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INTRODUCTION:
The Middle Niger Basin (also known as the NUPE or BIDA Basin) is a
NW – SE trending intracratonic basin extending from Kotangora [in
the North] to just south of Lokoja [in the South]. It stretches from
the confluence of Niger and Benue Rivers to the dam lake of Kainji,
where basement rocks separate it from the Sokoto Basin.
Three physiographic units are recognized in the basin. These are (a)
The Niger River with its flood plain and distributaries, (b) a belt of
means and (c) the plains. The Niger River runs ESE in the southern
marginal area of the basin. Its flood plains are broad and marked in
most areas by a series of elongated ponds running parallel to the
river. The belt of mesas is discontinuous. It runs from an area
about 16 km. east of Mokwa to Lokoja and S.W. Dekina covering
about 10% of the basin. The top lies between 260 and 500 metres
around the Niger / Benue confluence areas. Flat lying to gently
rolling plains cover about 70% of the basin. The plains lie between
60 and 180 metres in the Lokoja area.
Sediment thickness in the Middle Niger Basin is estimated to be
between 3, 000 and 3, 500 metres (Whiteman, 1982; Braide, 1990).
STRUCTURAL SETTING:
The basin occupies a gently downwarped trough. The epeirogenesis
responsible for the basin genesis seems closely connected with the
Santonian tectonic crustal movements which mainly affected the
Benue Basin and SE Nigeria. The buried basement complex probably
has a high relief (Jones, 1955). The sedimentary formations have
been shown to be about 2,000 metres thick by gravity survey (Ojo &
Ajakaiye, 1976). The sediments are constituted by post-tectonic
molasses facies and thin marine strata, which are all unfolded.
Borehole logs, Landsat images interpretation, and Geophysical data
across the basin suggest that it is bounded by a NW-SE trending
system of linear faults [Kogbe et al., 1983]. Gravity studies also
confirm central positive anomalies flanked by negative anomalies
[Ojo, 1984; Ojo & Ajakaiye, 1989]. This pattern is consistent with rift
structures as observed in the adjacent Benue Trough / Basin.
A detailed study of the facies indicates rapid basin-wide changes
from various alluvial fan facies through flood-basin and deltaic
facies to lacustrine facies [Braide, 1990]. Consequently, a simple sag
and rift origin earlier suggested may not account for the basin’s
evolution. According to Braide [op. cit.] paleogeographic
reconstruction suggests lacustrine environments were widespread
and elongate. Lacustrine environments occurred at the basin's axis
and close to the margins. This suggests the depocenter must have
migrated during the basin's depositional history and subsided
rapidly to accommodate the 3.5-km-thick sedimentary fill.
STRATIGRAPHY:
The basin’s strata are Late Cretaceous (Campanian–Maastrichtian) in
age and were named the Nupe Sandstone by Russ (1930).
However, the Sandstone is referred by Adeleye (1972) to a Group
(instead of a formation). Adeleye (op. cit.) subdivided the Group into
four formations: Bida Sandstone (oldest), Sakpe Ironstone, Enagi
Siltstone and Batati Ironstone (youngest).
A lateral facies variation occurs in the basin. Around Lokoja, the
sequence is usually referred to as the Lokoja Sandstone. However,
the Sandstone is only partly equivalent to Nupe Sandstone
(Dessauvagie, 1975) and is overlain by the Patti Formation (Jones,
1955). We shall consider both areas.
A. BIDA AREA:
(i) Bida Sandstone: This formation consists of arkose, felspathic
sandstone, sandy siltstone and claystone. Cross-stratification and
intra-formational breccia occur. Its estimated thickness is about
2,000 to 3,000 metres (Adeleye, 1972).
The formation’s age is not known for sure as only non-diagnostic
leaf impressions have been recovered from it. It is assigned a
Campanian – Maastrichtian age although older beds may occur at its
base (Dessauvagie, 1975).
(ii) Sakpe Ironstone: This formation consists of brown to yellow,
coarse, oolitic to pisolitic thinly bedded ironstone with small
amounts of sandy claystone in places. Its thickness (about five
metres) is fairly constant (Adeleye, 1972).
According to Adeleye (op. cit.), the formation yielded a few poorly
preserved marine molluscs suggesting Maastrichtian age for it.
However, Whiteman (1982) considers the Sakpe Ironstone’s age (as
well as that of the Enagi and Batati formations) to be Campanian
based on paleogeographical grounds.
(iii) Enagi Siltstone: This formation consists of pale yellow to
purplish brown bedded siltstone, with subordinate sandstone and
mudstone. It varies in thickness usually between 30 & 60 metres
(Adeleye, 1972).
Fossils are rare and those that have been recovered from it are not
age-diagnostic. Adeleye (1972; 1979) assigned a Maastrichtian age
to it while Whiteman (1982) assigned it a Campanian age.
ECONOMIC DEPOSITS:
The economic mineral deposits in the basin are largely industrial
minerals. They include iron ores, clays, and sandstones. The latter
make excellent aquifers.
01. IRON ORES: The ironstones, both oolitic and pisolitic, are the
important economic minerals of the basin. Around Lokoja, the
plateaux capped by ironstones cover about 100 square miles
(Adeleye, 1976). The oolitic ironstones are more than 12 metres
thick over large areas. The iron ore present in the Lokoja area alone
may be as large as 7,000 million tons (Adeleye, 1976). It is
significant that the overburden in this area is a relatively low-grade
ore, assaying 28.2 to 48.7 % iron.
The origin of the ironstones is not clear. Various possibilities have
been proposed for it (cf. Falconer, 1911; du Preez & Jones, 1953;
Jones, 1955; Pullan, 1967; Adeleye, 1973, 1976).
According to Adeleye (1973, 1976), the interbedded oolitic ironstone
seems to be of sedimentary origin, with the iron oolitic ironstone
possibly introduced after deposition. By contrast, the upper oolitic
ironstone may partly have a lateritic origin and may therefore occur
at different levels above the siltstone. The presence of marine
fossils at a few localities, however, suggests deposition of marine
sediments under conditions similar to those of the lower oolitic
horizon.
More recently, Mücke et al. (1999) argued that Agbaja Ironstone,
which constitutes a major part of the about two billion tons of iron
ore reserves of the basin, is not of the Minette-type.
TABLE: IRON ORE DEPOSITS IN THE BIDA [NUPE OR MIDDLE NIGER] BASIN
Deposit or Occurrence Agbaja Patti
Geological origin Sedimentary Oolitc
Ore type Geothite and
Hydrothite
Total Fe (%) 47.8
Fe in concentrate 52.1
Estimated Resource (million 370-5,000
tonnes)
SOURCE: NGSA [2010]