranging from tiny to
big size of about 2mm to 30cm or even 50cm respectively in some locality (see figure 16). The
clast are polymict in nature i.e. it is composed of two or more different rock types.
36
Figure 16. A typical example of the metaconglomerate in Igarra that were seen during a road
traverse of the mapping exercise, showing different sizes of clast that are stretched parallel to
the axial plane foliation of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’.
37
Table 2. Table Showing Flynn’s Diagram Data of a typical Igarra metaconglomerate seen
during a river traverse of the mapping exercise, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’.
S/N X(cm) Z (cm) Y (cm) Z (cm)

1 2 1 3 0.9
2 0.9 0.5 1 1.2
3 3 2.6 2.3 0.5
4 5.2 2 1.2 1.4
5 5.5 1.9 6.5 1.2
6 2.2 0.6 3.8 1
7 3.5 1.7 2.4 0.9
8 1.7 0.9 2 1.6
9 4 0.9 3.6 3.4
10 2.5 1.7 2.5 0.8
11 2.1 1.7 1.5 0.6
12 4 1.5 5.3 4.1
13 6.4 2.5 2 0.5
14 2 1 2.6 2.3
15 2.5 1 3 0.9
16 1.9 0.9 5.8 2.1
17 3.1 0.8 9.2 3.4
18 3 1.1 1.2 0.4
19 2 1.3 5 2.8
20 4.5 1.4 4.2 1.9
21 6.8 2.6 3.9 0.9
22 7.4 3.8 5 0.6
23 6 2.7 6.2 1.3
24 3.6 1.7 1.5 0.2
25 2.8 1.1 6 1.5
26 3.2 1.2 5.5 1
27 4 2.1 3.9 0.9
28 11 5.6 1.5 0.5
29 4.9 1.9 6.2 1.9
30 2.3 1.5 4.5 2.5
31 2.7 1.2 3.8 2
38
Figure 17. Metaconglomerate or Pebbly Phyllite exposed along Igarra-Auchi road south of
Igarra near a military checkpoint, showing an evidence of relict sedimentary structure that’s
been preserved, the pro-grading of the clast are present axial plane foliation of the rock,
coordinate: N 07° 7.619’, E 006° 12.632’.
The Igarra metaconglomerate are also composed of quartz veins in some locality (see figure
18), the quartz rich veins are usually slightly-rotated or oblique to the axial plane foliation of
the of the host rock.
Figure 18. A typical example of Igarra metaconglomerate that were seen during the mapping
exercise, showing a lenticular quartz vein that is oblique to the axial plane foliation of the rock,
coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’.
39
The Igarra metaconglomerate in some locality shows an evidence of boudinage lenses (see
figure 19) whereby the clast are aligned in a preferred direction parallel to the axial plane
foliation of the host rock
Figure 19. A typical example of Igarra metaconglomerate, seen during a river traverse of the
mapping exercise, showing boudinage lenses that are aligned parallel to the axial plane
foliation of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.843’, E 006° 5.904’.
The metaconglomerate in Sebe-Ogbe near Ekpeshi not too far from unity hotel along Sebe
Ogbe-Ekpeshi road that were seen during the mapping exercise occur as a low-lying or boulders
in most locality, the metaconglomerate are non-foliated, and clast supported (different from the
ones at Igarra), it ranges in shape from round to sub-rounded clast (see figure 20), and they are
randomly distributed within the matrix that is of medium-grained in texture.
Figure 20. A close view of the metaconglomerate exposed south-east of Sebe-Ogbe near
Ekpeshi not too far from unity hotel, along Sebe Ogbe-Ekpeshi road. The metaconglomerate
is clast supported, weakly-foliated, coordinate: N 07° 10.052’, E 006° 10.012’.
40
4.1.1.3 QUARTZITE
This rock unit is also common within the Igarra schist belt, and distinguished by the complete
lack of biotite from the highly quartzitic bands within the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schists (Hockey
et al., 1986). The Igarra quartzite generally trend in a N-S direction, it occur as series of a low-
lying and isolated outcrop (see figure 21) which ranges from about an average length of 3m-
15m and width of about 2m-36m in some locality (which were seen during the river and road
traverse of the mapping exercise).
The Igarra quartzite may also occur as fault breccia (see figure 22) that truncates and disorient
the original rock that was striking N-S, in some locality it may occur as fractured rouble
materials (which were also seen during the river and road traverse of the mapping exercise
respectively). The rock has a colour that varies from white to yellow-brown in some locality.
This rock unit is common both in the north-western Igarra and in the south-west outskirt of
Igarra (which were seen during the mapping of the syenite dyke, exposed along Igarra-Auchi
road).
This rock unit is foliated, grade of foliation may vary from one locality to another, and most
especially the quartzite within the north-western Igarra (which were seen during the river and
road traverse of the mapping exercise) are strongly foliated.
Figure 21. A typical example of the Igarra quartzite that was seen beside a river channel
during the river traverse of the field exercise, showing the strongly foliated nature of the
Igarra quartzite, coordinate: N 07° 17.887’, E 006° 5.947’.
41
The Igarra quartzite may also occur as fault breccia. Formed as a result of dynamic
metamorphism, and usually occur within fault zone, the fault breccia is an equivalent of
quartzite (see figure 23) whereby there are fragments of the older rocks in a finer-grained
matrix that is not foliated, the fault breccia are usually cohesive, in some locality the fault plane
is oriented or trends in an E-W direction at an angle of 170o as seen during the river traverse of
the mapping exercise.
Figure 22. A typical example of fault breccia outcrop in Igarra which indicates a fault zone,
not far from an emplaced xenolitic dyke (which trends E-W) about 30m away, that was seen
during the river traverse of the field exercise, showing evidence of the old foliated quartzite
(planar) which is now disoriented, coordinate: N 07° 17.969’, E 006° 5.891’.
42
Figure 23. Hand specimen of a fault breccia seen across a river channel south of the Anglican
nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing evidence of the old foliated quartzite
(planar) which is now disoriented, coordinate: N 07° 17.969’, E 006° 5.891’.
The foliation fabric is marked by millimetric layering or the mineralogical banding between
the tiny mica flakes (muscovite) and quartz, it can also be said that the foliation is marked by
the concentration of tiny mica (muscovite) flakes layering on the foliation plane alternating
with quartz, the tiny micaceous bands are less than 1mm while quartz-rich bands may vary
from about 2mm to 4mm. In some locality the foliated quartzite is composed of quartz vein
that are oblique to the foliation plane of the rock.
Figure 24. Hand specimen of the Igarra quartzite seen beside a river channel south of the
Anglican nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing evidence of a quartz vein
cutting across the foliation plane of the rock, coordinate: N 07° 17.887’, E 006° 5.947’.
43
4.1.1.4 CALC-SILICATE ROCK (THE META-MARLS)
