Sedimentological Analysis and Depositional Environmental Interpretation of Benin Formation: A Case Study of Umuaka and its Environs in Njaba Local Government Area, Imo State, Nigeria

C.C. Anumaka, H.C. Anozie, C.V. Ahaneku, A.O. Okpara, A.C. Odinye, E.E. Onuchukwu and Francisca Oshim
Additional contact information
C.C. Anumaka: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
H.C. Anozie: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
C.V. Ahaneku: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
A.O. Okpara: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
A.C. Odinye: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria
E.E. Onuchukwu: Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science, 2024, vol. 9, issue 6, 492-509

Abstract: The study of sedimentology is an important interdisciplinary field that helps us understand Earth’s history, environmental processes, and natural resources. This research focused on analyzing the characteristics of coastal sediments in the Umuaka area of Njaba Local Government Area in Imo State, Nigeria. The goal was to determine the source of the sediments, the environment in which they were deposited, and the processes that shaped the coastal landscape. The study area lies between latitudes N 50 38′ 11.5†and N 50 42′ 3.6†and longitudes E 70 4′ 4.9†and E 60 59′ 0.0†, with an altitude of 31 m to 160 m above sea level. The topography is characterized by hilly highlands and lowlands with sparse vegetation and gallery forests along the river channels. Access is via the Orlu – Owerri highway. The study area is in the Niger Delta Basin and is underlain by the Benin Formation. Methodology included desk research, reconnaissance, detailed geological field mapping and laboratory analysis. Field mapping revealed that the rock consists of friable, highly stratified, fine to very coarse sandstone with intercalations of clay/mudstone. Grain size analysis revealed that the sandstones were fine to very coarse grained ɸ(2.58 to -0.70)), moderately to poorly sorted ɸ(1.43 to 0.53), very positive to very negative skewness (0, 45 to – 0.63)). and leptokurtic to platykurtic (1.42 to 0.67). The predominant physical sedimentary structures identified were planar cross-bedding and graded beds, while the biogenic structures were dominated by vertical Skolithos caves. The bivariate and multivariate analyses, as well as the structural, physical and biogenic structures, indicate that the sediments were predominantly deposited in a shallow marine beach environment. The predominant process of sediment accumulation was through turbidity current deposition, with little influence from fluvial processes. Further studies are recommended to monitor and evaluate coastal sediment dynamics in response to ongoing natural and anthropogenic changes.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/ ... -issue-6/492-509.pdf (application/pdf)
https://rsisinternational.org/journals/ijrias/arti ... a-imo-state-nigeria/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:bjf:journl:v:9:y:2024:i:6:p:492-509

Access Statistics for this article

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science is currently edited by Dr. Renu Malsaria

More articles in International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science from International Journal of Research and Innovation in Applied Science (IJRIAS)
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Dr. Renu Malsaria ().