Preliminary exploration of the Neoproterozoic Bafia group’s Ti mineral bearing potentials using heavy mineral sands in the Yaounde domain, Cameroon

Abstract

A high demand for titanium as a result of its importance in applications in aviation, medicine, aesthetics and others provides a base for a continuous search to boost the supply. This work deals with heavy mineral sands and was conducted along river flats and lowland areas along the Mbam River and its tributaries in Bafia and environs. The research employed various analytical techniques, including granulometric analysis, heavy mineral separation, magnetic separation, petrographic analysis and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. The majority of the samples contains high amounts of crude ilmenite (greater than 50%), other magnetic and non-magnetic minerals. The minerals that were identified under the microscope include opaque minerals, kyanite, zircon, rutile, tourmaline, garnet, chlorite, hornblende, sillimanite and epidote in various proportions from mixed source rocks. Elements’ association by principal component analysis reveals four factors indicative of various source rocks. Based on the information provided, the area appears to be prospective for further heavy mineral exploration, particularly for titanium-bearing minerals like ilmenite (with some samples having up to 62% in petrographic analysis) and rutile. This encourages a wider mapping in future exploration activities that can lead to more discovery of even bigger deposits around the vicinities of Bafia and increase the chances of putting Cameroon back in a new good position with respect to Ti mineral bearing potentials and subsequent production.