Oden M.I.1* and Igonor E.E.2
1 Department of Geology, University of Calabar, P.M.B.1115 Calabar, Nigeria
2 Petra Prospectors Limited, Nigeria
Abstract Minerals in general and rare-metals in particular are of invaluable importance in the development and industrialization of any nation. This is true as they could affect a nation’s national income, employment ratio, Gross National Product, and its entire economy. The study area (western Oban Massif-SE Nigeria) was investigated for its specialty metals bearing potentials because of (1) its geology, which is similar to other specialty metals bearing areas of the world; (2) past works, which points to the area as a likely source of economic deposit of such metals; and (3) the soaring cost of these rare metals in the light of recent upsurge in global information/telecommunication technology. Results from the study, show that only cesium (Cs) and beryllium (Be) show minute signs or indications of enrichment if properly harnessed. Thus these metals should be studied in details to ascertain their economic potentials. The rocks are too deficient in the other rare-metals (lithium, zirconium, strontium, tantalite, niobium, tungsten, gallium, and chromium) to warrant further analysis.
Key words specialty metals; Oban Massif; geochemistry; pegmatite; mining
* Corresponding author, E-mail:odenmi@yahoo.com
CHINESE JOURNAL OF GEOCHEMISTRY Vol. 31, No. 4, 2012, page 355-361
© Science Press and Institute of Geochemistry, CAS and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012
