GEOPHYSICAL INVESTIGATION OF NSUKKA

AREA FOR MINERAL DEPOSITS

BY

Igwe, Emmanuel Awucha, Yakubu, John Akor and

Idike, Julius Igboji

Email: emmanuel.igwe@unn.edu.ng
 Outline:

Introduction

Study Area

Source of Data

Method

Results and Discussion

Conclusion
 Introduction
Geophysical techniques are used to assess the

physical properties of soil, rocks and ground water.

 This is based on their response to:

either various parts of the electromagnetic (EM)
spectrum including;
gamma rays, visible light, radar, microwave, and radio
waves
or acoustic and/or seismic energy,
or other potential fields, such as gravity and the earth’s
magnetic field.
 Introduction

Gravity Method
This method depends on Newton’s law of gravity:
Introduction

Gravity Method
Introduction

Gravity Method
 The Study Area

Nsukka environment lies between Latitudes 60 18’ and

70 06’ north and longitude 60 52ꞌ and 70 53 ꞌ east.

It covers a total surface area of approximately 3,961

square kilometres (Ofomata, 1978).
 The Study Area

Nsukka area consist of three major geologic formations:

Mamu, Ajali and Nsukka formations.

The Mamu formation consists of fine-medium grained, white

to grey sandstones, shaly sandstones, sandy shales, grey
mudstones, shales and coal seams.
 The Study Area

The Ajali formation consist of poorly sorted

sandstones that are iron-stained. It has average
thickness of about 300m.

It is overlain by considerable thickness of red earth;

formed by the weathering and ferruginisation of the
formation.
 The Study Area

Nsukka formation has a lithology very similar to

Mamu formation.
It consists of dark shale, sandy shale and sandstone
alternating with each other, with thin coal seams at
various horizons.
Nsukka formation lies on the Ajali sandstone.
The Study Area
 Source of Data

Airborne Bouguer Gravity anomaly data were obtained in XYZ

format Nigerian Geophysical Survey Agency (NGSA).

The data were obtained from the 2008 survey done by Fugro
under the supervision of NGSA.

X and Y are distance in meters measured along east and north

direction respectively, while Z is the Bouguer Gravity anomaly
values measured in miligal.
The data obtained from NGSA gridded and 2-D maps
produced for interpretation.

Bouguer Gravity anomaly map produced shows a

contour interval of 0.5 mgal.

Maximum and minimum gravity anomaly of about 33

mgal and -4 mgal respectively.
 Methodology
First vertical derivative map was obtained
from the Bouguer anomaly map using
Oasis Montaj software.

First vertical derivative applied to gravity

data amplifies the high -frequency
anomalies due to shallow sources
(Nabighian, 1984).
 Methodology
A second vertical derivative (SVD) map of
was also obtained from the Bourger Gravity
data using FFT.

The result shows an enhanced anomaly or

residual map related to the input gravity.
 Methodology

Euler depth estimation method and forward and inverse

modelling were employed to estimate the depth to the
anomalous bodies.

Euler 3-D processing routine automatically locates and

determines geologic interpretation by delineating magnetic
and gravimetric boundaries and calculating source depths.
 Methodology
According to Hood (1965), the vertical
component of gravity anomalous field Tz, which
must satisfy the Euler’s homogeneity equation
is given by:

(x-xo)Tz x + (y-yo)Tzy + (z-zo)Tzz = N(Bz-Tz) ,

where, Tz is the gravity anomalous field (vertical

component) of a body having a homogeneous
gravity field.
 Methodology
xo, yo and zo are the unknown coordinates of the source
body centres or edges to be estimated and x, y and z
are the known coordinates of the observation point of
the gravity and the gradients.

The values Tzx, Tzy and Tzz are the measured gravity
gradients along the x, y and z directions.

N is the structural index, which is a measure of the rate

of change with distance of a field (Thompson, 1982)
and Bz is the regional value of the gravity.
 Methodology

Forward and inverse modelling involves iterative

trial and error method.

A trial model is fitted to the observed data to

obtain a match or best fitted model which can
be use to interprete the data.

This was done using PotentQ 3D modelling

software, an Oasis Montaj Geosoft software
extension.
 Results and Discussion

The Bouguer anomaly map shows positive and

negative anomalies.

This indicates a density contrast; a dense

material beneath the southern part of the study
area.

The eastern part is covered with a very low

density material, while the green and yellow
coloured areas have little or no density contrast.
Results and Discussion
 Results and Discussion

The result of first vertical derivative shows that ,

causative bodies are scattered around the
center, northern, eastern and southern parts.

The western part still shows little or no density

contrast.

Second vertical derivative was also applied and

this enabled us to locate the boundaries of the
causative bodies.
Results and Discussion
Results and Discussion
 Results and Discussion

The parameters of interest from the

source bodies were obtained from
Euler depth estimation method and 3D
forward and inverse modelling.

The depth estimated using Euler

method ranged between 89.13m and
2296.92m.
Results and Discussion
 Results and Discussion

Profile one: the density of the causative body

obtained was 1498kg/m3 which is in the range of clay
material and the depth was about 923m from the
surface.

From profiles two, four and five, the densities of the

causative bodies were 3523, 4127 and 3707kg/m3,
while depths to the surface were about 604, 815 and
1893m respectively.

These densities correspond to that of ironstone.

 Results and Discussion

Finally, from profile three, 2508kg/m3

(sandstone) was obtained as the density of
the causative body in the area, located at a
depth of about 268m below the surface.

This represents the most prolific aquifer in

the study area. Its depth agreed with some
of the depths obtained in UNN environs
(Ofomata, 1978).
Results and Discussion
 Conclusion

This work has also shown that, Nsukka area has

exploitable minerals like:
clay, sandstone and ironstone
that are suitable for ceramic and glass production.

The depth range in the area suggests that the area is

also suitable for hydrocarbon generation,
if other conditions for hydrocarbon accumulation are
favourable.
Thanks for listening