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A FIELD REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING EXERCISE AT IFON-IJADO

AREA, NORTH-WEST OF OSUN STATE, NIGERIA

Research · October 2019

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.36140.80004

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 A FIELD REPORT ON THE GEOLOGICAL MAPPING
EXERCISE AT IFON-IJADO AREA, NORTH-WEST OF OSUN
STATE, NIGERIA.

BY

SAMUEL AYOMIDE OBIDIYA

GEO/2014/0011

SUBMITTED TO

THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY, COLLEGE OF

SCIENCE, ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY, OSUN
STATE UNIVERSITY OSOGBO

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR

THE AWARD OF BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BSC) DEGREE
IN GEOLOGY.

28th October, 2019.

 TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS ...................................................................................................................... i
LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................................. ii
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA .................................................................................... 1
1.2 DURATION............................................................................................................................... 3
1.3 CLIMATE AND VEGITATION ............................................................................................. 3
1.4 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................... 3
1.5 ACKNOWLEDGMENT .......................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO: PHYSIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................... 4
2.1 RELIEF AND LANDFORMS ................................................................................................. 4
CHAPTER THREE: REGIONAL GEOLOGY ................................................................................ 8
3.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT ......................................................................................... 8
3.2 REGIONAL GEOLOGY OF SOUTHWEST NIGERIA ..................................................... 8
CHAPTER FOUR: GEOLOGY OF IFON-IJADO AREA ............................................................ 11
4.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT ....................................................................................... 11
4.2 THE LITHOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE ENCOUNTERED ROCKS: .......... 13
4.2.1 QUARTZ-SCHIST ......................................................................................................... 13
4.2.3 QUARTZITE .................................................................................................................. 15
4.2.3 GNEISS ............................................................................................................................ 17
CHAPTER FIVE: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES .................................................................. 19
5.1 Introductory Statement ............................................................................................................ 19
5.2 MAJOR STRUCTURES ........................................................................................................ 19
5.3 MINOR STRUCTURES OR SMALL SCALE STRUCTURES: ....................................... 19
5.3.1 FOLIATION ................................................................................................................... 19
5.3.2 FOLDS ............................................................................................................................. 19
5.3.3 LINEATIONS ................................................................................................................. 19
5.3.4 FAULTS AND JOINTS.................................................................................................. 19
5.3.5 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION ..................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER SIX: METAMORPHISM .............................................................................................. 21
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 21
6.1 METAMORPHISM OF THE STUDY AREA ..................................................................... 21
REFERENCE ...................................................................................................................................... 22

i
 LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. The topographical map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW Osun State. .....................................2
Figure 2. Aerial photograph, showing the physiography, and nature of the terrain of Ifon-
Ijado area, NW of Osun State. (Red grid). Source: Google map ...............................................5
Figure 3. Drainage map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State. ...............................................7
Figure 4. Map showing the Basement Complex of the south-western region of Nigeria.
Source: (Rahama, 1976). ..........................................................................................................10
Figure 5. The geological map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State. ....................................12
Figure 6 Outcrop section of quartz-schist. Coordinate: N 070 54.835 ‘, E 0040 23.371’ .........14
Figure 7 Outcrop section of quartzite. Coordinate: N 070 56.834 ‘, E 0040 24.682’................16
Figure 8 Outcrop section of gneiss. Coordinate: N 070 54.632‘, E 0040 24.815’ ....................18

ii
 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1.0 INTRODUCTION STATEMENTS

Independent mapping exercise is a very important exercise in geology, because geology
is a field oriented discipline, geologist do say ‘the best geologist is the one who have seen most
rocks. You can never be a great geologist until you’ve become a field orientated geologist. It
is on this basis, this fieldwork was carried out, and also a report is submitted to the department
of geological science, UNIOSUN, on the geology of a section of the Ifon-Ijado area, NW Osun
State (see figure 1). This field exercise is also a requirement for the award of bachelor degree
(B.sc) in the department of geology in Osun State University, Nigeria. The independent
mapping exercise commenced for 2018/2019 rain semester, on the 26th of April and ended on
the 14th of May, 2019. Comprising of four groups; group 1, 2, 3, & 4 (i.e. four different groups).
Group 1, 2, 3, and 4 comprises of four students each, while group 2 comprises of five students,
from the department of geology, Osun state University to carry out an investigative
independent field mapping exercise in Ifon-Ijado area, Osun State. Group 1&2 worked around
Ejigbo area, while group 3&4 worked around Ifon-Ijado area, which marks the boundary
between Oyo state and Osun state, Nigeria. The field mapping exercise lasted for eighteen days
(18 days).

