Geological and geochemical analyses of Cretaceous oil Shales from the Babouri-Figuil Basin (Northern Cameroon): Implication for Provenance, Paleo-Weathering Conditions and tectonic environment

Geological and geochemical analyses of Cretaceous oil Shales from the Babouri-Figuil Basin (Northern Cameroon): Implication for Provenance, Paleo-Weathering Conditions and tectonic environment | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Case Report Geological and geochemical analyses of Cretaceous oil Shales from the Babouri-Figuil Basin (Northern Cameroon): Implication for Provenance, Paleo-Weathering Conditions and tectonic environment Alexis Jacob Nyangono Abolo, Augustin Desire Balla Ondoa, Cecile Olive Mbesse, and 3 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8984271/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract A detailed study of the Babouri-Figuil Basin oil shale in northern Cameroon was carried out, incorporating lithological, mineralogical, petrographical and geochemical analyses. Oil shales from Mayo-Figuil and Mayo-Tafal series were studied to determine their type and composition, to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and the tectonic of the basin. The results obtained are as follows: lithologically, both series contain conglomerates, sandstones, limestones, clays, schistose marls and oil shales. Four oil shale types were observed named: black oil shale in thin sheets; black oil shale in slabs; dark- grey oil shale cut into blocks and black oil shale cut into blocks. Oil shale samples include both organic and inorganic matter. Mineral phases consist mainly of quartz, feldspars, cooperite, analcime, kaolinite, smectite and illite. The major elements are dominated by SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and CaO. Trace elements are dominated by Fe, Ca, Ti and In. The oil shales are immature (ICV: 1.36–9.54) and classified as Fe-shale, litharenite, wake and sublitharenite. The Al₂O₃/TiO₂ and Zr vs. TiO₂ diagrams indicate that, the inorganic matrix is derived from intermediate and mafic igneous rocks and quartzose sediments of a felsic origin. The composition of source rock is similar to granite, granodiorite with some volcanic material and have undergone weak, intermediate and intensive chemical weathering, as well as intensive erosion, under dry and humid tropical climate. Sedimentation in the basin is the result of oxic and anoxic conditions. Concerning tectonic, sediments from Babouri-Figuil Basin were mainly deposited in passive and active continental-margin settings, in fluvial and lacustrine environments. Oil shale major and trace elements weathering paleoenvironment tectonic setting Babouri-Figuil Basin Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 13 May, 2026 Reviews received at journal 11 Apr, 2026 Reviews received at journal 08 Apr, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers agreed at journal 11 Mar, 2026 Reviewers invited by journal 09 Mar, 2026 Editor assigned by journal 09 Mar, 2026 Submission checks completed at journal 01 Mar, 2026 First submitted to journal 27 Feb, 2026 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8984271","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Case Report","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":604660775,"identity":"42ea4932-00d4-4fac-868e-1e644183250a","order_by":0,"name":"Alexis Jacob Nyangono 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Oil shales from Mayo-Figuil and Mayo-Tafal series were studied to determine their type and composition, to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and the tectonic of the basin. The results obtained are as follows: lithologically, both series contain conglomerates, sandstones, limestones, clays, schistose marls and oil shales. Four oil shale types were observed named: black oil shale in thin sheets; black oil shale in slabs; dark- grey oil shale cut into blocks and black oil shale cut into blocks. Oil shale samples include both organic and inorganic matter. Mineral phases consist mainly of quartz, feldspars, cooperite, analcime, kaolinite, smectite and illite. The major elements are dominated by SiO₂, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and CaO. Trace elements are dominated by Fe, Ca, Ti and In. The oil shales are immature (ICV: 1.36\u0026ndash;9.54) and classified as Fe-shale, litharenite, wake and sublitharenite. 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