JORMAR 4(1&2) 2007, 71- 78 ISSN: 1597-3204

Chemical composition and industrial

characterization of the Dutsen Bundot
feldspars, Dass, Bauchi State, Nigeria
U.A. Danbatta
Department of Geology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria

ABSTRACT
The Dutsen Bundot is a north-south trending hill located in the Bundot area of Dass town,
Bauchi State. It is underlain by diorites, syenite, biotite granite, and pegmatite dykes and veins
composed of feldspar and quartz. Most of the pegmatitic intrusions occur within the diorites,
and they were surveyed and sampled for mineralogical and chemical analyses in order to
establish their suitability for use as an industrial mineral. The feldspar is mainly a perthitic
microcline crystal with characteristic crosshatch twinning, while orthoclase occurs only as an
accessory. The feldspars are potash rich with an average of 13.66% K 2O, and an interpretative
normative composition of microcline (average 75%). These properties met the standard
requirements of commercial K-feldspar in current use. The Dass feldspar deposit is therefore
recommended for industrial application as a raw material in the glass, ceramic, paper and
plastic industries.

Keywords: Pegmatite, feldspar, potash,

Potash feldspar is extensively utilized as

INTRODUCTION mineral filler in the glass, ceramic, paper and
The Dutsen Bundot area is located between plastic industries, when it is added in its raw
Latitudes 9o 55’ N and 10o 00’ N, and form to compounds to promote fusion during
Longitudes 9o 30’ E and 9o 35’ E (Fig. 1), and firing. Its importance in these industries is in
lies on Sheet 149 (Bauchi SW) within Dass order to impact strength, toughness (fire
Local Government Area of Bauchi State. The resistance) and durability to finished products,
study area falls within the central sector of the and increase their brittleness, softening points,
Northeastern Nigerian Pan-African mobile belt surface smoothness, electrical conductivity and
that lies between the West African and Congo several other physical characteristics. In the
cratons. The area around Dass is underlain by glass industry, the K-feldspar is also used as a
migmatitic gneiss, diorites, syenite, porphyritic partial replacement for soda ash, while in the
biotite granite and pegmatite veins and dykes ceramic industry it is use as a glazing material
which are members of the Older Granite series and in the manufacturing of pottery, plumbing,
[1, 2, 3, 4]. fixtures, electrical porcelain, ceramic tile (wall,
roof and floor tiles), as well as dinner wares.
There are numerous reports that revealed that Feldspars can also be used as semi-precious
Nigeria is blessed with large pegmatitic stones, as well as construction materials like in
deposits of feldspar [5, 6, 7, 8, 9]. However the asphalt roofing industry where they are used to
local glass and ceramic industries have coat the asphalt so as to protect it from solar
continued to import feldspar, because limited radiation.
research has been carried out on the local
feldspar deposits to investigate their purity and Nigeria has a considerable potential for
suitability. It is not economical that Nigeria feldspar resources and the major restriction on
should import high-bulk materials like its industrial utilization lies in its chemical
feldspar, as they are available in the country. composition. In the present study, the
mineralogical and chemical investigations of
the Dass feldspars were undertaken to
ascertain their chemical composition and
economic potential as industrial minerals. MATERIALS AND METHOD
Thirty (30) representative samples of the fresh
GEOLOGICAL SETTING feldspar weighing 2-5 kg were collected for
The Older Granites in the Dutsen Bundot hill laboratory investigations from different
area, in the plains to the north of the hill, was pegmatite veins rich in feldspars. Thin section
invaded by a feldspar-rich pegmatitic dyke preparation and whole rock samples
swarm. Field relationship has revealed rocks of preparation were carried out in the
the Older Granite series in the area to include Geochemical laboratories of the Department of
diorite, syenite and porphyritic biotite granite Geology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. The
(Fig. 1). The diorite is the most abundant samples for geochemical analysis were initially
member of the Older Granite suite in the area split into smaller fragments and then crushed
and the earliest to be intruded into migmatitic and reduced to powder in a grinder for about 20
gneiss, followed by the syenite (mapped for the minutes. Twenty (20) samples were chemically
first time), and which in turn is intruded by the analysed using Atomic Absorption
porphyritic biotite granite. To the west, the Spectroscopy (AAS) equipment at the Institute
diorite outcropped as a long NNE-striking of Agricultural Research (IAR), Zaria.
ridge that reached the central parts of the study
area. Gneiss dominates the eastern portion, RESULTS
while the remaining western part of the study
area is occupied by biotite granite. To the west, Petrography
the diorite outcropped as a long NNE-striking Mineralogically, the pegmatite veins and dykes
ridge that reached the central parts of the study consist of quartz and potash feldspar and
area. The syenite dominates the eastern and the constitute the feldspar deposits in the study
remaining western part of the study area. area. The grain sizes of the feldspar crystals
vary from 5 to 20 cm, and their average specific
Pegmatite dykes occur in four main localities gravity is 2.6. The estimated modal proportions
randomly distributed in several outcrops, of the pegmatites revealed pink coloured
mainly striking NW-SE, with a few striking N- feldspars dominates with about 85%, cream
S and E-W. Dips of the veins are generally coloured quartz (about 11%), biotite (2%) and
variable but range from 32oE to 68oE. The about 2% opaques.
pegmatites consist of pink potash feldspar and
quartz and zoning of grain sizes was noticed in Thin section studies have revealed the
some places. Most of the pegmatite dykes and feldspars forming great subhedral K-feldspar
veins have been intensely fractured and phenocrysts with accessory enclosures of
weathered, and are now occurring as plagioclase (albite), biotite and quartz. They
fragmented boulders and cobbles. The length are twinned according to Carlsbad law, and are
of the veins ranges from 1.5 – 270 m, while usually perthitic with characteristic microcline
their thickness ranges from 0.2 – 2.5m. The cross-hatching (Fig. 2). The perthitic K-
largest pegmatite body measures 260m long by feldspars consist of 70-86 vol. % of microcline,
2.5 m wide, with a surface area of 650 m2, and and 14-30 vol. % of orthoclase. The perthitic
within it, a giant single feldspar crystal was microcline form colourless poikilitic
documented measuring about 10m long and 2m phenocrysts with characteristic crosshatch
wide. twinning, while the orthoclase occurs as very
large turbid crystals with excellent cleavage
faces (Fig. 3). Both the microcline and

