THE DIARY GAME: Saturday, 01.08.2020: THE FUN-FILLED FIELD EXPERIENCE
Hello, steemians...
I am from #Nigeria.
Hope all the steemians are doing great and safe. This is my first day in THE DIARY GAME: SEASON 2###. I am so excited to be part in the diary game.
Now, I am sharing my activities in today's diary game
I woke up early in the morning at around 8am due to the rainy yesterday...I was soo tired. I took a quick bath. Because I have to go to the field before its starts raining. After bathing, i drank a little cup of tea with two pieces of sliced baked bread.
Today got me here, the central sands of Akwa Ibom State in Nigeria…
As we do say “geology is best studied on the field”…so as a Geologist…today got me on the field
myself on the field (Source: Original- Yours truly)
Several Geologists have worked on the various aspects of Geology in Nigeria. Some are foreigners while some were Nigerians.
However, the Southern part of Nigeria is perhaps the most interesting because the Benin formation is predominantly sedimentary that's why I choose being here.
The aim of my visit to the field today’s is to get samples of clay from their different deposits that will be used for it's evaluation as industrial potentials and the area happened to be Akwa Ibom State.
The accessibility of this area is through Calabar Itu road, also along Uyo village road, Oron road, Abak road, Aka road and Ikot Ekpene road.
the valley and ridge terrain of the area (Source: Original- Yours truly)
The relief of this area lies entirely on the coastal plain of south-eastern Nigeria, around ltu, Itam, Ibiono and the land is intensely dissected into a broken "valley and ridge" terrain, the landscape of this area comprises a generally low-lying plain and riverine areas.
low lying plain of the area (Source: Original- Yours truly)
This area is quite very rough with a landscape comprising steep-sided hills, valleys and narrow-crested sandstone ridges. Settlements in these areas are restricted to a few isolated sites. Agriculture and the road network are also adversely affected. Soil erosion has intensified considerably especially where gullying takes place.
landscape affected by gully erosion (Source: Original- Yours truly)
The activities of gully erosion and villagers in digging of mudpit provided very good exposures of the lithographic succession of the area. The sections were measured on a bed to bed scale, described and sampled. The logging was carried out with the aid of measuring tape calibrated in meter for measuring the thickness of the bed and chisel was used to chip out fresh samples of the out crop. These samples were labeled using appropriate codes and then sealed in polythene bags.
During the course of my journey in the area, a total of seven clay samples were collected. The samples were collected with the aid of the following tools; hammer, sample bags, masking tape, measuring tapes, maker pen and global positioning system (G.P.S) and field notebook
clay samples gotten from the field (Source: Original- Yours truly)
Clay, as some of us know is considered a natural resource, and nature has given Akwa Ibom State in abundant clay minerals. However, this resource is of little or no value when taken from ground; clay companies cannot simply “dip and ship” for this reason, the clay is processed extensively in order to become value – added products used by consumers
During this trip, I went along side with my colleagues; strong and energetic as they was, I never felt reluctant! It was a journey with a whole basket of fun…!
my fellow colleague (Source: Original- Yours truly)
outcrop of clay in this area (Source: Original- Yours truly)
That was a hobby for me! Imagine facing the hurdles under the hot sun; I felt nature and creation!!! I felt life in a misery!!! Not just defeating the struggles; I went back home with a basket filled with beautiful and interesting gift of nature.
clay samples gotten from the field (Source: Original- Yours truly)
These…! A blue print for my further studies...
That was my activities for today...
Thank you