The calc-silicate rock (or the meta-marls) in Igarra occur as a low-lying outcrop, does that were
seen during the field exercise occurred along a river channel. According to Oyawoye (1965)
He referred to them as younger metasediments. Calc silicate are often referred to as foliated
impure marble and they are found in Igarra north-west, Ikao.
The rock is dark-green in colour, and has a phyllitic texture i.e. fine-grained texture, but may
also vary from fine to medium-grained texture in some locality to form meta-marl. The rock
has a strong foliation fabric at which it tends to split or break, the foliation is marked by
lithological banding between the light-greenish band and the dark-grey band, the light-greenish
band is composed of calcium rich rock while the dark-grey band is composed of phyllite.
Mineralogical composition of the rock includes: mica (biotite), amphibole, sulphide
mineralization (i.e. the tiny opaque minerals) and hornblende (within the light-greenish band)
which can be seen within the hand specimen with the aid of hand lens. The thickness of the
light and the dark coloured bands is usually less than 3mm and may vary within the rock from
one locality to another.
Figure 25. Hand specimen of a calc-silicate rock seen across a river channel south of the
Anglican nursery and primary school Ugbogbo, Igarra, showing the light-greenish bands
and the dark-grey bands of calcium rich rock and phyllite respectively, coordinate: N 07°
17.640 ’, E 006° 6.006’.
44
4.1.1.5 CALC-GNEISS AND THE IMPURE MARBLE {CALCSITIC MARBLE}
The nature of the outcrop generally vary from one location to the other, from a low lying
outcrop to series of isolated outcrops dipping at high angle.
The calc-gneiss or impure marble is light grey in colour and fine-grained, and strongly foliated
(see figure 27). The foliation is marked by both millimetric mineralogical banding and
lithological banding. Mineralogical banding is also present as explained above and is marked
by the alternation of pure calcite with some greenish minerals. The lithological banding is fairly
regular, some wedging out, bifurcation and variation in thickness are to be seen along the strike.
The lithological banding is marked by the intercalation between the light bands and the barker
bands. The darker bands, some black, some greenish, are usually 3mm to 5cm, but are mostly
between 6mm to 13mm. The lighter band which may be pure white or pale white or pale green,
are generally between 3cm and 8cm in width. The banding does not strike straight in most
outcrop. In some locality the darker bands is slightly continuous while is some places individual
bands appear to have been ruptured by small bodies of calcite, which are of coarser grain-size
than the calcite normally occurring throughout the body of the rock and appear to have been
derived from the lighter bands by processes of recrystallization and aggregation.
Lithologically the lighter bands is of calc-silicate or calcareous rock composition (marble), rich
in calcite, hornblende, tremolite, and feldspar which is responsible for the light or pale-greenish
colouration. While the darker bands is of phyllitic composition (phyllite), very rich in mica,
mostly biotite. In some locality this rock unit was intruded by lamprophyre, oblique to the
foliation plane of the rock (see figure 30)
According to Hockey et al., (1986) the lower degree of competence of the lighter-coloured
bands has usually resulted in close and complex micro-folding, giving the rock a generally
crumple appearance. The folds present on the outcrop from one locality to the other include
asymmetrical fold, symmetrical fold (like a corrugated roofing sheet) and plunging folds (see
figure 27, 28, and 29). Small scale fold found includes crenulations in which the wavelength is
averagely 4mm. On the other hand, the large scale folds ranges from about 3cm up to about 60
cm of wavelength.
These rock unit at Ikao area has been folded at least twice. Folding of the rock produces a
surface known as S1, and the folding process produces a lineation which is the trace of S2 on
S1. Asymmetrical fold can also be seen with wavelengths, ranging from 5 cm to 16 cm long
and has both short and long limbs (see figure 29). The surface that was folded is a mineralogical
45
banding. The axial plane of the fold is also steeply dipping and they tend to be parallel to the
mineralogical banding.
The foliation is brought about by the folding deformation. The first fold produces a very
prominent axial plane foliation which is S2, which intersect the folded surface forming a line
forming intersection lineation. The folded surface is lithological banding which is older. The
second fold folded the intersection lineaton but does not produce any axial plane cleavage. The
first episode of deformation D1 folded both the lithological and mineralogical banding
producing and axial plain foliation which is S2, and since it is a folding deformation, it is F2.
The second episode of deformation D2 folded the lineation producing F3. F2 has a strike of
163 degrees dipping 71 degrees to the east F2 folds are upright symmetrical while F3 folds
are asymmetrical folds having a style varying from fold having a wavelength of 16 cm to those
having wavelength of 5cm Crenulation lineation is also present which is symmetrical. The
crenulations are parasitic folds related to larger fold seen on the outcrop. The small-scale-
parasitic fold are all parallel to one another so they are the same generation of fold. The style
of the fold also varies (consist of wavelength of varying sizes).
In the two distinct localities these rock type was mapped. The ones found at Ikao are strongly
foliated and have similar fabric with the country rock, while those mapped at Aiyetoro lacks
fabric and shows evidence of tiny-greenish bands that was formed as a result of the reaction
between the thicker calcite rich band and the thinner phyllitic bands. The Aiyetoro impure
marble is coarse-grained, and it typifies the Igarra calcsitic Marble (see figure 31).
A typical example of the Igarra dolomitic marble which is usually fine-grained, found by the
road side, along Sebe ogbe-Ekpeshi road, not too far from unity hotel. The dolomitic marble
have already been blasted probably for sale (see figure 32).
46
Figure 26 A field photograph showing the lithological banding of an impure marble marked
by the intercalation of phyllite inter-banded with some calcareous rock at Ikao area,
coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’.
47
Figure 27 A field photograph of a strongly foliated impure marble at Ikao area, coordinate:
N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’.
Figure 28 A field photograph of an open fold with plunge/azimuth of 20/24oN, strike/dip of

