Geochemical and Geophysical Studies of Cretaceous Coal Deposit of Emewe Efopa, Northern Anambra Basin, Nigeria
Published: 2020-03-12
Page: 22-34
Issue: 2020 - Volume 3 [Issue 1]
Olayinka Y. Ayodeji *
Department of Geology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria.
Atabo N. Odoma
Department of Earth Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Proximate and ultimate analysis have been carried out on cretaceous coal samples from Emewe Efopa in the Northern Anambra Basin of Nigeria to determine its mineralogical composition and chemical characteristics. The analysis indicates that the coal, on average, contains 25.5% ash, 6.33% moisture, 27.33% volatile matter, 40.83% fixed carbon. It also contains 0.72% nitrogen, 0.04% phosphorus, 63.92% organic carbon, 0.91% sulphur, 3.25% hydrogen. Geophysical investigation using vertical electrical sounding (schlumberger array) reveals that the study area has six geoelectric layers: sandstone, claystone, shale, coal, claystone, claystone respectively. The coaly layer has a resistivity of 31104Ω. The integration of the different studies carried out in the study area has aid in the ranking of the coal deposits to be a low ranked sub-bituminous type.
Keywords: Anambra basin, coals, geochemical analysis, geophysical investigations, sub-bituminous coal.