Vol. 6 No. 1 (2023): The Reality of Women in Science

• Ogah, V. E.
  Department of Geology, Benue State Polythenic, Ugbokolo
  

Three ground water samples were analyzed at Spectral LaboratoryServices; Tudun Wada, Kaduna using XRF analysis to determinethe elemental concentration of the samples. The physicochemicalparameters of the water samples were also ascertained in thelaboratory. This hydro-geochemical investigation was aimed atdetecting economic mineral resources in Benue State, Nigeria.Geological, radioactive, biogeochemical, geo-botanical and hydro-geochemical prospecting techniques were highlighted as guides todiscovery of ore minerals. The research failed to discover anomalousconcentration of elements that would serve as indicator to theoccurrence of a viable mineral deposit in the study areas. It may besaid that there is no sharply increased content of any element; highabove its threshold value in the sample results, that is indicative ofhigher than average content of the element in the soil, and possiblybedrock, which could serve as a pointer to a corresponding solidmineral deposit. From the study carried out, it is found that Ogyomaground water has the best quality for drinking and other domesticuses. This is because the elements contained in the water are withinpermissible concentration levels as compared with WHO, EU andNigeria standards for drinking water on table 8. This is in contrastto Kertyo groundwater with high content of undesirable elements,which makes it unsuitable for domestic uses.

Keywords: X-ray Fluorescence, Mineral Resources,Physicochemical parameters, Surface alteration zones