Application of Aeromagnetic Data to Assess the Structures and Solid Mineral Potentials in Part of North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Assessment of the structures and solid minerals was carryout to investigate subsurface structural characteristics and mineralization potential zones within part of north-central Nigeria. The residual magnetic intensity data of the area was reduced to magnetic pole after which several source edge detection/interpretation with depth determination techniques including, analytic signal; tilt derivative; first and second vertical derivatives and Euler deconvolution were applied to the aeromagnetic data. From the analytic signal map, three magnetic zones were delineated. These are: low to relatively low magnetic zone (LM) with amplitude range from 0.003 to 0.009, moderate magnetic zone (MM) with amplitude 0.009 to 0.106 and those with amplitudes above 0.106 were products of later magmatic intrusions into host with fractures, faults and joints. Tilt derivative helped in delineating location and extent of edges of causative sources while Euler deconvolution helps in determination of boundary, depth and geometry of the structures. From first vertical derivative map,structures were found to have high lineament density around the central portion of the area and span toward the western end of the map were delineated. The lineaments mapped trending in the ENE-WSW followed by WNW-ESE with some NE-SW, NNE-SSW and NNW-SSE trends. The second vertical derivative (SVD) map also helped in delineating structures and possible mineralization zones that are pronounced within the study area, around high analytic signal zones. Delineated possible and favorable mineralization zones from second vertical derivative map correlate with portion of the study area with rocks showing high analytic signal amplitude suggesting the rocks to be of later magmatic intrusions where mineralization fluids solidify within the host rocks.