GEOCHEMICAL SOIL SURVEY OF ERUKU AND ENVIRONS SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Geochemical exploration of Eruku and its environs within Osi Migmatite gneiss complex and Egbe Schist belt was carried out using soil survey. A total twenty five samples collected from the B-horizon at a depth of20cm-25cm were selected and analysed for trace and rare earth element concentration. The analytical results were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis; univariate analysis and geochemical distribution map (Isograde) were also plotted for the elements. The multivariate statistical analysis reveals a total of eleven factor groups, five of which are related to mineralization. The correlation coefficients of some selected elements show that Be is strongly correlated with Rb, Ga, Sn and Ta while Nb is strongly correlated with Ta. The area and bar charts show that the highest concentrations of Be, Nb, Sn and Ta are in the northeastern part of the study area. The isograde plots show that almost all the elements have their peaks in the northeastern part of the study area. The integration of all the analysis reveals that the study area has anomalous concentration of cassiterite, tantalite and columbite minerals hosted by pegmatites that intrude the country rocks. This work in Eruku therefore establishes similarity in the mineralization type and their host rock with those in Egbe.