CHAPTER ONE

PREAMBLE

1.0: Introduction

From the 25th of February to 27th of February 2011, the third-year geological engineering students
of University of Mines and Technology Tarkwa, embarked on a day field trip to Takoradi and its
environs, in the Western and Central Regions of Ghana.

The entire exercise began from Agona a town about 1km from Tarkwa through to Bonsaso,
Dixcove, Butre, Edna-Elmina, Esutwano, Kakum, Saltpond, Essipong, Sekondi, Monkey hill a
suburb of Takoradi, Takoradi port road and finally ended in Asemkwo as the last station. The trip
was under the supervision of Mr. R.S. Nartey and Dr. Anthony Ewusi.

1.1 Objectives
 The chief motive behind this exercise was to train students to become good materials for
various companies of relevance by exposing them to exploratory works.
 To study the outcrops in the areas, measure their attitudes in order to facilitate the preparation
of a geological report about the areas and the whole exercise.

 To enable students appreciate the practical aspect of the theoretical course studied and also to
boost students’ interest in the courses offered.
 Finally, this exercise is carried out to ascertain the truth behind the literature that has been
established, about the area under study, for ages.

1.3: Location And Accessibility

The Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Area, with Sekondi as the administrative capital, occupies
the south-eastern part of Western Region. It shares boundaries with Ahanta West, Shama and
Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem Municipal. It is located on the coast, about 200km west of
Accra. The land surface is well watered.

In general the whole area is reasonably accessible by roads or footpaths.

1.4: General Geology (literature)
The Paleozoic sedimentary sequence onshore between Dixcove and Cape Coast along the coast
of Ghana, consists from the oldest to the youngest, a conformable series of formations (The Ajua
Shale, Elmina Sandstone, Takoradi Sandstone, Takoradi Shale, Effia Nkwanta Beds,
Sekondi Sandstone and the Essikado Sandstone) which rest on crystalline basement complex
rocks of hornblende and biotite granites, gneisses, schist and granulites of the
Palaeoproterozoic Birimian Supergroup. The maximum sedimentary infill of the Sekondian
Group is about 1200m (Crow,1952).
The basement complex rocks maintain a non conformity with the oldest formation of the group
(i.e., Ajua Shales). The proportions of the rock types vary within each formation, but overall
sandstones dominate (about 55%) followed by shales/siltstones (40%) and conglomerates (5%)
(Crow,1952).

CHAPTER TWO
METHODOLOGY
2.0 Procedure
The following steps enumerate methods used to undertake the field mapping exercise
 The search for rock outcrops, exposures and other geological structures.
  Taking attitude of the beds to ascertain the trend and inclination of the beds.

 Noting the geographic location of the outcrops using survey techniques.

 Observing, analyzing, describing and drawing conclusion on the rocks identified.

 Correlating the rocks at different locations to establish contact zones.

The following instruments were employed during the field mapping exercise:
 Brunton compass  Cutlass

 Hand lens  Field note book

 Geological hammer

2.1 Outcrop Search and Identification

Rocks were identified as outcrops (natural cropping out of rocks), exposures (artificial cropping
out of rocks), and boulders (rocks detached from the underlying rock mass). Hammer test was
conducted on the rocks based on the principle sound. Outcrops produced high pitch sound when
struck with the hammer, exposures produced low pitch sound and weathered rocks produced no
sound. The hammer was also used to break parts of the outcrops to expose fresh surface for
mineralogical study under the hand lens in other to give field name to the different types of rocks
found.

2.2 Attitude Measurement

The compass was used to orient one’s self (that is to determine the true north). Attitude
measurements were taken using the Brunton compass. Magnetic declination of 6E was corrected
for the area and the dip direction and strike for foliations and veins were measured.
In measuring the strike, the compass was aligned with the foliation such that the fore sight was
away from the observer in other to take the forward bearing. The compass was adjusted until the
bubble was centered. The angle at the white end of the needle of the compass was read and
recorded into the field note book. A line that defines the horizontal axis of the compass was
drawn.
In other to measure the dip direction, the short axis of the compass was aligned with the already
drawn horizontal line so that the fore sight was away from the inclined plane. The compass was
adjusted until the bubble was centered. The angle indicated at white end of the needle of the
compass was read and recorded.

CHAPTER THREE
PETROGRAPHY
Outcrops observed in the various towns will be described on the basis of their mineralogy, grain
size, grain shape, texture and colour in this chapter.
3.0 Conglomerates
In Agona and Bonsaso, massive conglomerate outcrops and boulders were identified and
observed. These were generally blackish outwardly, but on breaking pieces of the rock a greenish
grey colour was observed. The clasts in these rocks were polymictic and pebbly because most of
the clasts were rounded and sub-rounded with few being angular. Some portions of the clasts
were imbricated and other portions poorly sorted, thus making the rock both clast-supported and
matrix-supported. Pebbles were fine grained in texture and had the same mineralogy as the
binding matrix. Most of the pebbles were identified to be sandstone, quartzite and alkali feldspar
with most showing evidence of foliation.
There was also evidence of leeched minerals from the surface exposure leaving the outer
portions with honey-comb vesicles and exfoliated as well.
It can be concluded that, the evidence of foliation in the pebbles found in the conglomerates in
the both towns occurred in the Brimian, got weathered and were transported and deposited in the
vicinity to form the Kware which is devoid of gold in the Tarkwaian.

