Boadi B, Wemegah D.D and *Preko K
Aeromagnetic and radiometric methods were used to investigate the Konongo area located at the northeastern boundary of the prospective Ashanti Gold Belt in south-eastern Ghana. Datasets from these aerogeophysical methods proved vital for mapping geology and structure. The application of magnetic image enhancing techniques such as reduction to pole, analytical signal and first vertical derivative in processing the datasets helped in the delineation of folds, fractures, lithological boundaries and the two main Birimian tectonic structural deformation events D1 (NE-SW) / D2 (NNW-SSE) which are potential hydrothermal gold mineralization zones within the area. The contacts between Birimian metasedimentary and meta-volcanic rocks noted to host gold mineralization in the belt were also delineated. The radiometric datasets retrieving geochemical information on potassium (K), thorium (Th) and uranium (U) concentrations within the study area were used to delineate bedrock lithology of the Banso Batholith, Birimian meta-volcanics, Tarkwaian formation, as well as alteration and contact zones. High K, Th and U concentrations were mapped in the meta-sediments and the Banso batholith. The highresolution airborne magnetic and radiometric data of the study area resulted in better definition of both geological structures and lithological boundaries. This work shows the usefulness of geophysical data in mapping possible geological structures that host hydrothermal gold mineralization within the Konongo area of the Ashanti Gold belt of Ghana.
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