6TH International Congress on Technology - Engineering - Kuala Lumpur3 - Malaysia (2018-07-19)

Application Of High Resolution Spatial Data To Groundwater And Mineral Exploration In Igbeti Schist Belt, Southwestern Nigeria

In an attempt to enhance the economy of Nigeria through exploitation of mineral resources and a prospect to establish the essential data required to sufficiently facilitate groundwater prospecting in a hard rock terrain of southwestern Nigeria, this study aimed at establishing significant geologic features associated with solid minerals and groundwater occurrence in Igbeti schist belt. It focused on residualization and analysis of high resolution aeromagnetic and Landsat8 data, using spatial analyst extension of Geographic Information System (GIS) and 2D Fast Fourier transform filters. Visual and automated models of the landform types and relief, range of false color composition and alternating magnetic anomalies within range –338.3 to 208.0 nT (Fig. 2b) revealed the contrasting lithologic units in the basement rock of the area while magnetic gradient maps revealed prominent NE – SW structural trend associated with brittle deformation and relict imprints of Pan African orogeny and as such exhibits features such as faults and fractures. The minerals are confined within fractures which also transforms to secondary porosity and permeability for northeast - south trending groundwater flow. The marble, gabbros, amphibolites and muscovite mineralogy in the west and north – north central regions of the area are structurally controlled and could have been deposited in the quartz vein, schist and sheared zone through intrusion of hydrothermal fluids. The groundwater prospect of the area is dependent on degree of slope, fracturing or weathering and relief; as corroborated by mean yield of 1.6 litres/second and 0.32 litres/second for boreholes drilled at downslope and upland respectively.
Nurudeen Olasunkanmi, Lukman Sunmonu, Moruffdeen Adabanija