158°/88 on the foliation plane of an impure marble at Ikao area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’,
E 006° 1.755’.
48
Figure 29 A field photograph of an asymmetric fold on the axial plane of an impure marble
at Ikao area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’.
Figure 30 A field photograph of lamprophyre dyke cutting across an impure marble at Ikao
area, coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’.
49
Figure 31 A hand-sample photograph of a typical Igarra calcsitic marble found at a quarry
center, east of Ikao towards Aiyetoro area, coordinate: N 07° 11.438 ’, E 006° 3.163’.
Figure 32 A hand-sample photograph of a typical Igarra dolomitic marble found by the road
side, along Sebe ogbe-Ekpeshi road, not too far from unity hotel.
50
ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AND APPLICATION OF THE IGARRA MARBLE:
The industrial, domestic or private applications of marble are based either on its physical or
chemical properties or both as well as its purity. The purity of marble is measured by the
amount of lime (CaO), silica (SiO2), iron (Fe2O3), alumina (Al2O3) and the presence or absence
of impurities like manganese oxide (MnO).
The colour of marble and calc-gneiss varies from grey and dark to white when ground. The
grey and dark types contain > 4 wt% silica and < 48 wt% lime representing the calc-gneiss and
the high purity and white- coloured type contain < 3 wt% of silica and > 50 wt% lime
representing marble.
Finely ground white calcitic marble serves as a coating pigment. As paper filler, it imparts high
brightness to the sheets, opacity, surface smoothness and ink receptivity to printing. In plastic
making, marble filler provides necessary reinforcement for greater impact strength, rigidity,
stiffness, high brightness, dimensional stability and thermal conductivity. The grey and dark
coloured ground calc – gneiss is mostly employed in asbestos and in animal feed productions.
In the case of poultry grits, the calc-gneiss becomes a major source of raw material.
Marble for Tiles and Chips:

Marble from Igarra is extensively used for making tiles of assorted types in Lagos – Nigeria.
Marble tiles for flooring are commonly used in offices, homes, industries and corporate
institutions especially where aesthetic, luxurious and exquisitely unique value is appreciated.
Tiles made from marble are either glazed (polished) or unglazed. The polished types provide
glistering appearance and are highly priced while unpolised types lack exquisite finishing and
are relatively low cost. Their tensile and compressive strengths are high, an indication of their
absolute resilience and durability properties.
Use of Marble for Paint:

