INTRODUCTION
Development of man has been characterized by the quest to utilize the vast mineral resources available to him. All over the world, the solid mineral; has played vital role in the emerging civilization. Mineral resources is defined as a concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid or gases mineral in or on the earth crust in such a form and amount that economic extraction of the commodity from the concentration is currently or potentially feasible1. To sustain the technological based society of this present age, demands for commodities obtained from these minerals are increasing and exploration for these commodities has become imperative.
Among several mineral deposits in Nigeria are bauxite deposits found in four states of the federation, and they are Plateau, Ondo, Ekiti, and Adamawa states2.
The word bauxite is used mainly for lithified and non lithified residual weathering product which is rich in alumina and low in alkali metals, alkali earth metals. It comprise mainly one or more of hydrated aluminum mineral; Gibbsite, Boehmite, and Diaspore with other impurities such as silica, iron oxides, titanium oxide and other elements in minor to trace amount3.
Bauxite has found so many uses for a long time. It has been the major source of aluminum hydroxide which itself has wide application as a major raw material in the production of aluminum sulphate (alum), as well as aluminum production by the Bayer process -
