Exploration for Marble Deposit in Parts of Okpella, South-Southern Nigeria

The ultimate aim of the electrical resistivity survey is to determine the resistivity distribution with depth on the basis of surface measurements of the apparent resistivity and to interpret it in terms of geology. Marble deposit was investigated with the application of electrical resistivity method using Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) technique with the aim of characterising this deposit in parts of Okpella. Six (6) VES were acquired using the Schlumberger array for data acquisition with current electrode spacing varying from 1.0 to 150.0 m. The VES data obtained were interpreted using ipi2win Software. The results showed three layers indicating subsurface geologic sequence probed 26.4 m and beyond with clay/clayey sand (23.3 – 219.1 Ωm), sand (423 - 2040 Ωm) and marble (12661 - 404498 Ωm). The occurrence of marble deposit was revealed at VES points at 1, 2 and 5 in the studied area. This study concluded that the study area had occurrence of the marble deposits, which would be of economic importance, if exploited.