Geology and petrography of the Limbiko Bauxite Deposit, Republic of Guinea

High demand for aluminium spurs research to satisfy it. Starting from Paleozoic and up to Cenozoic, bauxite deposits formed mostly owing to residual accumulation of aluminium as a result of alteration of high-aluminum rocks. Being the main source for the aluminium industry, bauxite is a rock mostly composed of aluminium hydroxide minerals, often with low content of silica and iron oxides. Prime bauxite deposits formed as a result of laterite processes in the early Cenozoic in Central Africa (Cameroon), West Africa (Guinea), Australia, Vietnam and Brazil. This article describes the geology of the Limbiko Bauxite Deposit in the Republic of Guinea. The study methods include sampling, stratigraphic columns and geological mapping. The Limbiko region is composed of the Devonian sedimentary rocks intruded in the Mesozoic dolerite layers. The underlying rocks are overlaid with the weathering crust. Petrography research reveals bauxite and transition zones of ferruginous laterite. The microscopic analysis shows the presence of hydrargillite, goethite, alumogoethite, rutile and clay minerals.

Keywords: hydrargillite, alteration crust, intrusive, Limbiko, bauxite, aleuro-argillite, apodolerite, dolerite, ferrialumogel.
For citation:

Billy N. Cissoko, Kotelnikov A. E., Moises B.E. Romero Geology and petrography of the Limbiko Bauxite Deposit, Republic of Guinea. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2025;(10):83-96. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_10_0_83.

Acknowledgements:

The study was carried out under State Contract No. FSSF-2024-0005 between the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and the Patrice Lumumba People’s Friendship University of Russia.

Issue number: 10
Year: 2025
Page number: 83-96
ISBN: 0236-1493
UDK: 550.8+552.08
DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2025_10_0_83
Article receipt date: 21.03.2024
Date of review receipt: 21.03.2025
Date of the editorial board′s decision on the article′s publishing: 10.09.2025
About authors:

Cissoko Billy Nankouman1, Graduate Student, e-mail: bill6489cissoko@gmail.com, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4218-6539,
A.E. Kotelnikov1, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: kotelnikov-ae@rudn.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-0622-8391,
Romero Barrenechea Moises Esau1, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, e-mail: romero-barrenechea-v@rudn.ru, ORCID ID: 0009-0003-8416-1564,
1 Peoples' Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba (RUDN University) (Academy of Engineering), 117198, Moscow, Russia.

 

For contacts:

Cissoko Billy Nankouman, e-mail: bill6489cissoko@gmail.com.

Bibliography:

1. Bogatyrev B., Zhukov V. Bauxite Provinces of the World. Geology of Ore Deposits. 2009, vol. 51, pp. 339—355. DOI: 10.1134/S1075701509050018.

2. Bhukte P. G., Daware G. T., Masurkar S. P., Mahendiran P., Janbandhu K., Rao K. R., Singh U., Puttewar S. P., Agnihotri A. Geochemical, mineralogical and petrological characteristics of lateritic bauxite deposits formed on deccan trap basalt with reference to high-level and coastal (low level) deposits of Maharashtra. Journal of the Geological Society of India. 2020, vol. 95, pp. 587—598.

3. Esterle M., Lajoinie J.-P. Bauxites. In Universalis éducation [en ligne]. Encyclopaedia Universalis, 2019 [consulté le 14 novembre 2020]. Disponibilité et accès sur http://www.universalis-edu.com/ encyclopedie/bauxites/.

4. Nahon D. Alterations in the Tropical Zone. Meaning through old and/or current mechanisms. Geoscience Reports. 2003, vol. 335, pp. 1109—1119.

5. Hao X., Leung K., Wang R., Sun W., Li Y. The geomicrobiology of bauxite deposits. Geoscience Frontiers. 2010, vol. 1, pp. 81—89. DOI: 10.1016/j.gsf.2010.06.001.

6. Mamedov V. I., Tokarlikov V., Seredkin M., Ivlev I., Tchaousov A., Chaplygin O., Blankov Y. Preliminary survey results (150 m×150 m) and special studies carried out on the deposits of Kooni (Bowal 5), Dalagala (Bowal 6), Tiapikoré-Nord (Bowal 8 Nord), Fello Maoulé (Bowal 9), Kagnaka (Bowal 25), Yaladanè (Bowal 29) and Limbiko (Bowal 30). Geoprospects LTD, Boke. 2005.