In paint making, certain physical and chemical specifications must be met. Essential physical
requirements include good white colours, small sized particles (98% passing through 325
mesh) and absence of hard particles. Standard chemical specifications provide that AL2O3 > 2
wt%, MgO + SiO2 > 75 w% and LOI must be within the range of 4 -8wt% (Robert 1979). The
marble from Igarra satisfies the physical specifications but show contrast in their chemical
requirements. The chemical difference in MgO + SiO2 and LOI over the required specification
implies that when used for paint manufacturing , the product will not only be susceptible to
quick fading on the wall but also lead to low quantity due to increased water content. The
marble is therefore not adequately suitable for paint making. However, paint manufacturers
always beat their market by individually setting their standards so long as their brands of paint
51
satisfy their quality, their customers and inconformity with their production formulations and
so long as their advertorial jingles impress the prospective buyers of their products.
Marble for Cement Manufacturing:
The basic raw materials for Portland cement (PC) making are lime (CaO), silica (SiO2),
alumina (AL2O3, magnesia (MgO) and trisulphide (SO3) derivable chemically from either
marble or limestone. The chemical components and standard proportions required for cement
production have been highlighted by Obasi and Isife, 2012. The data show that the values of
lime (53 wt%), silica (4.83 wt%) alumina (0.67 wt%), are below the required standard of 63
wt% for lime, 22 wt% for silica, 6.0wt% for alumina and a range of 66 to 102 of LSF
respectively for cement production (Rajput,2008).
Deficiency in the lime decreases the strength of the cement and gives a quick setting of the
cement. Excess of it makes the cement unsound and causes it to expand and disintegrate. A
right proportion of lime makes the cement sound and strong. SiO2 in excess of 22 wt% provides
greater strength to the cement but prolongs its setting time. SiO2 imparts strength to the cement
due to formation of dicalcium (2CaO.SiO2 and tricalcium (3CaO.SiO2) silicate.
Cement production requires lateritic iron oxide in amounts generally acceptable. The marble
at Igarra lacks these essential ingredients needed for cement making. The lime saturation factor
(LSF) must not be greater than 102% or less than 66 wt% (66-102 wt %) range in the production
of cement. The LSF for the Igarra marble 361.36%. This vlue is higher than the maximum
value of 102% and can cause the over burning of CaO (Labahn and Kaminsky, 1971 and
Rajput, 2008). Based on these analyses, the marble from Igarra becomes unsuitable for cement
production.
More Uses of Igarra Marble:
The Igarra marble is also used for outdoor sculpture and for sculpture bases. In the areas of
architecture it is used in exterior walls and veneers, staircases and walkways. Marble is
susceptible to weathering and may require some treatment to avoid deterioration when eternally
exposed. It can be applied in the making of electrical insulators, china wares, and in decorative
construction. Marble is equally used in such areas like kitchens, butchers tables and tombs
where the strength of the materials is properly assured. In the recent time, marble chips are
used in lawns and gardens.
52
4.1.1.6 PHYLLITE (THE PEBBLY-PELITIC-PHYLLITE AND THE ALUMINOUS-
PELITIC-PHYLLITE)
These rock unit was mapped along Aiyetoro-Sebe ogbe road north-east of Igwe and north-west
of Ekpeshi during the field exercise. The rock occur as series of hilly and low-lying outcrop.
These rock unit was first mapped along Aiyetoro-Sebe ogbe road about 1km north-east of Igwe.
These rock unit here shows some structural evidence (i.e. two different types of foliation
surfaces) on the outcrop shows that the rock most have been deformed and metamorphosed
more than once, also that these rock unit are been metamorphosed while that been deformed
and that they are product of contact metamorphism that were superimposed on series of rocks
that are regionally metamorphosed, forming a metamorphic aureoule of about 1km-2km long
towards the north-west of Ekpeshi. Not too far away from these rock series towards the south
is a big body of granite intrusion.
The contact metamorphism is associated with low pressure, and high temperature
metamorphism due to the presence of andelusite that are very conspicuous within the outcrop
surface, at about 300m away this previously mapped phyllite the first appearance of garnet was
observed before getting to Sebe-Ogbe, at Sebe-Ogbe not too far from unity hotel the first
appearance of saurolite was observed, then at the outskirt of Sebe-Ogbe before getting to
Ekpeshi the spotted phyllite was observed, and finally getting to Ekpeshi the coarse-grained
spotted schist was observed, in this area a contact is established between phyllite and schist.
The spots represents embryo for minerals that are still developing. The grade of metamorphism
varies from low grade metamorphism to medium grade metamorphism due to the presence of
andelusite and garnet respectively as the two end members.
The rock unit is generally grey, but colour may vary from brownish-grey to light-grey or dark-
grey, with an alternation of dark and light bands (mineralogical banding). The rock is fine to
medium grained with hornfelsic texture due to the contact of igneous body intrusion. The rock
displays a distinct silky sheen appearance, and the micas present influence this silky sheen. The
rock is strongly foliated, with the alternation of psammitic and pelitic bands; also, there is
preferred alignment of the micas and axial plane foliation or cleavage.
This rock unit is generally rich in minerals such as muscovite, biotite, amphiboles, pyroxene,
quartz, and feldspar. Metamorphic rock structure that are associated with this rock unit includes
the following: fault-breccia, crenulation of the s1 surface, boudinage lenses, kink fold, tension
gashes (En-enchelon), quartz-vein and even lamprophyre dyke intrusion in some locality (see
figure 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, & 39).
53
Figure 35 A field photograph of typical Igarra phyllite, along Aiyetoro-Sebe
Ogbe road north-east of Igwe showing presence of crenulation, coordinate: N
07° 11.679 ’, E 006° 5.235’.
Figure 33 A field photograph of typical Igarra Figure 34 A field photograph of typical Igarra
phyllite, along Aiyetoro-Sebe Ogbe road north-east phyllite, along Aiyetoro-Sebe Ogbe road north-east of
of Igwe showing presence of boudinage structure, Igwe showing presence of fault breccia, coordinate: N
coordinate: N 07° 11.679 ’, E 006° 5.235’. 07° 11.679 ’, E 006° 5.235’.
54
Figure 36 A field photograph of typical Igarra phyllite,
along Aiyetoro-Sebe Ogbe road north-east of Igwe
showing presence of kink fold structure, coordinate: N
07° 11.679’, E 006° 5.235’.
Figure 37 A field photograph of typical Igarra

phyllite, along Aiyetoro-Sebe Ogbe road north-east of
Igwe, showing evidence of two perpendicular surfaces,
coordinate: N 07° 11.679’, E 006° 5.235’.
55
north-east of Igwe showing presence of tension gashes (En-enchelon), coordinate: N 07°
11.404’, E 006° 5.550’.
cutting across the country rock (phyllite), coordinate: N 07° 11.404’, E 006° 5.550’.
56
4.1.1.7 SPOTTED SCHIST
These rock unit was encountered at the outskirt of Sebe-Ogbe very close to Ekpeshi. The
outcrop occurs as a low-lying isolated exposure which is about 8m wide. The fresh sample of
the rock type is light-yellowish grey and coarse-grained. The rock is strongly foliated, and
shows presence of spots of an average length of about 2cm and width of about 1cm on the
surface of the axial foliation plane (S2) that are randomly oriented (see figure 40).
The rock type is strongly foliated with preferred alignment of tabular minerals giving a
schistose foliation. The foliation is marked by mineralogical banding which is essentially made
up of biotite and muscovite, the thickness of the bands vary from about 1mm to 5mm
throughout the exposure. Generally, the mineral grains exhibit a bimodal distribution in which
there are larger grains (porphyroblasts) embedded within a fine matrix. The spots represents
embryo for developing or newly forming minerals. The porphyroblasts consist mainly of garnet
and staurolite which are idioblastic, the garnets are evenly distributed while the staurolites on
the other hand are randomly distributed in that some are parallel to the foliation plane and some
are oblique to it, those oblique to it was believed to have formed from a static metamorphism
that took place at the end of the second episode of deformation and metamorphism. The longest
axis of the staurolite is approximately 1.5cm long while the shortest axis is about 0.4cm long.
The matrix is essentially made up of biotite and quartz.
cutting across the country rock (phyllite), coordinate: N 07° 11.404’, E 006° 5.550’.
57
4.1.2 GRANITE SUITE:
During the field exercise two different types of granitic rocks were seen from separate localities
(1) the hornblende-granite (2) porphyritic older granite, the type of granitic rock might be
slightly different compositionally, but texturally they are different. The older granite is older
than that of the hornblende-granite in terms of age. The two different types of granite that was
encountered during the field exercise are further explained below.
4.1.2.1 PORPHYRITIC OLDER GRANITE (VERY COARSE-GRAINED)

