Geochemical Treatment of Stream Sediment Data from River Ipala Drainage Basin, Guguruji, Southwestern Nigeria: Implication for Mineralization

Metallic mineralization has been suspected within an extensive drainage basin of River Ipala, Guguruji, of Egbe-Isanlu schist belt, Southwestern Nigeria. The area which has not been subjected to modern methods of mineral exploration as at the time of this research has no information available on the concentration and dispersion pattern of minerals in the basin. This study therefore focuses on the statistical treatment of the stream sediments data and its metallic prospects. Twenty-five composited stream sediments samples were analyzed for trace element concentrations. The statistical treatment of the data provided parameters such as descriptive statistic, correlation matrix and factor analysis of the variables. The Descriptive statistics provided mean, standard deviation and skewness of the distribution, while correlation matrix identified Au, As, Br, Cr, Sb, Sc, Cu, Ni, Zn, S, Ag, and Pb as associates with various loadings. Factor analysis yielded a five-factor model high loadings that accounted for 83.69% cumulative variance; four of which are mineralization related: Sc-Ni-Zn and Cu-Pb on one hand and single ore metals such as Au and Ag on the other, while the Br-S is lithology related. The study therefore identified areas with high elemental concentrations, and metallic associations that holds potential for Au and base metal deposits in the basin.