JOURNAL OF RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH 2

orthoclase were also observed occurring as [11] feldspars improves workability and retards
groundmass in most slides. devitrification in glass batches

Geochemistry The petrographic and chemical analyses

Table I shows result of the chemical analyses undertaken in the present work have
and normative composition of the characterised the Dass feldspars in more detail.
representative feldspar samples, respectively. These revealed that they are potash rich
The chemical analysis revealed that the varieties that mainly consist of microcline and
average silica content of 64.49% was relatively orthoclase. The Dass feldspars were found to
higher than that of alumina, which was consist of an average of 1.85% Na2O and
18.60%. The ratio of alumina to silica was high 13.66% K2O. These values were in agreement
(1:3.5), indicating that the quantity of free with the ones obtained by [4] who evaluated the
quartz is negligible in the feldspar. The iron, potassium rich nature of some of the Dass
magnesia and lime contents were low, with feldspar by using the flame photometery
average values of 0.03, 0.01, 0.12%, method, where he found an average
respectively. composition of 2.8% and 11% for the Na2O and
K2O contents of the feldspar. Through this
The average contents of Na2O and K2O were way, the total surface area covered by all the
1.85% and 13.66%, while the remaining 0.06% pegmatites in the study area was estimated as
was regarded as impurities and included TiO2, 1350 m2. The average percentage feldspar per
MnO and P2O5. The feldspars contained volume of each of the pegmatites was found to
normative orthoclase 73.00-86.46% (average be 85%. Thus the feldspar occupies an area of
75%), albite 9.96-23.00%, anorthite 0.22- over 1147.5 m2 within the Dass pegmatites.
0.34%, quartz 0.07–3.888%, and others 0.13- To evaluate and establish the total reserve of
3.41%, in their norm calculations (Table 1). feldspar in the Dass area as a whole, the total
However, as orthoclase occurs as accessory, estimated tonnage of feldspar per vertical
then it is interpretative to regard the average of metre in all the pegmatites was then deduced
75% of normative orthoclase as microcline. by multiplying the area covered by the feldspar
Therefore, microcline is the more abundant of by the specific gravity of feldspar (2.6). This
the K-feldspars. was used to determine the total estimated
tonnage of feldspar per vertical metre in all the
DISCUSSION pegmatites which is approximately 2984
Techno-Economic Evaluation tonnes per vertical metre, which is slightly
Commercial deposits of feldspar in Nigeria are above the 2835 per vertical metre earlier
mainly associated with pegmatites. The deduced by [4]. Multiplying this with an
ultimate value of any industrial mineral lies in estimated depth of 3.5 m for all the pegmatites
its possible economic utilisation. For use as an in the study area will give an estimate of the
industrial mineral, the feldspar must meet reserve of K-feldspar in all the pegmatite veins
certain minimum requirements in terms of in the study area as 9,925 metric tones per cubic
sodium and potassium content. Commercial metre (t/m3).
feldspars are classified by [10] as those having
at least 1.7% Na2O (or higher), and 10% K2O The Dass feldspar would appear to be a major
(or higher). Feldspar is a good refractory deposit due to its large quantity and as such has
material if its chemical composition falls high economic potential as an industrial
within the range outlined by [10]. According to mineral. They are not being exploited, but
could be mined using artisanal surface mining

