Appraisal of the magnetic and geothermal anomalies of bornu basin northeast nigeria involving aero-magnetic data

The Bornu Basin in northeast Nigeria was studied using high-resolution airborne magnetic data with the objective of improving the reliability of mapped magnetic and geothermal anomalies, and depth solutions. Necessary enhancement operations like analytic signal (ASIG), upward continuation, depth assessment methods involving standard Euler deconvolution (SED) and source parameter imaging (SPI) as well as spectral analysis applying the centroid technique were applied. The middle and southern parts are dominated by high frequency anomalies as revealed by the ASIG map. Furthermore, the magnetic data, when upward continued to 5 km, revealed avalanche of deeply buried igneous intrusions that created near-surface magnetic sources and geologic structures. Maximum thicknesses of sedimentary series estimated from SED and SPI, are respectively ~5974.7 and ~5885.3 m. These values correlate correlated relatively well with depth to the top boundary (Zt) of ~6550 m obtained from the centroid technique. These depth estimates reveal sequence of thick sediments overlying igneous intrusions and falls under the prospective geothermal anomaly zones characterised by high geothermal gradient (GG) (>55 °C/km) and heat flow (HF) (>130 mW/m2) values. Areas characterised by high geothermal anomalies correspond to igneous intrusion-dominated shallow Curie point depths (CPD or Zb)

Multispectral and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Data for Mineral Exploration and Environmental Monitoring of Mined Areas

In recent decades, remote sensing technology has been incorporated in numerous mineral exploration projects in metallogenic provinces around the world. Multispectral and hyperspectral sensors play a significant role in affording unique data for mineral exploration and environmental hazard monitoring. This book covers the advances of remote sensing data processing algorithms in mineral exploration, and the technology can be used in monitoring and decision-making in relation to environmental mining hazard. This book presents state-of-the-art approaches on recent remote sensing and GIS-based mineral prospectivity modeling, offering excellent information to professional earth scientists, researchers, mineral exploration communities and mining companies

Lithosphere 2021 : Eleventh symposium on structure, composition and evolution of the lithosphere

Programme and extended abstract

Seismic amplitude vs. offset and attribute analyses for mine planning at the Hannukainen Fe-Cu-Au mine site

A seismic reflection survey was carried out at the Hannukainen-Rautuvaara Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), and Gold (Au) deposits as part of the HIRE (High Resolution Reflection Seismics for Ore Exploration, 2007-2010) project. The main discovery from this survey was a regional structure showing three reflective layers dipping to the southwest. The top of this package of reflectors is currently planned to be mined at Hannukainen. The deeper parts of this package may have potential continuation of the economically viable deposits seen at shallow depths. In this work, a target-specific, amplitude-preserving workflow for profiles E1 and V5 of the Hannukainen-Rautuvaara HIRE seismic data will be formulated and applied. Then seismic amplitude vs. offset (AVO) and attribute analyses will be used to analyse the reflective layers and identify potential areas of interest for further study. This is a burgeoning area of seismic research, AVO analysis is typically used in hydrocarbon exploration and has only been sparsely used in hard rock settings for mineral exploration. Attribute analysis is more common in hard rock environments, but still underutilised. The seismic reflection data were re-processed focusing on retaining the high-frequency content of the seismic signal, this is key for further analysis. The results of the AVO analysis consist of determining the AVO class of the responses seen across the CMPs of two selected AVO horizons. AVO product and Poisson’s ratio change across the horizons were calculated, and an area of interest was identified from the correlation of these parameters. Attribute analysis was done using the seismic attributes envelope, first derivative envelope, Hilbert Transform, relative impedance, phase, weighted instantaneous frequency and dip. The amplitude attributes (envelope, first derivative envelope, Hilbert Transform, relative impedance) were useful in determining the areas of the reflector package that showed the strongest amplitudes and selecting horizons on the uppermost reflector for AVO analysis. Phase and weighted instantaneous frequency helped determine the continuity of the reflector package which revealed a clear four-layer signature, differing form the earlier three-layer interpretation. The dip attribute showed vertical anomalies, some of which correlated with mapped faulting in the area. Detailed interpretation of the geophysical results requires better borehole coverage, and petrophysical work, to tie in the seismic data results to the alteration and mineralisation. With open pit mine planning ongoing in the study area, the identification of deep-seated mineral deposits will have direct impact on the planning of the mine and the future of exploration in Hannukainen-Rautuvaara

NASA geology program bibliography

A bibliography of scientific papers, articles, and books based on research supported by the NASA Geology Program is given. The citations cover the period 1980 to 1990. An author index is included

Abstracts of the 1st GeoDays, 14th–17th March 2023, Helsinki, Finland

Non peer reviewe

Application des méthodes de géophysique et de télédétection à l'analyse du régolithe et de la géologie du Burkina Faso, Afrique de l'Ouest

