Distribution of Minerals and Elemental Contents of Soils from Termiteria

Abstract

Geozoological method of prospecting for minerals is one of the easier, cheaper and indirect ways of assessing mineral deposit. The current work assessed the distribution of minerals and elemental contents of termiteria and 10 M adjacent soils in Yola south local government areas of Adamawa state, Nigeria during rainy and dry season. X- ray diffraction (XRD) method of analysis was used for identification of the minerals present in the samples while the elemental contents of the samples were determined by the used of X-ray fluorescence (XRF) method. Eight minerals were identified in the study area and in terms of abundance can be arranged thus: quartz > rutile >(corundrum and ulvospinel) > ( almandine, montmorillonite, microcline and wulfenite). Quartz and rutile were the most abundant minerals identified in the study area. XRF analysis of the samples determined nine major elements which include: Al, Si, K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Ti, while seventeen trace elementswere determined namely; Ni, Cr, V, Cu, Ba, Zn, Sr, As, Ir, Pb, Ga, Rb, Zr, Yb, Eu, Re, and Ag. The results are presented as mean of three replicate measurements and their standard deviations. Si has the highest value ranging from (52.90 ± 0.27 – 51.60 ± 0.08)% in termiteria soil,( 60.0 ± 0.60 -51.20 ± 0.16 )% in 10 M soil. Kis second with range of values,(11.20 ± 0.08 – 4.53 ± 0.15)% in termiteria soil,(14.70 ± 0.23 –4.64 ± 0 .07)%in 10 M soil.