Prospectivity mapping of high-purity barite mineralization in the Eastern Nigerian basement terrane using generalized algorithm-decoded thermal infrared data

• Barite deposits in Eastern Nigeria are critical for the oil and gas industry. • Landsat-7 and SRTM data integrate for detailed 2D/3D thermodynamic models. • Thermal Generalization Method (TGM) identifies high-purity barite mineralization. • Two Potential Barite Fields (PBF1 and PBF2) identified with high thermal anomalies. • TGM-decoded data enables targeting deeper (60–300 m), high-purity barite deposits. The Eastern Nigerian Basement Terrane hosts significant barite deposits critical for Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, yet exploration remains limited to shallow artisanal mining that yield low-quality barite. This study presents a novel integration of Landsat-7 ETM + thermal infrared data and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) elevation data with the Thermal Generalization Method (TGM), a multichannel algorithm that transforms TIR-SRTM data into 3D thermodynamic models. Using algebraic-geometric transformations and algorithms including generalization (G), automatic identification of cell-block structure (AICDS), litho-temperature (LT), vertical temperature (VT), first/second Vertical Derivatives (IVD, 2VD), the method delineates high-purity barite mineralization at depths surpassing typical artisanal operations. Seasonal analysis quantified a 17 % drop in mean surface thermal radiation (10.42 to 8.67 W m − 2) and a 37 % rise in mean surface water saturation (0.46 to 0.63), showing a strong negative correlation (r = –0.72) that confirms seasonal heat-fluid coupling enhances mineralization potential at depth. TGM analysis identified two potential barite fields (PBF1 and PBF2) in the Mayo-Belwa and Jada-Ganye basement terranes, representing substantial, previously unrecognized high-grade targets within Nigeria’s estimated 22 Mt barite reserves. These fields are characterized by dominant NNE-SSW lineaments and NW-SE stresses interact, with subordinate NNE-SSW stresses enhancing permeability through localized deformation, creating structural/thermochemical fluid pathways. PBF1 (Taso-Tola deposits), hosted in a deflection zone dominated by granite-gneisses, shows strong thermal anomalies (∇T > 0.5 K/m; ∂2T/∂z2 < − 0.3 K/m2), indicative of exothermic barite precipitation at temperatures of 60–80 °C. Economic mineralization occurs along ENE lineaments at 180–300 m depth (ΔT = 1.2 K, signal-to-noise ratio [SNR] 2000:1), with 70–90 % water saturation. These anomalies exceed Landsat’s thermal resolution threshold by > 3 orders of magnitude, providing a robust, deterministic confidence framework. The Taso sector shows sharp thermal boundaries (∂T/∂z > 0.6 K/m) along 540 m fractures, whereas Tola’s mineralization persists to 1,200 m (ΔT = 0.3 K, SNR 2700:1) beyond optimal mineralization depths. PBF2, hosted in syn- to post-tectonic granites within zones of intense uneven uplift, exhibits subdued thermal signatures (40–60 °C) and moderate water saturation (50–70 %). NW‒SE compression generates ENE uplift blocks controlling mineralization: Yebbe extends 610–750 m (60–300 m), Zeibei is vertically reoriented below 240 m, and Ngurore exhibits propeller geometry (870–780 m). High thermal gradients (∇T > 0.7 K) and water saturation (W > 0.3) favour barite deposition at 60–300 m depth, controlled by NNW-trending faults, although deeper anomalies (ΔT = 0.08 K at 1,800 m) lie beyond viable exploitable limits. Both systems demonstrate barite deposition controlled by NW-SE compressive stress. TGM-decoded TIR identifies barite mineralization at optimal exploitable depths (60–300 m), overcoming artisanal mining limits (<15 m) and enabling the targeting of high-purity, API-compliant reserves vital to Nigeria oil and gas sector.