Purpose. To evaluate some ceramic properties of Gadabiu clay deposit, Kwali Area Council, Abuja Nigeria.Methods. Soil samples from the study area were subjected to various physical and mechanical tests such as; X-ray diffraction (XRD), porosity, grain size distribution, cold crush strength, modulus of rupture, linear shrinkage, bulk density, water absorption, loss on ignition, moisture content, plasticity index and refractoriness.Findings. Results of XRD of the samples indicate that the deposit is of three crystalline components of quartz -64.73%, feldspar -6.05% and kaolinite -29.22%. XRD also identified the dominant oxide compositions of the clay to be silicon oxide and aluminum oxide; while titanium oxide and manganese oxide were found in traces. Laboratory analysis on physical properties of the clay like porosity, grain size distribution, cold crushing strength, modulus of rupture, linear shrinkage, bulk density, water absorption, loss on ignition, moisture content, plasticity index and refractoriness were carried out, and well presented in the paper.Originality. The results can be compared to standard requirements in clay soil for ceramic productions. Practical implications.The results from this investigation can guide intending investors in their decision making. It can also be used as supporting document when applying for mine license and bank loan.

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Some part of the Southern Benue Trough (Afikpo and Anambra Basins) has been mapped to determine the areas of occurrence of industrial minerals and to determine their lateral extent. The result shows that Southern Benue Trough is enriched with mostly industrial minerals of sedimentary and magmatic origin. The magmatism that occurred in the study area and its evolutionary processes led to mineralization of the study area. Interaction of the magma with host rocks gave rise to mineral genesis. The contamination and assimilation processes that occurred in the magmatic stage resulted to enrichment of minerals in the study area. The contact relationship of the magma with the host rock created a contact aureole though the resultant minerals (metamorphic minerals) of the contact aureole are not significant and exposed. The repetitive transgressive-regressive sedimentary cycle that occurred in the Southern Benue Trough probably resulted to the massive deposition of industrial minerals of sedimentary origin. The dominant and significant industrial minerals in Afikpo and Anambra Basins are sandstones (ferruginized sandstone, calcareous sandstones and carbonaceous sandstones), clay mineral (kaolinite), pebbles, igneous rocks of diverse levels of emplacement (intrusive/ extrusive), olivine , hematite, Feldspar, mica and quartz.

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