1.1 LOCATION OF THE STUDY AREA

Ifon-Ijado area (figure 1) is located in the NW of Osun State, South-West Nigeria. It
lies approximately within Latitudes 07o 58’ N to 7o 54’N and Longitudes 4o 22’E to 4o 25’E at
the northern fringe of Osun State, Nigeria. The study area covers both the old, and new roads,
with some major footpaths, which were used as access path for the field exercise, the major
highway in the area runs from Ifon through Ilajue, Ayigbiri, Ijado and Oko down to Ejigbo.
Basement rocks within the Ifon-Ijado, NW Osun State falls within the Migmatite-
Gneiss-Quartzite complex zone of South-West Nigeria. The basement rocks within this zone
were studied and mapped during the field exercise, using the compass, river and road traverse
method, along an east-west direction across the outcrops, which include the following: gneiss,
quartzite, quartz-schist and some pegmatite.
The Ifon-Ijado area (see figure 1) is a rural and highly vegetated area with little
settlements. The area is accessible through the major and minor roads as well as footpaths,
providing easy access to outcrops. The topographic map of the study area is shown below.

1
Figure 1. The topographical map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW Osun State.

2
1.2 DURATION
The Independent mapping exercise lasted for eighteen days (18 days), which started the
26th of April and ended on the 14th of May, 2019

1.3 CLIMATE AND VEGITATION

The Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State fall into the Guinea Savanah vegetation belt and
the trees, grasses are widely distributed. The trees are mostly tall and the grasses are short.
The climate condition is warm-horrid tropical climate region.

1.4 HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

Ifon-Ijado area is mainly dominated by the Yoruba’s and some Fulani’s. The major
occupation of the inhabitants is mainly subsistence farming and the major crops produced are
palm tree for palm oil production, cassava, cocoa, mongo, cashew, banana, orange and
pineapples; others include vegetables and maize. Most of these farming activities are carried
out in the valleys which in most cases have loamy soils and also within a region that has a high
water table. Some of the farmers produce palm oil in small quantities from the palm trees, for
domestic uses. While some produces their palm oil in large quantity for sale. There are local
quarrying of rocks such as Gneiss, and Quartzite by the inhabitants, for personal uses, which
may include: filling of port-holes, bigger chunk may serve as grinding stone, used for grinding
pepe, or can be used as suspending weight for draining fluid out of wet Garri.

1.5 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
All thanks to God almighty for the provision of good health throughout our stay in
Ayigbiri. I thank my parent for their great support over my Education ever since I commenced
my schooling in this great institution. I also wish to express my profound gratitude to the
members of the field committee and most especially Dr Ocan for finding time to visit us on the
field. I am also taking this opportunity to thank my group members for their support, because
without their support this field work will be very difficult to accomplish.

I also want to use this medium to thank the Oba of Osu land, for proving us
accommodation throughout our stay in Ayigbiri. Thanks to the Olori-agba of Osu land. Thanks
to mummy faith (a resident of Ayigbiri). I really appreciate you all. Thanks a lot may God
almighty continue to make your great work fruitful.

3
 CHAPTER TWO: PHYSIOGRAPHY

2.1 RELIEF AND LANDFORMS

The study area is a terrain with rugged relief. There are both low lying and high lying
landforms.

There are different landforms within the study area, these include, deep and steep
valleys. There are chains of conical hills extending from the south of Ipasa straight-down
towards the north of the study area. In the North, the hill falls on the west side of Onikeke. The
regional shape of the hills within the region of the study area from aerial photograph or satellite
imagery shows a U-shaped form (see figure 2).

