Geological, Geochemical and Geoelectrical Prospecting for Ore Mineral Resources in Garatu, North Central Nigeria

Abstract

Gindira Mine is located in Garatu town, within North Central Nigerian basement complex. Profit from the mine is now waning, and sustaining mining activity requires defining new mine prospects in the town. The new prospects were defined by interpreting Global Digital Elevation Model (GDEM), elemental composition data of foliated rocks acquired using Energy Dispersive Fluorimeter (EDXRF) equipment, Electrical Resistivity (ER), Spontaneous Potential (SP) and Induced Polarisation (IP) sounding data. Dextrally faulted lineaments observed on GDEM are schist and amphibolite with granite and granodiorite intrusions. Elemental composition analysis revealed concentration of gold, nickel, zinc and cobalt are above 400 ppm between longitudes E6.400° to E6.410° and latitudes N9.468° to N9.471°. Copper coexists with gold in concentration above 300 ppm in the southeastern part. The ore minerals are disseminated within rock outcrops.Their subsurface occurrence is indicated by coincidence of 18 to 32 ms IP values with 20 to 30 mv SP values within low ER interval. Massive ore minerals are probably indicated by -90 mv SP values associated with 19.65 m ER within 7 m half current electrode spacing at E6.397° and latitude N9.470° location. Generated new mining prospects are between (1) longitudes E6.400° to E6.410° and latitudes N9.460° to N9.477° and (2) longitudes E6.400° to E6.415° and latitudes N9.480° to N9.495°.