Application of ground geophysical data to the uranium occurrences of El-Erediya area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

Abstract

Ground geophysical surveys were conducted in l-Erediya prospect area, located in the Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. These surveys include ground magnetic and spectrometric. The integration of the results obtained from the magnetic data, aided by geological information, led to the construction of basement tectonic map for the area under consideration. Gamma-ray spectrometric data revealed that the jasperoid veins, faults zones and fracture zones in the El-Erediya area are reflected by the highest spectrometric concentration, whereas granites are reflected by the highest radioactivity rock unit in the area; the amphibolites show up with the lowest radiometric level. The qualitative and quantitaive analysis of the observed magnetic anomalies in relation to the main structural and lithologic manifestations reveals that the average depth to the causative magnetic bodies lies within the basement complex, at two disturbing interfaces 80 and 250 m. From the application of the autocovariance function to the different magnetic and spectrometric data of the studied area, one can state that: there might by radioelement mineralization (U) controlled by WNW structural and having a deep seated fault system; there might be radioelement mineralization (K, eTh) controlled by NW structural and having a deep seated fault system; the EW near surface structure is of shallow origin.