Geochemical Investigation of Cassiterite at Bisichi Kara II and Kuru-Jentar, Plateau State, Nigeria Using X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (XRF)

Abstract

Ebikemefa E Clinton, Stephen J Mallo, Caleb K Aluwong, Martins Basu

Background: Artisanal Mining of Cassiterite at Bisichi (Kara II) and Kuru-Jentar is a very tedious activity that is carried out by artisanal miners. It involves the use of primitive tools like digger, spade, shovel and to mention afew. Most of the artisanal mining activity in the study area is done with no prior knowledge about the geochemical constituent of the mineral deposit in the area but in order to solve the above stated problem, a geochemical analysis was conducted on the obtained samples of cassiterite from the study area and a geologic map of the mining pit was digitized using Ilwis 3.1 academic and Surfer 12.

Result: A random sampling method was used to obtain ten (10) samples of cassiterite from the various visited pit at the study area with each weighing 10g. A laboratory analysis was also conducted using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis which shows that samples from Pit 1 to Pit 5 in the mine site at Kuru-Jentar has 44.45% - 44.9% of Tin (Sn) and 7.86% - 9.00% of Iron (II) oxide (Fe2O3) while samples from Pit 5 to Pit 10 in the mine site at Bisichi (Kara II) has 28.2% - 32.2 % of Tin (Sn) and 15.57% - 16.67% of Iron II oxide (Fe2O3).

Conclusively, an understanding of the geochemical constituent of a mineral deposit within a given study area would help increase the knowledge of miners and also attract interested investors.

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