Nickel Deposit Depth Estimation Using Source Parameter Imaging and Euler Deconvolution of Aeromagnetic Data of Bakin Kogi and its Environs in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna state

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the depth of Nickel deposit in Bakin Kogi – Dangoma region, which lies between latitude 901''and 9027'N and longitude 8000' and 8017' E. The study area is located in Jema’a local government area of Kaduna state. The data was gridded using Oasis Montaj® to produce Total magnetic Intensity Map (TMI) of the area, and further subjected to some filtration processes in order to obtain regional and residual map of the study area. Enhancement methods such as first vertical derivative and analytic signal methods were applied to the residual map to delineate the area with potential Nickel deposit. The quantitativemethod applied were source Parameter Imaging and Euler Deconvolution to determine the various depths of Nickel deposit. From the results of the TMI map and the residual map, the magnetic intensity of the study area was between 32976.5 to 33093.3 nT and 32963.6 to 33072.9 nT respectively with Bakin kogi-Dangoma region, having the highest magnetic intensity of about 33093.3nT and 33072.9 nT respectively. The study area has a high magnetic intensity due to nickel deposit because Nickel ore environment are notable with recognizable “magnetic stratigraphy”, prospective mafic-ultramafic contact, typified by strong magnetic contrast. Abrupt changes in the magnetic intensity infer position of the outer contact of a Nickel bearing zone. The results on the superimposed analytic map on the lineament map showed regional lineaments in Bakin kogi-Dangoma region trending NE -SW, ENE – WSW and NNE – SSW directions. The fractures and faults seen around the study area were strongly associated with minerals deposit. The results of Source Parameter Imaging (SPI) gave a depth of shallower magnetic sources ranges from 92.7 to 116.0 m with an average depth value of 104.35 m while the depth of deeper magnetic sources ranges from 651.2 to 976.2 m with an average depth of 813.7 m. The results obtained from 3D Euler deconvolution which was associated with dykes (SI = 1) anomaly produced at a shallower depth range of 100 - 700 m. Results obtained, shows a correspondence between the depths results obtained from the SPI and that of the Euler Deconvolution methods, indicating correlation in the magnetic depth estimation.