Abstract
Geophysical investigation using the 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) was carried out to assess the subsurface of Ugoneki and its environs in order to investigate for minerals. A total of six (6) traverses, 200 m long each, three (3) transverse lines were in the North-South direction and the other three (3) traverses in the West-East direction using the Wenner electrode configuration. 2D Wenner resistivity data were acquired along each traverse. The data were inverted to reveal a spatially continuous resistivity distribution in 2D within the study area. The 2D results reveal a depth of 39.6 m across each traverse. Resistivity values vary from 87.1 – 3423 Ωm in the entire study area. From the standard resistivity table, the following solid and non-metallic type of minerals can be delineated in the study area which is representative of sandy clay, lateritic clay sand, sandstone and limestone with resistivity values that range from 87.1 – 89.9 Ωm, 1201 – 1462 Ωm, 2069 – 3423 Ωm, and 2069 – 3423 Ωm respectively. The implication of this research is to know the type and the particular location where these non-metallic solid minerals are located in the subsurface for future exploration. The results of resistivity values are compared with those in the literature and are found to be in good agreement. In order to quantify these minerals, it is also recommended to use higher dimension (3D) of resistivity method (ERT) in the study area.
Highlights
Mineral exploration in Nigeria dates back to the geological expeditions by the colonial masters in the early part of the 19th century and this has resulted in economic development and has generated revenue
To-date, the most commonly applied geophysical approach in hard rock exploration is ground penetrating radar (GPR), which employs electromagnetic waves propagating through the rock that are reflected at discontinuities in the electromagnetic properties of the rock, e.g., at fractures or joints (Luodes et al, 2015, Rey et al, 2015)
Data Acquisition Six (6) traverses were acquired using Abem resistivity meter and Wenner electrode array configuration was applied in the study area and the base map shown in fig 1b displayed how sets of data were acquired in grid formats
Summary
Mineral exploration in Nigeria dates back to the geological expeditions by the colonial masters in the early part of the 19th century and this has resulted in economic development and has generated revenue. To improve minerals’ exploration and quarry design, a number of novel approaches are beginning to be considered (Telford et al 1990) This includes the use of noninvasive geophysical imaging techniques, which have the potential to map subsurface property distributions that are linked to variations in density, porosity, moisture or mineralogy (Luodes, 2008). Depending on the chosen geophysical method, operating any method with GPR can achieve high resolution (a few cm) to a depth of a few metres, as attenuation of the electromagnetic waves is comparably small in highly resistive hard rock environments as claimed by Rey et al (2017) and Elkarmoty et al (2017) We consider another potentially useful geophysical exploration technique, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT). Identifying potential minerals’ deposits that are essential for industry and economic growth of the nation, the study area (virgin area) was selected for geophysical
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