4
5
Figure 2. Aerial photograph, showing the physiography, and nature
of the terrain of Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State. (Red grid).
Source: Google map
2.2 DRAINAGE
The drainage pattern (see figure 3) was not structurally controlled because the landform
reliefs varies from one place to another, so the relief of the area determines the drainage
pattern, which is best described as dentritic pattern.
The prominent river within the study area that foods other stream channels runs from
the west side of Onikeke, down to the southern areas, through the west side of Bara, the west
of Alako, the east of Eleyin, the east of Alapata, down to the east side of Ipasa.
There are many tributaries that are joined to the big rivers. The rivers generally flow
towards the southern direction, but also river flow along valleys. Hence, changing the direction
of flow which could either towards easternly or westernly direction.

6
Figure 3. Drainage map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State.

7
 CHAPTER THREE: REGIONAL GEOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

The Nigerian Basement Complex is also a part of the Pan African mobile belt that lies
between the West African Craton to the east and the Congo Craton to the southwest within the
African continent (Odeyemi, 1988). The Basement Complex of Nigeria are composed
predominantly of migmatitic and granitic gneisses; quartzite; slightly migmatised to
unmigmatised metasedimentary schists and metaigneous rocks; charnockitic, gabbroic and
dioritic rocks; and the members of the Older Granite suite mainly granites, granodiorites and
syenites (Rahama, 1976). The Precambrian of Southwestern Nigeria is a part of the Nigeria
Basement Complex (Rahama, 1976).

3.2 REGIONAL GEOLOGY OF SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

The Basement complex of Southwestern Nigeria (See figure 4) lies to the east of the West
Africa Craton in rogion of late Precambrian to early Paleozoic orogenesis. The Basement
complex of Southwestern Nigeria extends westwards and is continuous with the Dahomeyan
of the Dahomey-Togo-Ghana region. To the east and the South. The Basement Complex of
Southwestern Nigeria is covered by the Mesozoic-recent sediments of the Dahomey and Niger
Coastal Basins (Rahama, 1976). Five major group of rocks have been recognized:

1. Migmatite-gneisss complex which comprises biotite and biotite hornblende gneisses,

quartzites and quarts-schist and small lenses of calcsilicate rocks.
2. Slightly migmatised to migmatised paraschists and metaigneous rocks which consist of
pelitic schists, quartzites amphibolites, talcose rocks, metaconglomerates, marbles and
calc-silicate rocks.
3. Charnockitic rocks.
4. Older Granites which comprise rock varying in composition from granodiorite to true
granites and potassic syenite.
5. Unmetamorphosed dolerite dykes believed to be the youngest.

Two phases of folding believed to be related to the Older Granite Orogeny (Pan African)
have been described affecting the gneiss-migmatite-quartzite complex and the slighty
migmatised to unmigmatised schist and meta-igneous rocks (Rahama, 1976). The first folds
(F1) are reclined in style with axial planes trending E-W whereas the second folds (F2) have
fors that are variable from open to isoclinal with steep to vertical N-S trending axial planes.

8
 Three episodes of metamorphism have been recognized in the politic schist. The (M1)
metamorphism is related to F1 deformation; the second (M2) metamorphism developed during
a static phase following F1 and the third (M3) metamorphism which reached a climax in the
amphibolite facies started during F3 deformation and outlasted it (Rahama, 1976).

The migmatite-gneiss-quartzite complex is the most widespread in the basement complex

of south-western Nigeria (see figure 4) (Rahama, 1976). It comprises of the following:
gneisses, quartzites (that typifies Ibadan and Iseyin quartzite type), calc-silicate rocks, biotite-
hornblende-schists, quart-schists and amphibolites. The migmatite-gneiss-quartzite complex is
thought to have resulted from a complex association of deformative shearing and folding, and
granitisation and migmatisation processes. The slightly migmatised to unmigmatised paraschist
represent a sedimentary cover on the gneiss-migmatite-quartzite complex (Rahama, 1976).

9
Figure 4. Map showing the Basement Complex of the south-western region of Nigeria (red
painted region). Source: (Rahama, 1976).

