Available online at www.pelagiaresearchlibrary.com Pelagia Research Library Advances in Applied Science Research, 2014, 5(2):86-92 ISSN: 0976-8610 CODEN (USA): AASRFC 86 Pelagia Research Library Lead-Zinc-Barytes mineralization in the Benue Trough, Nigeria: Their geology, occurrences and economic prospective 1 Fatoye F. B., 1 Ibitomi M. A. and 2 Omada J. I. 1 Department of Mineral Resources Engineering, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Nigeria 2 Department of Earth Sciences, Kogi State University, Anyigba, Nigeria _____________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT The Benue Trough of Nigeria is a sedimentary basin that extends from the Gulf of Guinea in the southwest to the Chad Basin in the northwest for about 800 km in length and 150 km in width. Lead-zinc-barytes occurs in almost the entire length of the Benue Trough. Lead-zinc-barytes mineralization in the Trough is believed to be hydrothermal in origin and is associated with brine springs. Fracturing and jointing are intense in the areas of mineralization. Lead- zinc minerals in the form of their ores of galena and sphalerite respectively and barytes mineralization are often associated with copper, quartz, iron minerals (siderite, marcasite and pyrite), gold and silver as gangue occurring in the form of veins and veinlets associated with the host sedimentary rocks in the axial zone of the Benue Trough. The mineralization occurs in form of dissemination, stockwork and narrow beds with poorly developed wall-rock silicification (alteration). The host lithologies are highly varied ranging in the Lower Benue Trough from shale to siltstone, sandstone and occasionally igneous bodies; in the Middle Benue Trough from shale to sandstone, siltstone, conglomeratic ironstone, minor limestone beds and occasionally igneous bodies; and in the Upper Benue Trough from shale to sandstone, mudstone, limestone, clay and porphyritic granites. Keywords: Nigeria, Galena-Sphalerite-Barytes Mineralization, Hydrothermal Origin. _____________________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION Lead (Pb) is a relatively soft, malleable, blue-grey, heavy metal and is probably the earliest discovered metal that does not occur naturally in its pure state. Lead has a shiny chrome-silver lustre when it is melted into a liquid. Galena (PbS) is the principal ore mineral, usually found in association with sphalerite (ZnS) and barytes. Galena often contains inclusions of silver and is a major source of that metal. Zinc (Zn) is a crystalline, bluish white metal that is brittle at most temperatures but becomes malleable between 100 and 150 0 C. Above 210 0 C, the metal becomes brittle again and can be pulverized by beating. It is principally mined as the primary sulphide sphalerite (ZnS), usually in association with galena and barytes. Sphalerite contains 67% Zn and often includes traces of simple sulphide such as Cadmium, Gallium, Germanium and Indium in solution. Barytes, is a mineral consisting of barium sulphate. It is generally white or colourless, and is the main source of barium. Barytes occurs in a large number of depositional environments, and is deposited through a large number of processes including biogenic, hydrothermal, and evaporation, among others [1]. Barytes commonly occurs in lead- zinc veins in limestones, in hot spring deposits, and with hematite ore. It is often associated with the minerals anglesite and celestine. It has also been identified in meteorites [2].