Assessing mineral potential of the Riruwai Complex, Nigeria, using gamma-ray spectrometry: Implications for mineral exploration and development

Abstract

Nigeria's aspiration to develop a competitive mineral sector that generates wealth and enhances social and human security can be realized through the effective discovery of more mineral resources. This study assesses the mineral potential of the Riruwai Complex using gamma-ray spectrometry data. The findings illustrate the effectiveness of gamma-ray spectrometric signatures in identifying changes linked to hydrothermal Nb-Ta-Sn mineralization, uncovering distinct spectral patterns of radioelement zoning that align with mineralogical variations within the granitic pluton. Reductions in K/Th and K/U ratios point to alterations in the granitoid plutons, ranging from aegirine arfvedsonite granite to albite arfvedsonite granite and biotite granite, which display more extensive alteration. This alteration results from the breakdown of potash feldspar and the depletion of radioelements during the late stages of magmatic differentiation, when highly felsic granites with potentially high concentrations of Sn, Nb, U, and Zn are emplaced. This study underscores gamma-ray spectrometry as a valuable tool in mineral exploration, with potential application in areas of similar geological settings with unknown mineralization. It will contribute to Nigeria's mineral database and support the country's progress toward domestic industrialization and a stronger position in the global market.