Basement aquifer identification from combined topographic, petrological, and resistivity data acquired within FUT’s Gidan Kwano Campus, Minna, Northccentral Nigeria

Abstract

It is usually not the norm, so far as studies carried out in the local basement complex geology of the Minna Area is concerned, to constrain the accuracy of the interpretation of VES data-set with a correspondingly-produced purpose-specific topographic and petrographic maps of the key area of study. Such approach would serve as a veritable tool of quality control (QC) of the interpretation of the acquired VES data-set. The aim of this study is to implement a valid quality control scheme for an earlier single-mode VES study. The topographic survey proceeded along transverse traverses in a west-east, east-west zig-zag format until transverse traverse (TT) 101 was completed. The petrographic survey phase of this study was concerned with the study of the aspects of the different outcrops seen at the area of study in terms of their strike, dip, and other structural orientation. Over the 2 km2 area of study of interest here, it is observed that terrain or ground elevation progressively increases from south to north, from circa 208m in the southern reaches to circa 224m in the northern reaches with the lowest median of 204m occurring toward the midplane of the area of study. An important observation herein, too, is that elevation increases from west to east. It is understood from the petrographic map that the area of study is underlain by a continuous body of granite associated with discontinuous bodies of schist and pegmatite. Examination of the landform map of the area of study positively correlates the conclusion of aquifer prospects drawn from the earlier survey and it is strongly recommended to drill these locations for groundwater exploitation.