Petrographic and SEM-EDS Analysis of Riruwai Cassiterite Ore in North Western Nigeria

The petrographic and SEM-EDS analysis of Riruwai cassiterite ore located in Doguwa Local Government, Kano State, Nigeria was carried out using appropriate Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and optical microscope. Five representative samples of the ore were taken at intervals 50 m apart, pulverized and thoroughly mixed to give appropriate representation of the entire ore. The results obtained from SEM analysis showed that the cassiterite-bearing minerals are separated from other minerals in the ore by smooth grain boundaries that make it easily to be free from other associated minerals simply by comminution. The petrographic study using optical microscope revealed that the cassiterite-bearing minerals contains annite, microcline, cassiterite, and quartz. The petrological analysis results also reveal that the cassiterite structures are in the form of plates and river lines, which are the characteristics of cassiterite. The dark areas are mixture of cassiterite and silicate minerals. Based on the quality of the ore in comparison with cassiterite ores from other parts of Nigeria and based on the results obtained in this research work, it has been suggested that Riruwai Cassiterite ore can be a potential source of tin ore as raw material for tin production.