Paleoclimate, Provenance and Weathering Studies of Clays in Parts of Isan Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria

This work entailed the geochemical, mineralogical and weathering studies of clays in parts of Isan Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria. The average K2O Na2O ratio 2.34 for the clay is much higher than that of the UCC 0.87 , suggesting removal of plagioclase feldspar the low K2O Al2O3 values 0.02 0.31 is attributed to the marked dominance of kaolinite and rarity of illite, K feldspars and micas. CIA, CIW, PIA, MIA, WIP, SiO2 Al2O3, the A–CN–K A–CNK–FM and F–A–S ternary diagrams indicate moderate weathering intensity. The K2O vs. Rb plot and the rich quartz content suggest that they are of felsic origin. The Orudi B clays may have been sourced from charnokites, while the rest of the clays may have originated from granites and migmatites. The MAP values range between 921 and 1370 ± 182 mm year and an average of 1169 mm year. The MAT values ranged from 12.2 to 15 °C, with an average of 13.9 °C. There is no correlation between MAT and CIA, suggesting that temperature was a minor factor in the formation of the clays. There is a strong correlation between MAP and CIA, implying that hydrolysis was a major factor in the formation of the clays. During the formation of Isan clays, the climate was considerably colder and dryer than the prevailing climate, implying that the Isan Ekiti area may have once being a semi arid environment. Henry Y. Madukwe "Paleoclimate, Provenance and Weathering Studies of Clays in Parts of Isan-Ekiti, Southwestern Nigeria" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-6 | Issue-4 , June 2022, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd49835.pdf Paper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/other-scientific-research-area/geology/49835/paleoclimate-provenance-and-weathering-studies-of-clays-in-parts-of-isanekiti-southwestern-nigeria/henry-y-madukwe