These rock unit are generally hilly and boudery in nature with the Igarra schist belt i.e. series
of boulders lying on top of one another. Odeyemi, 1988; described the nature of occurrence for
these rock unit as large plutonic or batholithic bodies which exhibit discordant, semi-
concordant and concordant contacts with enveloping rocks. The older granite in Nigeria is
dated to be of the Pan-African age (650±150 m.y), i.e. they are series of granite which were
emplaced during the Pan-African orogeny. The term older granite was coined by Falconer
(1911) to differentiate the older granite from the younger granite which are of the Jurassic age.
It is suggested by some metasomatists that this older granite might have originated from potash
metasomatism of the regional gneisses, or it could even have been as a result of cauldron
subsidence (cauldron i.e. a large hotspot).
The somolika older granite that were visited during the field exercise are about two hundred
meters high and surrounded by lowlands with enclaves and enclosures as the base the hill. The
somolika older granite has light grey with little pinkish colouration which indicates the
abundance of mineral called orthoclase (i.e. potassium feldspar). The orthoclase are large in
size, they serve as the phenocryst and they are surrounded by disoriented groundmass or matrix.
Both the phenocryst and the groundmass crystals are equant in shape, therefore the rock has
porphyritic texture. The phenocryst ranges from 0.5cm to 8cm in length. The mineralogy of
the outcrop includes quartz, feldspar, biotite, muscovite, hornblende and other dark coloured
minerals.
Lithologically the somolika porphyritic older granite is also composed of both xenoliths and
enclosures of the country rocks. The xenoliths are usually dark grey in colour, sub-angular in
shape, and are randomly oriented within the rock, they vary in sizes from about 1cm to 8cm.
The enclosures of the country rocks (flaggy-quarts-biotite-schists, quartzites, calc-silicate
rocks, and lamprophyres), which varies are tabular in shape, and vary in sizes from about 0.5m2
to 400m2. The large enclosures shows identical structural and lithological characteristics with
the surrounding metasediments. Odeyemi, 1988 described; that the long axis of the enclosures
58
tallies with the regional NNW/SSE trend, parallel to the long axis of the pluton, just like the
metasediments trend in Igarra district.
The structural characteristics of the somolika porphyritic older granite slightly varies from the
base of the hills to the peak of the hills. At the base area of the hill which was visited during
the field exercise the rock show little of no evidence of deformation due to complete absence
of foliation i.e. lack of fabric, meanwhile at the peak area of the hill the rock shows evidence
of deformation due to the elongation of the usually randomly-orientated equant crystals of the
rock, whereby the rock is now weak foliated due to the mineral crystals which are now tabular
in shape and aligned in a preferred direction (see figure 41). Another structural characteristics
of the somolika porphyritic older granite is the appearance of the carl-berg twinning within the
feldspar, which was seen at the lowland area of the hills very close to the main gate of the
somolika village.
Figure 41 A field photograph of the somolika porphyritic older granite, showing the alignment of the
mineral crystals in a preferred direction, hence giving the rock a weak foliation fabric, coordinate: N
07° 19.158’, E 006° 8.001’.
4.1.2.2 HORNBLENDE-GRANITE (COARSE-GRAINED)

A typical example of these rock unit was seen along Auchi-Okene road, very close to a river
channel (River Ogiio). They occur as a big bouldery bodies at the north-eastward part of Auchi,
coordinate: N 07° 10.024’, E 006° 19.760’. These rock unit generally lakes fabric (see figure
42). It has a light-greenish colouration, and also a granular texture. The grain size of the
randomly oriented crystals are very coarse. Mineralogically the rock is composed of the
following from close observation a fresh hand specimen: K-feldspar (microcline), greenish
feldspar (K[Al3+Fe2+] Si2O8), Amphibole, biotite and Quartz. Based on composition the can be
59
named as hornblende-granite, or on the other hand as coarse-grained-granite based on its
texture. These rock unit may also show evidence of contact deformation, which is responsible
for the slightly alignment of the Amphibole and some other mineral crystals within the rock.
Figure 42 A field photograph of a hand specimen of a typical hornblende-granite seen along

Auchi-Okene road, very close to a river channel (River Ogiio), at the north-eastward part of
Auchi, coordinate: N 07° 10.024’, E 006° 19.760’.
4.1.3 MINOR INTRUSIVE ROCKS:

4.1.3.1 SYENITE DYKE
60
4.1.3.2 LAMPROPHYRE
The rock type generally occurs as a small discordant bodies cutting across the metasediments
namely: marble, phyllite and metaconglomerate in the study area. Mineralogically, the
lamprophyre consists of biotite and amphibole phenocrysts in a matrix with little or no feldspar.
Thus, they are often distinguished from porphyries in which feldspar crystallizes in two
generations. The phenocrysts vary in length from about 0.2cm to 0.8cm in one outcrop to as
large as 2.5cm in another outcrop.
A petrological analysis of lamprophyre on microscope shows that it consists of additional

minerals such as ilmenite, garnet, titanite, allanite, sulphides, carbonates, zircon, thorite,
monazite and other minor phases (Gehan, 2010). They are dark in colour due to the abundance
of the ferromagnesian silicates of high specific gravity and its thicknesses ranges from 8cm to
about 35cm throughout the study area.
Along Ibillo-Igarra road the lamprophyre cut across the metaconglomerate and the fabric
produced on the lamprophyre is parallel to the metaconglomerate foliation. It is believed that
the stress regime that produces the metaconglomerate foliation was still active when the
lamprophyre cut across it and thereby producing the fabric on the lamprophyre.
Another location where the lamprophyre was seen is where it cuts across impure marble in Ikao
area (see figure 30), coordinate: N 07° 12.311 ’, E 006° 1.755’.
The phyllite found not too far from unity hotel, north-west of Ekpeshi,, along Igarra-Auchi
road, shows evidence of lamprophyre dyke cutting perpendicular to the foliation cleavage of
the rock (see figure 39).
At somolika the lamprophyre occur as enclosures within the older granite alongside with some
metasediments like; metaconglomerate, flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist, and calc-silicates, all
following the same flow pattern and direction of trend just like the metasediments at Igarra.
61
CHAPTER FIVE: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES:
5.0 Introduction
A study of the structural features of the rocks shows both small scale as well as large scale
structures.
Generally, rocks of Igarra and its environment have varieties of structural profile with the
igneous rocks hosting the least of the structures when compared to metamorphic rock. The
metamorphic rocks have undergone a polyphase deformation to various degrees and this is
shown by deformation features such as foliations, folds and fractures
5.1 RELICT SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURE

These are sedimentary structures that are preserved in an already metamorphosed rock. During
the field exercise two types of relict sedimentary structure were seen, these include: (1) the
preservation of the pro-grading of clast within the metaconglomerate along Ibillo-Auchi road
(see figure 13), (2) the preservation of the relict-beds within the flaggy-quartz biotite schist at
Ojirami district (see figure 17).
5.2 FOLIATION
Most of the rocks mapped in the study area display foliation plane. In calc-silicate rock has a
mineralogical banding, a conspicuous surface is marked by parallel layer consisting of greenish
band alternating with brown bands. Also, the flaggy quartz biotite- schist seen at Ojirami shows
an evidence of preservation of the primary sedimentary structure i.e. relict beds (see figure 13)
to form a surface called S0 (i.e. the relict beds of different lithological banding) which is parallel
to the S1-surface (millimetric or mineralogical banding) to produce S0 /S1-surface (i.e.
lithological bedding/mineralogical banding) in form of an upright fold (see figure 13). In
metaconglomerate the foliation is marked by the intercalation bands between the light greenish
bands of calc-silicate rock and the dark bands of phyllite (lithological banding). The phyllite
unit along Aiyetoro-Sebe ogbe road north-east of Igwe show evidence of mineralogical
banding marked by alternation of psammitic and pelitic bands; also, there is preferred
alignment of the micas and axial plane foliation or cleavage. In schist, the foliation is a well-
developed schistosity defined by parallel alignment of mica and amphibole.
5.3 FOLDS:
Different folds which differ in both orientations and styles were observed on the rocks from
one locality to another throughout the mapping exercise and these include recumbent folds,
crenulation folds, asymmetrical folds, symmetrical folds, plunging folds and isoclinal folds.
62
5.3.1 RECUMBENT FOLD
These are folds that have their axial plane being nearly horizontal or horizontal and some of
these folds are products of highly ductile deformation which would have formed at deeper level
of the crust. The wavelength of the recumbent fold varies from one outcrop to another, at
Aiyetoro it was about 5cm and at Gbagere, it was about 0.7m (see figure 43). Field studies of
this fold revealed that it has been displaced from its original position by earth movements.
5.3.2 CRENULATION
This folded structure is very prominent on flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist at Ojirami district,
coordinate: N 07° 18.810’, E 006° 10.880’ (see figure 14 & 15). They are likely to be formed
as a result of two or more stress directions resulting in superimposed foliation.
5.3.3 ASYMMETRIC FOLD

This fold was observed on an impure marble at Ikao. The fold contains a folded quartzo-
feldspathic material embedded in it and forming a lineation of quartz minerals. Asymmetric
folds are of unequal limbs and the axial planes are not equidistant from the limbs (see figure
29).
5.3.4 KINK FOLD

Kink fold occurred within the phyllite around the north-east of Ikao. The fold is about half a
meter wide (see figure 36).
5.4 LINEATION:
Lineation is a set of linear surface produced in rocks as result of deformation. It is a non-
dimensional feature and it was mainly found in on the metasediments. Both intersection
lineation and crenulation lineation were seen during the field mapping exercise.
At Ojirami district, intersection lineation was seen occurring on a flaggy quartz biotite-schist,
whereby two surface-planes intersects each other to form a lineation surfaces. In north east of
Igarra intersection lineation were seen within the metaconglomerate. At Ikao, both intersection
lineation and crenulation lineation occurred within the calc-gniess or impure marble.
5.5 BOUDINAGE LENSES

Boudinage are structures arising from tensional forces developed by the stretching of the
component bed along bedding planes, giving rise to pull-apart structures, tension crack or
necks, which became filled with incompetent material from either side. This was seen within a
metaconglomerate in the northern part of Igarra on metaconglomerate outcrop (see figure 22).
They are formed as a result of tensional forces developed by stretching the bed along bedding
63
planes. Hence giving rise to a sausage-like shape where by the cracks in it are filled with
incompetent materials.
5.6 FAULT BRECCIA

The rock type occurs as a lowlying exposure with an average width of about 10m. This rock is
marked by foliation that has been faulted. Fresh sample consists of coarse fragments embedded
within a fine matrix, composed mainly of quartz, muscovite and quartz in some locality. While
in some places along Igarra-Auchi road where the syenite dyke occurred, the fault-breccia are
non-foliated and composed if xenolite, quartz, and fragmants of other metasediments (see
figure 19). Fault breccias are often indicative of fault zones around the areas they are
encountered during mapping exercise.
Other structures that were seen during the mapping exercise include solution holes which are
circular, spherical or elongated holes that are mostly present on the phyllite. Quartz veins are
also common in virtually all the metasediments.
5.7 JOINTS, FAULTS (DIP-SLIP, STRIKE-SLIP), AND FRACTURES

