Author(s)

Abdullahi Adamu Mohammed^1*, Adamu Usman Mohammed¹, Otorison Abdulganiu², Danladi Abubakar Sadiq³

¹Applied Geology Department, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria.
²Geology Department (Engineering Services), Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Abuja, Nigeria.
³Hadejia Jama’are River Basin Development Authority, Kano, Nigeria.

Dikko area, Niger State, North Central Nigeria falls within the Pan-African thermo-tectonic event which occurred in Nigeria as in other parts of West Africa with widespread effect on the mineralization of rejuvenated basement and geosynclinal trough deposits. The Pan-African Belt in Nigeria forms part of the Benin-Nigeria (Dahomeyan) shield which is regarded as the southern prolongation of the circumcratonic Pan-African belt of the West African Craton. Structurally controlled, gold-bearing quartz veins were measured and studied in the area from an extensive geological ground investigation. Field and petrographical studies indicate that the Neoproterozoic rocks constitute gneisses, amphibolite schist, amphibolites and migmatites. The amphibolites are intruded by pegmatites. The associated quartz veins are generally concordant with the main N-S regional structural trend. The lithological and structural studies carried out in these areas have demonstrated the relationship between structures and mineralization and/or lithology. The main characteristics of the gold mineralization in the area appear to indicate hydrothermal mineralization in connection with shear zones. This study allows us to predict that quartz veins in the amphibolite can be mined at a profit and a detailed geochemical and resource valuation needs to be carried out for the Au and associated Galena and Ag mineralization to fully exploit their economic potential.

Gold, Mineralization, Quartz Veins, Pan-African, Economic Potential, Mined

Mohammed, A. , Mohammed, A. , Abdulganiu, O. and Sadiq, D. (2021) Geology of the Structurally Controlled Quartz Vein Gold Mineralization in the Dikko Area, Part of Zungeru—Minna—Birnin Gwari Schist Belt, NW Nigeria. Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection, 9, 180-191. doi: 10.4236/gep.2021.97012.