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Author(s): Adakole Sunday, Samuel Osarenren Osaghae, Sanni Eshovo Blessing, Mohammed Musa Musa.

Volume/Issue: Volume 3 , Issue 1 (2023)

Abstract:

The research is to assess the quality of calcite deposit from GOPEX quarries. Samples were collected from five different pits and homogenized; 5 kilograms were gotten and 1 kilogram for laboratory test work and analysis. The sample was crushed to a size of 1400µm and was further reduced using ball mill to 1100µm. 100gram was riffled out for sieve analysis using set of sieves and mechanical sieve shaker and sieve size of 125µm was sampled out for chemical analysis using X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer, from which measure elements were analyzed. The set of sieves used are 1000µm, 710µm, 500µm, 355µm, 250µm, 180µm, 125µm, 90µm, 63 µm, and (-63µm), using Gates Gaudin Schumann Method of particles size distribution and Rosin Rammler Method of particles size distribution. The result from sieve analysis shows that the economic liberation size of GOPEX calcite is at sieve number of 180µm to 63µm, showing the following mid points 6.52% to 7.82%. The equilibrium points from the graph show 50%, which signifies the existence of some if not all of these elements from the chemical analysis in the sample of GOPEX, quarries: Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Pb, W, Au, Ag, and Rb with the following mean concentrations to be 0.5217, 1.2314, 2.7804, 0.2573, 0.5684, 0.0000, 61.2238, 0.0000, 0.0000, 0.0000, 0.0015, 0.000, 0.9938, 0.0089, 0.0117, 0.0220, 0.0000, 0.0000, 0.0000, 0.0272, 0.0025 and 0.0015 respectively, with calcium which is the major element in the sample having the following intensities 0.6241 and content of 61.2238. The limestone deposits in these location is rich in calcite which can be useful in production of cement, in agriculture and in chemical/industrial uses.

Keywords:

Quarry, X-Ray Fluorescence, Composition, Calcite, Quality Assessment.

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