Les parties les plus anciennes des continents, les cratons, sont au centre des recherches mondiales non seulement parce qu'ils représentent des contraintes primaires pour notre compréhension de l'évolution primitive de la Terre, mais aussi en raison de leur potentiel minier important. Ce travail contribue à la compréhension de l'évolution géologique et géomorphologique du craton ouest africain, par une analyse intégrée de géophysique aéroportée, des données de télédétection, et des observations acquises autour des ceintures de Houndé, Boromo et Banfora et des domaines des granitoïdes associés dans l'ouest du Burkina Faso. Les résultats de cette intégration suggèrent que les domaines de granitoïdes sont formés par de nombreux plutons, d’une taille petite et moyenne. Ainsi, les données magnétiques ont fourni une meilleure définition des formes réelles de ces plutons. Trois événements de déformation (D1-D3) peuvent être distingués dans l'ouest du Burkina Faso. L’unité de basalte tholéiitique à mégacristaux de plagioclase nous a permis d'établir des corrélations stratigraphiques entre les deux ceintures. Les structures D1 pénétratives, résultant d'une compression orientée EO à ONO-ESE sont généralement recoupées par les zones de cisaillement D2. Ces zones de cisaillement D2 représentent des zones de prospective pour l'exploration aurifère. La géométrie régionale du système est gouvernée par un raccourcissement coaxial des unités volcaniques rigides et par un rajout progressif des magmas granitiques. La dernière compression (D3), est tardi-éburnéene ou peut-être même panafricaine. La composition minéralogique des roches et de leurs surfaces d’altération peut être étudiée à l’aide de spectroscopie visible et infrarouge. Une nouvelle bibliothèque spectrale a été acquise, composée des mesures in-situ et en laboratoire (0,35–2,5 µm) des roches et des matériaux régolithiques. Les spectres de réflectance des roches montrent l'influence d’altérations typiques des zones semi-arides. Les absorptions caractéristiques de Fe-OH et Mg-OH sont observables dans les roches mafiques et volcaniques intermédiaires ainsi que dans les granodiorites et tonalites. Les absorptions Al-OH sont typiques pour les roches volcano-sédimentaires et sédimentaires, et les matériaux de régolithe. Les absorptions de fer ferrique et ferreux ont été observées dans la plupart des matériaux échantillonnés. Les spectres des sols reflètent partiellement la composition minérale de la surface des roches altérées. Les données de spectrométrie gamma aérienne, ASTER, Landsat et de radar polarimétrique, ainsi que les paramètres morphométriques dérivés du modèle numérique de terrain SRTM, ont été utilisés pour caractériser les unités de régolithe dans la zone de Gaoua. Une méthode de classification par réseaux de neurones a été appliquée à l'ensemble des données, et ensuite comparée à un classificateur par maximum de vraisemblance. Les meilleurs résultats ont été obtenus avec une combinaison de spectrométrie gamma et des dérivés du modèle numérique de terrain. L'approche démontre le potentiel des réseaux de neurones pour l'analyse combinée de géophysique aéroportée et de données de télédétection dans la cartographie de régolithe.The oldest parts of continents, so-called cratons, are the focus of worldwide research not only because they represent primary constraints for our understanding of the early evolution of the Earth, but also because of their significant mineral potential. This work contributes to the understanding of the geological and geomorphological evolution of the West African Craton, by an integrated analysis of airborne geophysical and satellite remote sensing data constrained by field structural, lithological, geophysical, and geomorphological observations acquired around Houndé, Boromo and Banfora greenstone belts and associated granitoid domains in western Burkina Faso. The results of this integration suggest that the granitoid domains of western Burkina Faso are formed by numerous small- to medium-sized plutons, and the magnetic data provided a better definition of the actual pluton shapes. Airborne gamma ray spectrometry data aided in the mapping process in areas with less regolith cover. Three deformation events (D1-D3) can be distinguished in western Burkina Faso. A megacrystic tholeiitic basalt unit allowed us to establish stratigraphic correlations between the two belts and propose a crustal scale anticline (D1). The D1 penetrative structures, resulting from an E-W to WNW-oriented compression are generally overprinted by the D2 transcurrent shear zones, which is well visible in the magnetic data. Previously unreported and already known S2 shear zones represent prospective areas for gold exploration. The regional-scale system geometry was controlled by coaxial shortening of stiffer volcanic units and coeval magma input. The last D3 N-S compression is either late-Eburnean or perhaps even Pan-African. The mineralogical composition of rocks and derived regolith surfaces may be assessed by visible and infrared spectroscopy. A new spectral library has been acquired consisting of in situ and laboratory 0.35 µm to 2.5 µm spectra of rocks and derived regolith materials. The reflectance spectra of rocks show the influence of typical arid to semi-arid weathering. Fe-OH and Mg-OH absorption features are observable in the mafic and intermediate volcanic rocks as well as in the granodiorites and tonalites. Al-OH absorptions are typical for volcano-sedimentary and sedimentary rocks, and regolith materials. Ferric and ferrous iron absorptions were observed in most of the sampled materials. The spectra of soils partially reflect the mineral composition of the weathered rock surfaces. Airborne gamma ray spectrometry data, ASTER, Landsat, and polarimetric radar data, along with morphometric parameters derived from the SRTM digital elevation model, were used to characterize four different regolith landform units in the Gaoua area. An artificial neural network classification was applied to the dataset and compared with a maximum likelihood classifier. The best results were obtained with a combination of gamma-ray spectrometry data and derivatives of the digital elevation model. The classification contributed to an increase in the accuracy of the distribution of the classified units and to an actualization of their respective shapes. The approach demonstrates the potential of neural networks for the combined analysis of airborne geophysical and remote sensing data in regolith landform mapping