Joints and fractures are both structural discontinuities which divide a rock between the sides of
which there is no observable movement parallel to the surface or joint planes.
Joints were seen on many outcrops and they are formed due to the brittle nature of the rock
when subjected to one deformation or the other. Some joints were also seen which are as a
result of human activity such as blasting and quarrying of rocks. Joints, faults and fractures
occur mostly in quartzite, metaconglomerate, and flaggy-quartz-biotite-schists.
For example is the flaggy-quartz-biotite-schist outcrop that was seen at Ojirami district. It
shows a displaced joint in the rock, the faults have both hanging wall and footwall. Based on
the relationships among the different structures seen on different outcrop, it was assumed that
the fault happened at the 5th episode of deformation but it does not have surface. They occurred
as a result of plastic deformation in low temperature metamorphism. While the fracture
occurred as a result of ductile deformation at the later phase long after faulting, where
temperature is extremely low.
5.8 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION

Generally rocks of Igarra and environment have undergone at least 4 episodes of deformation
that are recognizable with resulting structures.
64
The first deformation D1 deforms the initial sedimentary beds ( S0) and produces an (S1) surface
which is marked by mineralogical banding and accompanied by the first fold (F1) (isoclinal
fold).
The second episode of deformation (D2) deforms the initial (S1) surface and produce (S2)
surface which is marked by axial plane lineation and accompanied by the second fold (F2)
which have its axial plane parallel to the foliation.
The third episode of deformation (D3) is a shear deformation which deforms the (S2) surface
and produces a (S3) surface which is marked by crenulation cleavage.
The late episode of deformation is a brittle deformation which is marked by faults and joints in
the rocks mapped.
65
CHAPTER SIX: METAMORPHISM
6.0 Introduction
Metamorphism is the mineralogical and structural adjustment of solid rocks to physical and
chemical conditions that have been imposed at depth below the near surface zones of
weathering and diagenesis and which differ from condition under which the rock formed.
Odeyemi (1988) suggested that the metamorphism in the study area did not exceed the green
schist facies. The metamorphism in the study area has been explained using field observations,
petrological information and other available data.
One could deduce from the texture and mineralogy of the metamorphic rocks of these areas
that the rocks have been affected by two types of metamorphism which are: (1) Regional
metamorphism (2) Contact metamorphism.
The first episode of Metamorphism (M1) is a regional metamorphism which is associated with
the first episode of deformation (D1) resulted in the transformation of the relict sedimentary
bedding (S0) and as well as the re-crystallization and parallel alignment of mica grains to form
mineralogical banding (S1) and the first folding activity (F1).
The second metamorphic episode (M2) is a contact metamorphic episode which was
accompanied by (D1) deformation affected the earlier fabric formed by (M1) and this resulted
in the formation of axial plane cleavage (S2) and the second folding activity (F2).
6.1 REGIONAL METAMORPHISM

