THE DISTRIBUTION AND GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF BAUXITE DEPOSITES IN CAMEROON

ABSTRACT

Bauxite is a mineral ore that is first transformed into alumina and then smelted to obtain aluminum, an industrial metal used in the manufacture of roofing sheets, kitchen utensils, processed foods and cans, aircraft and cars. It was first discovered in 1821 by a geologist at a ruined southeasternFrench medieval town, Les Baux, which gave its name to the mineral bauxite. Bauxite is form when laterite soils are severely leached of silica and other soluble materials in a wet tropical or subtropical climate. It is the world main source of aluminium and it consist mostly of the aluminium minerals gibbsite (Al (OH)3), boehmite (Al2O3), and diaspore mixed with the two iron oxides goethite (FeO(OH)) and hematite (Fe2O3), the aluminum clay mineral kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH) and small amounts of anatase (TiO2) and ilmenite (FeTiO3 or Feo.TiO2).It is widely distributed in Cameroon making Cameroon the third bauxite reserve in the world with approximately 1.5 billion tons. It is distributed in the Adamawa and West Region of Cameroon. In the West Region, we have the Fongo-Tongo bauxite plateau, the Bamileke plateau bauxite deposit, the Bangam locality bauxite ore deposit and the Doumbouo-Fokouebauxitic plateau. In the Adamawa Region we have the Minim-Martap plateau bauxite.

Further reading: Geology project topics with materials