Abstract

Five (05) marble samples from Ikpeshi and environs were analyzed both geochemically and mineralogically with the aim of characterizing the marble bodies around the study area, southwestern Nigeria. The samples were subjected to X-Ray Fluorescence and X-Ray Diffraction analysis. Findings revealed the CaO/MgO ratio of the Ikpeshi marble range between 2.92 and 106.87 with an average of 39.19. The percentage of calcite is between 37.41 and 97.60 with average values of 79.13wt.%, while dolomite range from 2.40 to 62.59 with average values of 20.87wt.%.Other major oxides such as SiO2, FeO and or Fe2O3, Na2O, K2O, Al2O3 and MnO2 have values below 2wt.%. Based on the different classification schemes for marble, Ikpeshi marble consist of pure calcite marble, pure dolomite marble, pure dolomitic calcite and pure calcitic dolomite. The marble in the study area is classified as the high calcite group and their industrial use range from the manufacture of Portland cement to ceramics production. 

Keywords: marble; dolomite; calcite; geochemical; deposit