7. Mamedov V. I., Boufeév Y. V., Nikitine Y. A., Mamedov A. I. Bank of useful mineral deposits and index data. Geoprospects LTD; Univ. Moscow State Council, Aquarel, Moscow, 2010, 264 p.

8. Mamedov V. I., Boufeev Y. V., Nikitine Y. A. Geology of the Republic of Guinea. Ministry of Mines and Geology of the Republic of Guinea. Geoprospects LTD; Univ. Moscow State Council, 2010, 320 p.

9. Mamedov V. I., Chausov A. A., Okonov E. A., Makarova M. A., Boeva N. M. The world’s largest fouta Djallon-Mandingo Bauxite province (West Africa): Part I. Background. Geology of Ore Deposits. 2020, vol. 56(2), pp. 178—192. DOI: 10.1134/S1075701520020026.

10. Michel R., de Bilbao E., Poirier J. Recycling bauxite waste for the mineral industry: Phase transformations and microstructure during sintering. Waste and Biomass Valorization. 2018, vol. 9, pp. 1261—1271. DOI: 10.1007/s12649-016-9775-y.

11. Sidibe M., Yalcin M. Petrography, mineralogy, geochemistry and genesis of the balaya bauxite deposits in Kindia Region, Maritime Guinea, West Africa. Journal of African Earth Sciences. 2019, vol. 149, pp. 348—366.

12. Statista. Main Bauxite Producing Countries 2013—2019. 2020. https://fr.statista.com/statistiques/565292/principaux-pays-de-la-production-mondiale-miniere-de-bauxite/.

13. Torró L., Proenza J. A., Aiglsperger T., Bover-Arnal T., Villanova-de-Benavent C., RodríguezGarcía D., Ramírez A., Rodríguez J., Mosquea L. A., Salas R. Geological, geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of REE-Bearing Las Mercedes Bauxite Deposit, Dominican Republic. Ore Geology Reviews. 2017, vol. 89, pp. 114—131. DOI: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2017.06.017.

14. Lapparent J. Les mineraux des bauxites françaises. Societe fr. Mineralogie, Bulletin de mineralogie. 1930, vol. 53, pp. 255—273. DOI: 10.3406/bulmi.1930.4096.

15. Pabllo Henrique Costa dos Santos, Marcondes Lima da Costa, Alessandro Sabá Leite The Piriá aluminous lateritic profile: mineralogy, geochemistry and parent rock. Brazilian Journal of Geology. 2016, vol. 46, no. 04, pp. 617—636. DOI: 10.1590/2317-4889201620160101.

16. Liu X., Wang Q., Zhang Q., Feng Y., Cai S. Caracteristiques mineralogiques des tres grands gisements de bauxite quaternaire dans les comtes de jingxi et debao, ouest du guangxi, chine. Journal des Sciences Asiatiques de la Terre. 2012, vol. 52, pp. 53—62. DOI: 10.1016/j.jseaes.2012.02.011.

17. Beauvais A. Paleoclimats et dynamique d'un paysage cuirasse de la republique centrafricaine: morphologie, petrologie et geochimie. Doctorat thèse, université de poitiers, poitiers, 1991.

18. Schellmann W. Sur la géochimie des latérites. Chemie der Erde. 1986, vol. 45, pp. 39—52.

19. Zamanian H., Ahmadnejad F., Zarasvandi A. Enquêtes minéralogiques et géochimiques du gisement de bauxite de Mombi, monts Zagros, Iran. Géochimie. 2016, vol. 76, no. 1, pp. 13—37. DOI: 10.1016/j.chemer.2015.10.001.

20. Zarasvandi A., Carranza E. J. M., Ellahi S. S. Caractéristiques géologiques, géochimiques et minéralogiques des gisements de bauxite de Mandan et Deh-Now, ceinture plissée de Zagros, Iran. Revues de Géologie du Minerai. 2012, vol. 48, pp. 125—138. DOI: 10.1016/j.oregeorev.2012.02.010.

21. Gu R., Duan F., An X., Zhang F., von Wirén N., Yuan L. Caractérisation de l'absorption d'ammonium de haute affinité médiée par l'AMT dans les racines du maïs (Zea mays L.). Physiologie Végétale et Cellulaire. 2013, vol. 54, pp. 1515—1524. DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pct099.

Подписка на рассылку

Подпишитесь на рассылку, чтобы получать важную информацию для авторов и рецензентов.