Comparative Ternary Imaging of Rock and Stream sediments Investigations at Ragga and its Environs part of Kurra Sheet 189 SW North-Central Nigeria

Twenty-nine (29) stream sediments were obtained with four (4) control point samples and sixteen (16) rock samples were collected in the field at Ragga and its Environs, North Central-Nigeria. The basement complex consists of banded gneiss, biotite gneiss (leucocratic and melanocratic), pegmatites, basalt and amphibolite and were analysed for rare and trace metals composition using XRF. The quantitative results were then used to generate the qualitative interpretation of the earlier work using ternary imaging. Ternary images were plotted for both the stream sediments and rock samples using the three grid channels from Oasis Montaj, which includes; the gold (Au), tin (Sn) and tantalum (Ta). Three apexes were used to depict compositions of gold, tin and tantalum. This allows comparison between gold (Au), tin (Sn) and tantalum (Ta) at once, every position or point on the ternary plot represents a different composition of the three elements in the study area. Ternary image for the relative abundance of gold (Au), silver (Ag) and tin (Sn) shows that tin is dominants in the sediments along the streams in the north-western part of Ungwan Maiganga, whilst silver tend to be more dominant in the sediments along the streams around Ragga Makaranta. Ternary image of the rocks samples for the relative abundance of gold (Au), tin (Sn) and tantalum (Ta) showed that the central part of the study area is relatively rich in tin. Gold is not prominent in the map and where it is seen the concentration is low (especially around Dutse Tudu). Tantalum is fairly seen in the northwestern of the area. The concentration of metals like Au, Ag, Pb, Zr, Sn and Ba are relatively low in the rock samples but higher in the stream sediments significant to warrant further investigation. The correlation of the topographic and the ternary Imaging maps shows the relative distribution of the trace elements (minerals) in the stream sediments indicating that areas with low elevation (topographic or basement lows) generally have high concentration of the rare metals, whilst areas with high elevation (topographic or basement highs) tend to have relatively low concentration of the rare elements. Mineralization in the study area tends to be concentrated in the north-western part of Ungwan Maiganga and around Ragga Makaranta that warrant further detail investigation.