10
 CHAPTER FOUR: GEOLOGY OF IFON-IJADO AREA

4.1 INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT

The Ifon-Ijado area lies within the south-west region of Nigeria, which itself is a part
of the Nigerian Basement Complex. The Nigerian Basement Complex is also a part of the Pan
African mobile belt that lies between the West African Craton to the east and the Congo Craton
to the southwest within the African continent. The Basement Complex of Ifon-Ijado area (see
figure 5) consists of the following three major rock types: (1) Quartzite, (2) Quartz-schist, and
(3) Gneiss.

11
Figure 5. The geological map of Ifon-Ijado area, NW of Osun State.

12
4.2 THE LITHOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE
ENCOUNTERED ROCKS:
4.2.1 QUARTZ-SCHIST
This lithology (Figure 6) is the most abundant outcrop within the study area. This
lithology occur as series of slightly hilly to hilly outcrops in the central part of study area.
Meanwhile toward the northern and southern part of the study area, they occur mostly as series
of low-lying outcrops. This rock unit is strongly weathered at the northern part of the study
area. This outcrop forms thick interbanded unit with the quartzite. It is strongly foliated. The
schistosity is defined by the alignment of the platy minerals, dominantly muscovite. Texturally
this lithology is coarse-grained in every locality within the study area. Hand specimen show
that the quart-schist is composed of mainly quartz and muscovite. This lithology comprises of
quartz that occupies at least about 70%, while the muscovite is about 25%, and little black
coloured mineral that is presumed to be sillimanite, which occupies about 5% of the rock
composition.

13
Figure 6 A dorsal view of an outcrop section of quartz-schist. Coordinate: N 070 54.835 ‘, E
0040 23.371’

14
4.2.3 QUARTZITE
This lithology (Figure 7) is the second most abundant outcrop within the study area.
This lithology occur as series of low-lying or slightly hilly outcrop in the southern and Northern
part of the study area. Though in few localities mostly towards the central and northern part of
the study area they occur as rubbles. Texturally this rock unit is coarse-grained, the grain size
may vary from about 1mm to 2mm. Hand specimen showed that this rock unit consists of
quartz and muscovite. The proportion of quartz to muscovite may vary to each other from one
place to another, whereby amount of muscovite present may increase to a more conspicuous
type i.e. the occurrence of muscovite may increase. The occurrence of muscovite is common
in outcrops both at the southern and the northern part of the study area. Almost all the quartzite
within the study area are jointed and fractured.

Petrography

Texture:
The rock has a granoblastic texture. In hand specimen, they are medium to coarse grained.
The mineral observed mainly is quartz.
Quartz: The quartz are colorless and are not pleochroic. They are with granoblastic texture of
quartz grains. They show wavy extinction and has low relief on the plane polarize light. They
are anhedral in shape grain.

15
Figure 7 Outcrop section of quartzite. Coordinate: N 070 56.834 ‘, E 0040 24.682’

16
4.2.3 GNEISS
This unit (figure 8) occurs as low-lying with a medium to coarse-grained texture and
possessing moderate to strong foliation. Texturally this rock unit is generally medium to coarse
grained from hand specimen. This rock unit is slightly foliated. Foliation is marked by the
intercalation between the light quartzo-feldspathic band and the dark mafic-rich band. The light
colour band from hand specimen comprise of plagioclase, microcline and quartz. The dark
coloured band comprises of mainly biotite, and opaque mineral.

Petrography

Texture:
In hand specimen, the rock is coarse grained. The mineral has a preferred orientation of long
axes of platy minerals which gives it a lepidoblastic texture.
Mineralogically; the rock is composed of biotite, quartz, plagioclase, and microcline.
Biotite: It has a high relief surrounded by other minerals. It shows a shade of brownish color
to light greenish color when rotated both in plane and cross polarize light. It strongly
pleochroic. The biotite grains are generally subhedral in shape. They show perfect cleavage in
one direction with parallel extinction.
Quartz: They show low relief and it is not pleochroic. They have oblique extinction with no
cleavage. They are anhedral in shape and colorless. They exhibit wavy extinction.
Microcline: They show high relief to neighbouring minerals. They show oblique extinction and
are not pleochroic. They are generally anhedral in shape. They exhibit cross-hatched twinning.
Plagioclase: They are colourless in plane polarized section with no pleochroism. They show
low relief to neighboring minerals. It as cleavage in two direction with an oblique extinction.
They show polysynthetic twinning.

