Study of the Occurrence and Exploitation of Feldspar Deposits in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria

Feldspar is a critical raw material for the ceramics and glass industries, and Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, contains feldspar-bearing pegmatites within its basement complex terrain that remain underexplored and underexploited. This study documents the geological occurrence and evaluates the quality and exploitation potential of feldspar deposits in the Ilorin and Irepodun Local Government Areas of Kwara State. Geological mapping of pegmatite bodies was conducted, and feldspar samples were collected and characterised by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, and alkali content determination. Grain size analysis and petrographic examination were performed to assess processing requirements. Results indicate that the Kwara feldspar is predominantly potassium-rich alkali feldspar (orthoclase and microcline varieties) with K2O content averaging 10.2 percent, within the acceptable range for ceramics body formulation. Iron oxide levels are elevated in surface-altered zones but reduce to acceptable concentrations at depth. Magnetic separation effectively removes iron-bearing contaminants, producing a concentrate with Fe2O3 below 0.3 percent. Estimated extractable feldspar resources within mapped pegmatite bodies are substantial. The study recommends promotion of the Kwara feldspar endowment to the domestic ceramics industry and development of a small-scale washing and magnetic separation plant at the most accessible deposit. Keywords: feldspar, Kwara State, ceramics, pegmatite, industrial minerals.