Interpretation of Ground Magnetic Data, Over Suspected Gold Deposit in Gwam, Paikoro LGA Niger State

Abstract

An interpretation of the ground magnetic data over suspected gold deposit using proton procession magnetometer and to determine the depth of gold deposits was carried out in Gwam area of Paiko LGA, Niger State. The Geotron Model G5 Proton Memory Magnetometer was used in interpreting the data of two hundred and nine (209) magnetic stations in twenty-six (26) profiles, while the Garmin(Oregon 550) GPS was used in measuring direction and orientation of profile lines. The survey area was 500m and twenty six (26) profiles were created with a spacing of 20m. On every profile line, a magnetic base station was established, total magnetic field reading and time were measured after every 1minute 30seconds on every station. Raw Magnetic data collected on the field sheet were transferred on the excel sheet for diurnal and IGRF corrections and the residual anomaly and the latitude and longitude was transferred into the originpro8 software for the production of a colored contour map. The colored map aided the visibility of a wide range of anomalies in the magnetic map and the ranges of their intensities were also shown. The result shows that low magnetic intensities dominated the entire study area and it also correlates with properties of a diamagnetic material.Since gold is a diamagnetic material, it means that the probability of finding gold in the study area Gwam is high. The obtained depth to the magnetic source of the study area Gwam along the profiles ranges from 6.57m to 543.33m and the averaged depth obtained is 93.12m for the entire region.