The first episode of Metamorphism (𝑀1 ) is a regional metamorphism which is associated with
the first episode of deformation (𝐷1 ) resulted in the transformation of the relict sedimentary
bedding (𝑆0 ) and as well as the re-crystallization and parallel alignment of mica grains to form
mineralogical banding (𝑆1) and the first folding activity (𝐹1 ).
The second metamorphic episode (𝑀2 ) is a contact metamorphic episode which was
accompanied by (𝐷1 ) deformation affected the earlier fabric formed by (𝑀1 ) and this resulted
in the formation of axial plane cleavage (𝑆2 ) and the second folding activity (𝐹2 ).
66
6.2 CONTACT METAMORPHISM
The contact metamorphism is associated with low pressure, and high temperature
metamorphism due to the presence of andelusite that are very conspicuous within the outcrop
surface, at about 300m away this previously mapped phyllite the first appearance of garnet was
observed before getting to Sebe-Ogbe, at Sebe-Ogbe not too far from unity hotel the first
appearance of saurolite was observed, then at the outskirt of Sebe-Ogbe before getting to
Ekpeshi the spotted phyllite was observed, and finally getting to Ekpeshi the coarse-grained
spotted schist was observed, in this area a contact is established between phyllite and schist.
The spots represents embryo for minerals that are still developing. The grade of metamorphism
varies from low grade metamorphism to medium grade metamorphism due to the presence of
andelusite and garnet respectively as the two end members.
The grade of metamorphism of a rock indicates the severity of the metamorphic conditions the
rock experienced. Because some minerals remain stable only within a narrow range of
temperatures and pressures, they serve as indicators of specific metamorphic environments.
These minerals are called metamorphic index minerals. In regions of contact metamorphism,
the highest grade metamorphic rocks are those closest to igneous intrusion and they contain
index minerals associated with high temperatures. Lower grade metamorphic rocks are found
at progressively greater distances from the intrusion and they contain index minerals reflecting
low temperatures.
67
REFERENCES
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geochemical data from Orle district, southwestern Nigeria. Global Journal of Geological
Science, vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 63 - 74.
2. Falconer JD (1911). The geology and geography of Northern Nigeria. Macmillan, London,
135pp
3. Furon R. (1960) Geologie de l’Afrique. Payot, Paris, 400 pp
4. Oyawoye MO (1972). The basement complex of Nigeria. In: Dessauvagie TFJ, Whiteman
AJ (eds) African geology. Ibadan University Press, pp 66–102
5. Obaje NG (2006) Geology and Mineral Resources of Nigeria by Nasarawa State
University: Dept. Geology & Mining Keffi (A publication of the Nasarawa State
University) Pp 1–218
6. Ocan, C.O. Coker, S. L. and Egbuniwe, I. G. 2003. The Geology of Igarra-Auchi area,
Excursion guide at the annual conference of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society
(NMGS), Itakpe, 2003 52p
7. Odeyemi, I. B. 1976. Preliminary report on the field relationships of Basement complex
rocks around Igarra, M i d - We s t e r n State, Nigeria: In Kogbe, C. A. (ed.), Geology of
Nigeria. University of Ife, Nigeria.
8. Odeyemi, I. B. 1988. Lithostratigraphy and structural relationships of the Upper
Precambrian Metasediments in Igarra area, southwestern Nigeria. In: Oluyide, P. O., W. C.
Mbonu, A. E. Ogezi, I. G. Egbuniwe, A. C. Ajibade, and A. C. Umeji. (editors),
Precambrian geology of Nigeria. Publ. GSN. pp 111 125.
9. Oyawoye (1976): the basement Geology of Nigeria in African Geology; Ibadan 1970
edition. Dessauve and Whiteman. Geology Department University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
10. Oyawoye MO (1972) The basement complex of Nigeria. In: Dessauvagie TFJ, Whiteman
AJ (eds) African geology. Ibadan University Press, pp 66–102
11. Rahaman MA (1976) Review of the basement geology of South-Western Nigeria. In:
Kogbe CA (ed) Geology of Nigeria, 2nd edn, Elizabethan Publishers, Lagos, pp 41–58
12. Rahaman MA, Ocan O (1978) On relationships in the Precambrian Migmatite-gneisses of
Nigeria. Niger J Min Geol 15:23–32
13. Woakes, M. Rahaman, M. A. and Ajibade, A. C., 1987. Some metallogenic features of the
Nigeria basement. Journal of African Earth Sciences, 6(5): 655 -664.
14. Hawkes, H. E. and Webb, J. S. 1962. Geochemistry in mineral exploration: Harper and
Row, New York, and John Weatherhill, Inc., Tokyo, 415p.
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15. Labahn, O and Kaminsky, W .A. 1971. Cement Engineer Handbook. Bauverlag GMBH,
Wiesbaden, Berlin. 620p.
16. Rajput, R. K.2008. Engineering materials S.Chand 3rd edition, New Delhi. P. 89-94.
17. Robert, S. B 1979. Chemistry and technology of lime and limestone. A W iley-Inters cience
Publication. 2nd Edition, p. 95-158
18. Oloto, I.N and Anyanwu, D.E. 2013. Petrology of Ibilo- Mangongo area of Igarra, Edo
state, Nigeria.
19. R.D. Hockey, B.Sc; R. Sacchi, Laur. Sci.; W.P.F.H. de Graaff, M.Sc.; and E.O.G. Muotoh,
B.Sc.,M,N.M.G.S.: The Geology of Lokoja-Auchi Area (1986).
20. Odeyemi, I.B and Rahamam, M.A. (1992) The petrology of a composite syenite dyke in
Igarra Southwestern Nigeria in Journal of Mining and geology Vol. 28 p 255 – 263.
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African Province of West Africa.
69
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A FIELD REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING EXERCISE AT IGARRA AND

Research Proposal · October 2018

Ayomide Obidya McXherm

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

SAMUEL AYOMIDE OBIDIYA

THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, COLLEGE OF

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

22nd OF APRIL, 2019.

1.1 LOCATION, ACCESSIBILITY AND, GEOLOGY OF THE STUDY AREA

 Compass/Clinometer: the compass-clinometer was used for taking measurements of

1.4 PREVIOUS WORKS

A later attempt on the classification was done by following:

ii. Slightly migmatized to non-migmatized metasedimentary and metaigneous rocks

iv. Metamorphosed to unmetamorphosed. calc-alkaline Volcanic and Hyperbasal rocks

v. Unmetamorphosed dolerite dykes, syenite dykes:

 Hockey et al., (1986):

2.2 DRAINAGE PATTERN

3.0.1 THE MARGIN SAG BASINS:

3.1 THE SEDIMENTARY SECTION OF THE STUDY AREA:

3.2.1 THE BASEMENT COMPLEX:

(i) Migmatites, biotite and biotite-hornblende gneisses;

3.2.3 THE MAMU FORMATION

3.2.4 THE AJALI FORMATION

SEDIMENTAY SEQUENCE AGE

Ajali formation Campanian age-maastrictian age

Mamu formation Early maastrictian age

Lokoja-bassange formation Campanian age

Basement rock > Pan-African age

(i) Migmatites, biotite and biotite-hornblende gneisses;

S/N X(cm) Z (cm) Y (cm) Z (cm)

Figure 28 A field photograph of an open fold with plunge/azimuth of 20/24oN, strike/dip of

Marble for Tiles and Chips:

Use of Marble for Paint:

Figure 37 A field photograph of typical Igarra

4.1.2.1 PORPHYRITIC OLDER GRANITE (VERY COARSE-GRAINED)

4.1.2.2 HORNBLENDE-GRANITE (COARSE-GRAINED)

Figure 42 A field photograph of a hand specimen of a typical hornblende-granite seen along

4.1.3 MINOR INTRUSIVE ROCKS:

A petrological analysis of lamprophyre on microscope shows that it consists of additional

5.1 RELICT SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURE

5.3.3 ASYMMETRIC FOLD

5.3.4 KINK FOLD

5.5 BOUDINAGE LENSES

5.6 FAULT BRECCIA

5.7 JOINTS, FAULTS (DIP-SLIP, STRIKE-SLIP), AND FRACTURES

5.8 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION

6.1 REGIONAL METAMORPHISM

1. Adepoju, M. O. and Adekoya, J. A. 2008. Statistical analysis of reconnaissance

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