Integrated aeromagnetic and radiometric analysis for geothermal and mineral resource assessment in the Central Benue Trough, Nigeria

We present an integrated analysis of aeromagnetic and radiometric datasets to assess geothermal and mineral resource potential within the Central Benue Trough, Nigeria. High-resolution aeromagnetic data were processed using reduction to the equator (RTE), analytical signal analysis, Euler deconvolution, spectral analysis for Curie point depth (CPD) estimation, and subsequent geothermal gradient and heat flow modeling. Radiometric data were decomposed into potassium (K), thorium (Th), and uranium (U) components, with ternary imaging and K/Th ratio analysis applied to identify hydrothermal alteration zones. Analytic hierarchy process (AHP) weighted overlay analysis integrated multiple thematic layers to generate comprehensive mineralization potential maps. Results reveal significant spatial variations in CPD (2–30 km), geothermal gradients (19–285 °C/km), and heat flow values (48–714 mW/m²), with pronounced geothermal anomalies concentrated in southeastern, central, and northeastern sectors. Radiometric analysis delineates distinct enrichment zones for K, Th, and U, with elevated K/Th ratios (> 0.14) marking hydrothermal alteration corridors. Structural analysis identifies dominant NE-SW and NW-SE trending lineaments that control fluid migration pathways. The integrated mineralization potential model highlights lineament intersections as optimal targets for geothermal energy development, uranium-thorium exploration, and structurally controlled gold mineralization. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated airborne geophysics for regional-scale resource assessment and provide a systematic framework for exploration prioritization in similar intracontinental rift settings.