Global Scientific Congress on Geology & Earth Science

ABSTRACT

The study deployed aeromagnetic data to estimate geothermal potential and radiometric concentration data to evaluate the radiogenic heat in parts of Kaduna state, central Nigeria. The study area which has been noted for relative high concentration of Potassium (K), Uranium (eU) and Thorium (eU) within Nigeria is bounded by latitude 10°00` to 10°30` and longitude 7°30` to 8°30`, an area of 6,050 km². The work is targeted at providing an alternative safe energy source for the region that is suffering from acute shortage of electrical energy The modified Curie depth method was employed in evaluating the Curie depth, geothermal gradient and heat flow. The region is found to have its shallow Curie point depth of 8.43 km below Wugana. The heat flow of the study area has values ranging from 81.9 mW/m² to 171.9 mW/m² with an average value of 167.8 mW/m². The geothermal gradients range from 32.76 to 68.8 degrees Celsius per kilometer, with an average of 67.16 degrees Celsius per kilometer. Results of radionuclide concentrations revealed that the northern central regions extending down to the central part of the study area recorded medium to high values of radiogenic heat flow in the range of 3.85 to 4.5 μW/m³. Correlating the result of geothermal potential with radiogenic heat production reveals that regions of low Curie point depth correspond to regions of medium to high radiogenic heat production. Hence, the regions of significant geothermal potential are the mid-northern and mid-western areas such as Wugana, New Kwasan, and down to Ron villages, which are generally within the intrusive granitic rocks.

Keywords: - Curie depth, Geothermal, Heat Flow, Aeromagnetic and radiometric data.