JOURNAL OF RAW MATERIALS RESEARCH 3

techniques and simple technologies such as magmatic hydrothermal fluids under mainly
selective quarrying, since they occur on the high-pressure environment. Based on the mean
surface and at shallow depths. This can utilise percentage of the K-feldspar composition, the
the availability of cheap labour in the area. feldspar can be used as an important industrial
raw material input for the production of glass,
Genesis ceramic and paper. Though feldspar is
According to [12] pegmatites developed in presently being mined in Abuja, Adamawa,
deep-seated high-pressure environment, and Lokoja, if the Dass deposit (with quantified
usually originate from residual volatile rich estimate of 9,925 t/m3), is properly exploited
fraction of a magma which usually solidifies and utilized; this will go along way in
late in the igneous activity of the magma. It is providing more raw materials for these
therefore suggested that the Dass pegmatites industries in Nigeria as well as be of
were possibly formed from a hydrothermal tremendous importance to the economic
fluid that originated from the crystallisation of development of the country. In view of this, it
the older granites which are of magmatic origin is recommended that more studies should be
[2, 3, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17]. All the feldspar undertaken on other feldspar deposits in
samples have compositionally less than 3.40% Nigeria.
anorthite
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This similarity in the chemical composition of The assistance of Prof. E.C. Ike, Mr. S. Edegbo
the feldspars from different pegmatites may and Mr. M. Animashawun during the field and
possibly indicate similarities between the laboratory studies of this work is highly
hydrothermal fluids that resulted in the appreciated. The AAS analysis was made
formation of these pegmatites. They also possible through the assistance of Mr. S.
exhibit zoning, indicating different cooling Andrew. The author is greatly indebted to him
histories and crystallisation from residual and the staff of A.A.S. Laboratory of Institute
liquids of the granite magma that were of Agricultural Research (I.A.R.) in Zaria, for
generated and deposited under deep-seated carrying out the chemical analyses of the
high-pressure conditions. This interpretation is studied samples.
due to the presence of biotite (a high-pressure
mineral), and absence of muscovite which is a
low pressure mineral (Fig. 2).

CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
The present detailed evaluation has confirmed
the occurrence of potash feldspar deposit in the
Dutsen Bundot pegmatites of Dass area, as well
as their overall physical, mineralogical and
chemical characteristics. The confirmation
involved the study of the geological setting of
the deposit in terms of field relationships,
outcrop pattern, and effect of weathering. The
genesis of the pegmatites was ascribed to
cooling and crystallization from residual

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Table I: Chemical composition and norm calculations of representative Dass
feldspar samples
Samples UD11 UD19 UD22 UD31 UD37 UD42 Mean
% Oxides
SiO2 65.84 65.24 65.12 66.56 65.64 64.55 65.66
TiO2 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.10 0.01 0.02 0.03
Al2O3 18.64 18.48 18.51 18.14 18.79 18.37 18.59
Fe2O3 (T) 0.04 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.03
MnO 0.04 0.01 0.00 0.10 0.03 0.01 0.03
MgO 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01
CaO 0.11 0.12 0.10 0.12 0.12 0.09 0.12
Na2O 2.33 1.71 1.84 2.06 2.72 1.93 2.10
K2O 12.62 14.33 14.16 13.18 12.37 14.62 13.21
P2O5 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 100.0 99.96 99.79 100.0 99.72 99.72 99.70
Norm
Quartz 3.88 0.29 0.07 1.54 0.82 1.97 1.43
Orthoclase 74.67 84.73 83.73 79.73 73.17 74.67 78.45
Albite 19.70 14.46 15.56 17.40 23.00 19.30 18.24
Anorthite 0.56 0.33 0.33 0.33 2.42 3.40 1.17
Others 1.18 0.15 0.20 1.01 0.37 0.60 0.59
TOTAL 99.99 99.96 99.89 100.01 99.78 99.94 99.89
Samples UD43 UD49 UD52 UD55 UD57 UD62 Mean
% Oxides
SiO2 65.27 65.12 65.08 64.94 65.90 65.53 65.31
TiO2 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.10 0.01 0.02 0.03
Al2O3 18.87 18.19 18.76 17.94 18.92 18.97 18.61
Fe2O3 (T) 0.04 0.02 0.04 0.02 0.03 0.03 0.03
MnO 0.04 0.01 0.00 0.10 0.03 0.01 0.03
MgO 0.03 0.02 0.01 0.01 0.01 0.00 0.01
CaO 0.11 0.12 0.10 0.12 0.12 0.09 0.12
Na2O 1.41 1.18 1.84 2.18 1.59 1.33 1.59
K2O 14.62 14.53 14.46 13.08 13.37 14.62 14.11
P2O5 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.01 0.00 0.00 0.00
TOTAL 100.0 99.96 99.79 99.82 99.98 99.72 99.83
Norm
Quartz 0.88 2.41 1.04 3.40 2.90 1.71 2.06
Orthoclase 86.24 85.96 85.31 77.40 79.06 86.46 83.41
Albite 11.87 9.96 15.56 18.22 13.47 11.14 13.37
Anorthite 0.89 0.50 0.21 0.83 0.58 0.52 0.59
Others 0.22 1.14 0.21 0.23 3.41 0.13 0.89
TOTAL 100.1 99.97 102.3 100.0 99.42 99.96 100.3

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Fig. 2. Photomicrograph of the feldspar showing microperthite texture. Note the
dominance of microcline and subordinate amounts of quartz and biotite,
and also the characteristic cross-hatched twinning. Thin section (UD19).

Fig. 3. Photomicrograph of the feldspar showing characteristic pattern of orthoclase

occurrence. Note the dominance of the orthoclase in this slide and the
subordinate nature of albite. Thin section (UD31)

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