Pebbly clasts depicting imbrications

3.1 Granitoids
In Dixcove, plutonic granitic rocks were the most abundant rock type encountered in the area.
They were hard, dark grey in colour and had medium to coarse grain sizes ranging from about
2mm to3mm. The rock was very mafic with biotite, plagioclase feldspar, and quartz as the most
dominant minerals. Most of these granites were weathered with some having pinkish colouration
which may be attributed to the breakdown of biotite to haematite. Also present in these rocks
were pegmatite intrusions coupled with a few dolerite and amphibolite xenoliths.

In Butre, a town off the Agona-Dixcove road, isolated dolerite rocks with granitic pillow lavas
were observed. The rocks were grayish in colour with angular granitic clasts held together by a
dolerite matrix.
It was concluded that, the environment may have been an already existing igneous environment
with a granitic magma intruding into the formation given rise to the complicated nature of the
rock. The formation of the pillow was most likely to have formed due to fast cooling of the
intruding magma probably in the water.
At Monkey Hill, a suburb of Takoradi just after the Paa Grant roundabout towards Sekondi,
massively weathered sandstones were observed on both sides of the road. Grain size was
medium and rounded exhibiting colour banding thus indicating different depositional regimes.
The grains were also well sorted with isolated pebbles.
Along the coast of Edna-Elmina, massive brown dark coloured sedimentary rock was identified
to be sandstone. These were layered ranging from about 10cm to 25cm in thickness, the various
layers were laminated as well. The beds dipped at an angle of 155° and striking at an angle of
65°, its dip amount was 42°. The grain sizes ranged from 1/16mm to 2mm and felt gritty when
felt in-between the fingers. The grain shape ranged from angular to sub-rounded and were very
well sorted.
The rusty brown colourisation was probably due to the oxidation of iron (Fe 3+) reacting with
water from the sea. Some structural features present were
 ripple marks
 lamination
 cross bedding.

The rocks, however had no fossils.

The joints observed in the rock were mostly along the general strike of the rock with a few across
the strike.
 Joints
.

Horny comb weathering

3.3 Siltstones and Shales

Westward of the village Asemkwa, a sedimentary outcrop believed to be shale(Adjua shale) was
observed. This sedimentary deposit was thinly laminated with high degree of foliation. It was
fine grained and sub rounded. There were intrusions within the sedimentary deposit believed to
have been fragments of granitoids and quarzites. The shale lies directly on the granitoids
demonstrating an unconformity because there was a break in the Birimian before the formation
of the Sekondian. There are also beach rocks eastwards of the village. It had reddish brown
colourisation due the presence of iron in the rock. Degree of sorting was poor.
Along the coast of Sekondi, iron rich feriginoius siltstones were observed. These displayed
zoning of minerals along certain joints. Other portions of the coast displayed a portion of the
Sekondian stratigraphy specifically the Efia-Nkwanta Sandstone comprising of shale, mudstone,
and sandstones. The massive structure had alteration of colours ranging from brown, cream,
reddish brown, grey and white. There was the presence of pinching and swelling implying the
existence of primary structures. Faults as well as ripple marks were observed.

Alternating layers
3.5 Pegmatites and Migmatites
At Saltpond, the rock observed was highly sericitic schist, brown in colour and fine to medium
grain sizes. There was the present of pegmatite intrusions within the country rock which had
undergone massive weathering. The pegmatite intrusion was of varied mineralogical
compositions including; quartz, mica and feldspars. It was observed that the micas in the vein
was disseminated and resistant to weathering, moreover the high feldspar content of the vein
were highly weathered to a very fine white powdery material identified to be Kaolin.
 Weathered plagioclase feldspar
CHAPTER FOUR
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.3 Conclusion
The field mapping exercise revealed in general geological structures in all areas visited and
confirmed the abundant occurrence of granitic rocks along the coast of the Central and Western
Regions. However some metamorphic and sedimentary rocks were observed in the form of
gneisses in Sekondi, and siltstones and sandstones respectively. Industrial minerals may be in
substantial amounts in the areas visited and hence detailed geological field mapping and studies
of the area would be beneficial for future use.

4.2 Recommendations
The whole exercise has contributed immensely to our knowledge in geology. On the other hand
there were some few short falls as far as the organization of the programme is concerned and I
would like to make the following recommendations which may rectify some of the problems.
 More lecturers should be made to go with the students to enhance the lecturer- student
interaction for better understanding.
 Enough equipment should be made available for students.