A Preliminary Survey of the Lithochemistry of Tantalite Mineral from Granitic Pegmatite Deposits in the Okpella Area, Northern Edo State, Nigeria
Article | Published Aug, 2024Abstract
This study investigates the lithochemistry of tantalite mineral from granitic pegmatite deposits in the Okpella area, Northern Edo State, Nigeria. Tantalite, a valuable mineral containing tantalum and niobium, was identified within these pegmatites. It has been assessed through a comprehensive evaluation of the mineral, including determination of its composition, physical characteristics and anionic behaviour employing standard analytical techniques. The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis revealed a significant presence of tantalum oxide, Ta2O5 (41.72%) and other useful oxides of niobium, Nb2O5 (11.98%), titanium, TiO2 (10.02%), iron, Fe2O3 (17.94%), magnesium, MgO (6.00%), silicon, (4.66%), manganese, MnO2 (2.75%), and aluminium, Al2O3, (1.52%) with impurity elements such as calcium, potassium, chromium, sodium, phosphorus, tin, tungsten and thorium also observed and evaluated in the ore. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows the compositions of the minerals ore with tantalite having 49.69%, while associated minerals like quartz (10.28%), ilmenite (16.23%), tantalite/quartz (11.73%) and the least pyrite (4.35%) in their concentrated form. Physical properties investigated showed high resistance on ignition (LOI 2.39%) and low alkalinity (6.48), grey colour, specific gravity range “7.2 – 8.0”and particle size range of “0.063 – 0.150” mm. The X-ray diffractometry spectrum also confirmed the ore to exist in a single phase with tantalite characteristics peaks at “2.56 AO, 2.39 AO, 1.76 AO, 1.50 AO and 1.43 AO”.
