Mapping and Characterization of Some Industrial Mineral Deposits in North-Central Nigeria as Raw Materials for Industrialization

Physical mapping and geochemical characterization of some industrial mineral occurrences in North-Central Nigeria have been undertaken as a basis for identifying the locations of their occurrence, the economic quantities, modes of occurrence and physico-chemical characteristics as raw materials for industrialization in the region. The North-Central region of Nigeria comprises the geopolitical states of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory. Physical mapping-surveys have been carried out on clay, marble and talc deposits in Niger State; barite and clay deposits in Nasarawa State and on clay, marble and feldspar deposits in Kogi State. Deposits of clay have been mapped in Niger State at Mashegu, Kutigi and Lemu, marble and clay at Kwakuti and talc at Kagara. In Nasarawa State barite deposits were mapped at Azara and Wuse and clay deposit at Shabu while in Kogi State clay deposits occur at Ahoko and Ojodu, marble at Jakura and Obajana and at Allo/Itobe and feldspar at Ajaokuta. All the mapped industrial minerals occur in economic quantities, although the exact reserves have not yet been measured

Investigation of Thermal Insulation Properties of Biomass Composites

This paper reports on the investigation of thermal properties of Kapok, Coconut fibre and Sugarcane bagasse composite materials using molasses as a binder. The composite materials were moulded into 12 cylindrical samples using Kapok, Bagasse, Coconut fibre, Kapok and Bagasse in the ratios of (70:30; 50:50 and 30:70), Kapok and Coconut fibre in the ratios of (70:30; 50:50 and 30:70), as well as a combination of Kapok, Bagasse and Coconut fibre in ratios of (50:10:40; 50:40:10 and 50:30:20). The sample size is a 60mm diameter with 10mm – 22mm thickness compressed at a constant load of 180N using a Budenberg compression machine. Thermal conductivity and diffusivity tests were carried out using thermocouples and the results were read out on a Digital Multimeter MY64 (Model: MBEB094816), while a Digital fluke K/J thermocouple meter PRD-011 (S/NO 6835050) was used to obtain the temperature measurement for diffusivity. It was observed that of all the twelve samples moulded, Bagasse, Kapok plus Bagasse (50:50), Kapok plus Coconut fibre (50:50) and Kapok plus Bagasse plus Coconut fibre (50:40:10) has the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.0074, 0.0106, 0.0132, and 0.0127 W/(m-K) respectively and the highest thermal resistivity. In this regard, Bagasse has the lowest thermal conductivity followed by Kapok plus Bagasse (50:50), Kapok plus Bagasse plus Coconut fibre (50:40:10) and Kapok plus Coconut fibre (50:50)