17
Figure 8 A dorsal view of an outcrop section of gneiss. Coordinate: N 070 54.632‘, E 0040
24.815’

18
 CHAPTER FIVE: GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

5.1 Introductory Statement

A study of the structural features of the rocks shows both small scale as well as larger scale
structures. The rocks within the study area comprises of metamorphic structures, which
includes deformation features such as foliations, folds and fractures.

5.2 MAJOR STRUCTURES

5.3 MINOR STRUCTURES OR SMALL SCALE STRUCTURES:

5.3.1 FOLIATION
Foliation in quartzite is marked by the intercalation between the thick quartz-rich band
and the thin muscovite-rich band. The foliation in quart-schist is also marked by the
intercalation between quartz-rich band and the thin muscovite-rich band. The foliation in gneiss
is marked by the intercalation between the light quartzo-feldspathic band and the dark mafic-
rich band.
5.3.2 FOLDS
The mapped rock units show presence of micro-folds on the foliation plain of the
outcrops. These folds include: asymmetrical folds, symmetrical folds, and plunging folds.

5.3.3 LINEATIONS
Lineation is a set of linear surface produced in rocks as a result of deformation. It is a
nondimensional feature and it mainly occur in metasediments. Intersection lineation were seen
within some quartz-schist unit during the field mapping exercise.

5.3.4 FAULTS AND JOINTS

Joints and fractures are both structural discontinuities which divide a rock between the
sides of which there is no observable movement parallel to the surface or joint planes. The
quartzites present within the study area are jointed and faulted which shows that the rock as
being subjected to one episode of deformation. The quartz-schist are also jointed, but only in a
very few places.

5.3.5 STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION

The rocks within the study area must have undergone at least 4 episodes of
deformation that are recognizable with resulting structures. D1-D4.

19
D1 Structure

During the first episode of deformation (D1), foliation (S1) was produced which is seen in
almost all rock units of the area. It was recognized as the earliest structure. The alignment of
mineral grains produced lineation (L1).

D2 Structure

During the second episode of deformation (D2), foliation (S1) is folded to produce recumbent
fold (F1), F1 developed axial plane foliation (S2). Foliation (S1) and axial plane foliation (S2)
intersect to give lineation (L2).

D3 Structure

During the third episode of deformation (D3), axial plane foliation (S2) was folded to produce
the asymmetrical folds, and symmetrical fold (F2).

D4 Structure

The fourth last episode of deformation produced the joints structure (S3). They are seen to cut
through all other structures.

20
 CHAPTER SIX: METAMORPHISM

Introduction
Metamorphism is the mineralogical and structural adjustment of solid rocks to physical
and chemical conditions that have been imposed at depth below the near surface zones of
weathering and digenesis and which differ from condition under which the rock formed.

6.1 METAMORPHISM OF THE STUDY AREA

The first episode of Metamorphism (𝑀1) is a regional metamorphism which is
associated with the first episode of deformation (𝐷1) resulted in the re-crystallization and
parallel alignment of muscovite grains to form mineralogical banding (𝑆1) and the first folding
activity (𝐹1). The second metamorphic episode (𝑀2) which was accompanied by (𝐷1)
deformation and resulted in the formation of axial plane cleavage (𝑆2).

21
 REFERENCE
1. Odeyemi, I. B. 1988. Lithostratigraphy and structural relationships of the Upper
Precambrian Metasediments in Igarra area, southwestern Nigeria. In: Oluyide, P. O., W. C.
Mbonu, A. E. Ogezi, I. G. Egbuniwe, A. C. Ajibade, and A. C. Umeji. (editors),
Precambrian geology of Nigeria. Publ. GSN. pp 111 125
2. Rahaman MA (1976) Review of the basement geology of South-Western Nigeria. In:
Kogbe CA (ed) Geology of Nigeria, 2nd edn, Elizabethan Publishers, Lagos, pp 41–58.

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