INVESTIGATION OF NICKEL MINERALIZATION IN MALAM TANKO SERPENTINITE SHEMI, KATSINA STATE, NORTH WEST NIGERIA

Abstract: The MallamTanko serpentinite forms a discontinuous north-south trending body with sharp contacts against vertically foliated and finely banded biotite-rich gneisses and schists, which pass rapidly outwards to more massive quartzo feldspathic gneisses and migmatites. Two blocks of potential ore body have been defined, comprising 29million tonnes of nickeliferous serpentinite of 1.2%Ni (350,000tonnes Ni approx.) and 1.2million tonnes of 1.7%Ni (21,000tonnes Ni approx.), all in the inferred category of resource. The Nickel is in serpentine and Cr-hematite. No sulphide or silicate nickel mineral was found in the serpentinite body.

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