Report: 2021 Bauxite Exploration in Orin-Ekiti and Mambilla
Activities of the National Steel Raw Materials Exploration in bauxite exploration continued earnestly in 2021 on two major resource locations, Orin-Ekiti, Ido-Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The bauxite in this area was observed to occur below a thick lateritic cover ranging from 1m to 4m. The chemical analysis shows 32.57% - 53.11% Al2O3, 30.81% - 44.20%SiO2 and12.72% - 30.93%Fe2O3, while the mineralogical analysis showed gibbsite as the major mineral phase with LOI above 20.
Figure 1: Topographic Map of Block 4, 5 and 7 Showing Pits Location
XRD Result Showing Major Mineral Phase
Typical Pit Excavated at Block 6 of Orin-Ekiti Bauxite Project
Works carried out in 2021 included detailed geological mapping of Blocks 4, 6 and 7 on Scale 1:5000 involving excavation of 205 pits (ranging from 3m – 7m) and 27 trenches (1m x 50m) with 199 samples collected and subjected to geochemical and mineralogical analysis.
At Mambilla, the Block 7 Bauxite occurrences were divided into three sections; 7A, 7B and 7C to ease mapping activities. Works on Block 7A and 7C have been completed comprising topographic profiling on scale 1:5000; ground geophysical Survey including resistivity profiling and imaging; and detailed geological mapping on scale 1:5000. A total of 145 pits (100mx100m) and 20 trenches (20mx1mx1m) were excavated with 362 samples collected for geochemical and mineralogical analysis.
Figure 2: Topographic Map of Mambila bauxite Deposit, Block 7C Showing Pit Locations