Large scale magnetic susceptibility soil mapping: a proxy for geological mapping and exploration from Bogoso (Ghana)
Hervé Théveniaut 1 3 Brendan Clarke 2
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
1 BRGM, GEO/GSO, 3 avenue C. Guillemin, BP 36006, 45060 Orléans Cedex 2, France.
2 The MSA Group, 20B Rothesay Avenue, Craighall Park, Johannesburg 2196, PO Box 81356, Prakhurst, South Africa.
3 Corresponding author. Email: h.theveniaut@brgm.fr
Exploration Geophysics 44(1) 48-55 https://doi.org/10.1071/EG12019
Submitted: 27 March 2012 Accepted: 16 October 2012 Published: 19 November 2012
Abstract
This paper describes the use of magnetic susceptibility measurements on a set of nearly 3000 soil samples (one sample per km2) collected for geochemical analyses within the framework of a geological mapping program in Ghana. The result is a map of soil magnetic susceptibility which has been compared with other maps. There is a good consistency with geological domains and lithologies, as well as with some of the geochemical soil analyses and also partly with the aeromagnetic data.
In the tropical, deeply weathered lateritic context of the study area, soil magnetic susceptibility reveals similarities with magnetic and/or geochemical survey results, suggesting this rapid and easy to use technique can be an effective tool for exploration and geological mapping programs.
Key words: exploration, magnetic susceptibility, proxy, soil mapping.
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