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Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics

Received: 24 September 2022    Accepted: 24 October 2022    Published: 30 October 2022
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Abstract

The Damagaram-Mounio region is one of the metallogenic provinces of Niger belonging to the Pan-African Mobile Zone where mining exploration began in 1903. Several exploration missions including geological mapping, hammer prospecting, geochemistry and airborne geophysics have been undertaken. Among others results termite geochemistry conducted between 1984 and 1985 have highlighted interesting targets of several minerals. More recently, from 2007 to 2010, high resolution airborne geophysical surveys, using Mag/Spectro in the Damagaram-Mounio Province, have allowed identification of mining targets, including target EM_1 which covers the southern part of the surveyed area by termite mounds geochemistry. The target EM_1 has also been explored by Mag/EM surveys. This study aims to reinterpret the termite mound geochemistry results in relation with high resolution airborne geophysical survey and satellite imageries data using more recent software dedicated to this purpose. The interpretation of the airborne geophysical data will allow characterizing the magnetic, spectrometric and electromagnetic contexts of the part of the target EM_01 where termite mounds was sampled. In addition, these results of high resolution airborne geophysical surveys will allow interpreting the structures, their orientations but also their spatial continuity to which can be associated the anomal grade values highlighted by the termite geochemistry. Indeed, it is known that termites build their mounds with water and materials that they seek at a depth of several tens of meters underground. In the Damagaram-Mounio Province, termites can only find water in the fracture zones of the Pan-African basement and of the "Younger Granites" Ring Complex.

Published in International Journal of Science, Technology and Society (Volume 10, Issue 5)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16
Page(s) 198-216
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Pan-African Damagaram-Mounio, Gouré, Alkaline Ring Complexes, Termite Mound Geochemistry

References
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    Djibo Maiga Abdoul Wahab, Moussa Konate. (2022). Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics. International Journal of Science, Technology and Society, 10(5), 198-216. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16

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    ACS Style

    Djibo Maiga Abdoul Wahab; Moussa Konate. Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics. Int. J. Sci. Technol. Soc. 2022, 10(5), 198-216. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16

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    AMA Style

    Djibo Maiga Abdoul Wahab, Moussa Konate. Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics. Int J Sci Technol Soc. 2022;10(5):198-216. doi: 10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16,
      author = {Djibo Maiga Abdoul Wahab and Moussa Konate},
      title = {Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics},
      journal = {International Journal of Science, Technology and Society},
      volume = {10},
      number = {5},
      pages = {198-216},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijsts.20221005.16},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijsts.20221005.16},
      abstract = {The Damagaram-Mounio region is one of the metallogenic provinces of Niger belonging to the Pan-African Mobile Zone where mining exploration began in 1903. Several exploration missions including geological mapping, hammer prospecting, geochemistry and airborne geophysics have been undertaken. Among others results termite geochemistry conducted between 1984 and 1985 have highlighted interesting targets of several minerals. More recently, from 2007 to 2010, high resolution airborne geophysical surveys, using Mag/Spectro in the Damagaram-Mounio Province, have allowed identification of mining targets, including target EM_1 which covers the southern part of the surveyed area by termite mounds geochemistry. The target EM_1 has also been explored by Mag/EM surveys. This study aims to reinterpret the termite mound geochemistry results in relation with high resolution airborne geophysical survey and satellite imageries data using more recent software dedicated to this purpose. The interpretation of the airborne geophysical data will allow characterizing the magnetic, spectrometric and electromagnetic contexts of the part of the target EM_01 where termite mounds was sampled. In addition, these results of high resolution airborne geophysical surveys will allow interpreting the structures, their orientations but also their spatial continuity to which can be associated the anomal grade values highlighted by the termite geochemistry. Indeed, it is known that termites build their mounds with water and materials that they seek at a depth of several tens of meters underground. In the Damagaram-Mounio Province, termites can only find water in the fracture zones of the Pan-African basement and of the "Younger Granites" Ring Complex.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    T1  - Mining Exploration in the Pan-African Province of Damagaram-Mounio (Eastern Niger), Using Termite Mound Geochemistry and High Resolution Airborne Geophysics
    AU  - Djibo Maiga Abdoul Wahab
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    JO  - International Journal of Science, Technology and Society
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    PB  - Science Publishing Group
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    AB  - The Damagaram-Mounio region is one of the metallogenic provinces of Niger belonging to the Pan-African Mobile Zone where mining exploration began in 1903. Several exploration missions including geological mapping, hammer prospecting, geochemistry and airborne geophysics have been undertaken. Among others results termite geochemistry conducted between 1984 and 1985 have highlighted interesting targets of several minerals. More recently, from 2007 to 2010, high resolution airborne geophysical surveys, using Mag/Spectro in the Damagaram-Mounio Province, have allowed identification of mining targets, including target EM_1 which covers the southern part of the surveyed area by termite mounds geochemistry. The target EM_1 has also been explored by Mag/EM surveys. This study aims to reinterpret the termite mound geochemistry results in relation with high resolution airborne geophysical survey and satellite imageries data using more recent software dedicated to this purpose. The interpretation of the airborne geophysical data will allow characterizing the magnetic, spectrometric and electromagnetic contexts of the part of the target EM_01 where termite mounds was sampled. In addition, these results of high resolution airborne geophysical surveys will allow interpreting the structures, their orientations but also their spatial continuity to which can be associated the anomal grade values highlighted by the termite geochemistry. Indeed, it is known that termites build their mounds with water and materials that they seek at a depth of several tens of meters underground. In the Damagaram-Mounio Province, termites can only find water in the fracture zones of the Pan-African basement and of the "Younger Granites" Ring Complex.
    VL  - 10
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Author Information
  • Department of Geology, Abdou Moumouni University, Niamey, Niger

  • Department of Geology, Abdou Moumouni University, Niamey, Niger

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