Remote Sensing and Aeromagnetic Mapping for Iron Ore Mineralization in Parts of Kakanda and Its Environs, Northcentral Nigeria

Abstract

Kogi State, Northcentral Nigeria has been known for its iron ore deposits and Kakanda village is one of those places that possess iron ore deposits. However, little information about the extent and locations of possible iron ore mineralized zone is available due to limited researches in that area. Hence, this study utilized aeromagnetic and Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) datasets for the delineation of Iron ore deposits in Kakanda Village and its environs. Enhancement techniques such as residual magnetic amplitude and analytic signal amplitude carried out on the aeromagnetic data revealed the concentration of iron ore deposits especially in the southern, eastern and western parts of the study area. This is consistent with signatures derived from other data enhancement techniques involving the total horizontal derivative, tilt derivative and 3D Euler deconvolution technique which were principally used to map structures guiding mineralization in the study area. Furthermore, analyses of the ASTER dataset using the true and false color composite and combination of band ratios indicate the occurrence of iron oxide and clay alterations relating to iron ore mineralization in the study area. It was observed that the signatures relating to iron ore mineralization of the aeromagnetic data and ASTER dataset are consistent with each other. The overlap of these signatures was used to produce the iron ore prospectivity map of the study area. The study showed that areas of delineated lineaments coincide with areas of iron ore mineralization. In the same vein, areas of dense lineaments coincide with areas of iron ore mineralization especially in the southern and eastern parts of the study area. The study area therefore concluded that mineralization in the study area is structurally controlled. Hence, further exploration activities should be focused on areas where there is an evident overlap of lineament and iron ore mineralization in the study area.