Characterization of Near Surface Intrusions in South-West Cameroon Zone Using Gravity Data: Mining and Geothermal Implications

Abstract

The succession of tectonic phenomena in the South-West Cameroon area suggests that structures from the upper mantle infiltrated and took advantage of the cracks and fractures left by these phenomena to get closer to the earth’s surface. However, the intrusive structures closest to the surface remain poorly known. The objective of this work is to improve the knowledge related to the interpretation of gravity data in order to characterise the near-surface intrusive bodies in the South-West Cameroon area, and then analyse their mining and geothermal implications. To achieve this objective, the indirect, inverse and normalized standard deviation (NSTD) methods were used. The NSTD method was used to detect the contours of the intrusive bodies. The indirect method (spectral analysis) was used to determine the depths of the interfaces of three intrusive bodies, one located on the Bipindi-Ebolowa I axis (G5), the other on the Eseka-Pouma axis (G8) and the last on the Bokito-Monatele axis (G11). The results obtained show roofs located between 0 and 0.61 km, between 0 and 0.37 km and between 0 and 0.73 km for the G5, G8 and G11 bodies, respectively. Finally, the application of the 2D inversion method allowed us to estimate the density contrasts of the intrusive bodies (G5, G8 and G11). The superposition of the intrusive bodies detected by the NSTD with the geological and mineral resources map, as well as an analysis of the results obtained, gave indications of interesting zones for mining prospecting and for the search for geothermal reservoirs.