Abstract

Samples of stream sediments were collected in some parts of Iseyin-Oyan river schist belt, with a view to determining their elemental concentration and identifying geochemical anomalies associated with mineralization in the area. The geologic units consist of predominantly amphibolite schist with minor occurrences of coarse porphyritic biotite granite, quartzite and quartz schist. Chemical analysis was carried out on twenty stream sediment samples collected from rivers within the study area using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP - MS) technique. The samples analyzed are characterized by regional variations in the average concentration of each constituent element like Au, As, Co, Mo, Mn, Pb, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr and Ni. Elemental concentration in each sample varies in the following range Mo (0.1 to 3.8 pm), Cu (5.9 to 63.4 ppm), Pb (16.5 to 76.1 ppm), Zn (11.0 to 55.0 ppm), Ni (1.5 to 45.5 ppm), Co (2.3 to 95.6 ppm), Mn (153.0 to 8180 ppm), Fe (0.38 to 9.11%), As (0.00 to 5.6 ppm), Au (0.5 to 5.6 ppb) and Cr (14.9 to 331 ppm). The average concentration obtained for each element is too low to indicate presence of mineralization in the study area when compared to average concentration obtained for similar elements in other schist belts with proven mineralization. The result generally revealed that the average metal content for the elements are due to lithogenic influence of the underlying bedrock. The mean metal content are however too low for mineralization to occur within the study area.

Key words: Elemental concentration, Iseyin-Oyan, mineralization, Schist belt, anomaly