Geophysical Investigation for Mineral Prospecting of Some Parts of Eastern Sokoto Sedimentary Basin Nigeria

An appraisal of aeromagnetic data lying between latitude 12 0 N to 13 0 N and longitude 4 0 30”E to5 0 30”E comprising Argungu, Dange Tanbuwal and Gumi was carried out with a view to understanding the structural trends of interest for mineral exploration. A set of aeromagnetic data obtained from the Nigerian geological survey Agency was gridded to produce the total magnetic intensity (TMI) map of the study area, followed with a polynomial fitting to remove the regional anomaly from the total magnetic intensity so as to obtain the residual anomaly. The analysis was preceded by production of Shaded relief map depicting the profile of contact solution, shaded relief map of the profile dyke solution as well as magnetic susceptibility values of structures in each profile was analyzed. The result obtained from the profile contact and profile dyke solution showed an abnormal trend behavior which swept from southwest (SW) towards the center and the Northwest (NW) of the study area. The contacts and dyke solutions can be seen as arranged on the profiles, some portions being highly concentrated than other portions as they were arranged on their respective profiles indicating the possibility of much structural bodies or host for potential minerals. This is evident as the case maybe from the depth values obtained in Werner depth analysis performed with corresponding depth values for both Shallow and deeper bodies indicating the presence of geologic contacts and weak zones highlighting dyke-like bodies which might serve as host to the minerally controlled fluid around the area. Likewise results obtained from the magnetic susceptibility values in all the three profiles of the study area showed a number of structures possessing high and low magnetic susceptibility values indicating different types of minerals at different distance along the area at different depths. Minerals such as schist and limestone are likely to be present.