Role of borehole geophysics in mineral resources exploration in Africa

Abstract

Throughout Africa numerous wells are drilled each year for domestic water supplies and irrigation purposes. The application of borehole geophysics, in which the properties of the penetrated strata are measured, could "be important in the location of aquifers and In the acquisition of water quality data. In addition, borehole measurements could provide useful information on additional mineral resources such as petroleum, coal, uranium, phide ores, sulphur and evaporates. It is estimated that information front a total of about 5,000 km, of borehole length Is lost each year through the lack of recording of well data in Africa.