ALBERT

Description: The quality of groundwater from twenty (20) hand-dug wells around the Mando and Rigasa areas, Northwestern Nigeria was evaluated in this study. Physico-chemical parameters like pH, EC, TDS, temperature, Na+, Ca2+, K+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Cl-, HCO3 -, NO3 -, SO4 2- and faecal coliform count were analysed. The degree of compliance of the various parameters with international guidelines for drinking water quality were determined and the groundwater classified. Comparison of the results of physico-chemical analysis with the NSDWQ and WHO guidelines revealed that most of the parameters in the groundwater had 100 % compliance except for pH, Mg2+, NO3 -, K+ and Fe2+ with percentage compliance of 80, 90, 75, 70 and 40, respectively. This indicates that some of the groundwater samples are not suitable for drinking purpose. Groundwater quality map based on the Water Quality Index values for the various groundwater sample showed that most parts of the study area have excellent groundwater quality. The faecal coliform bacteria count ranged from 0 CFU/100 ml to too numerous to count. Only two (2) groundwater samples (10%) complied with the 0 CFU/100 ml guidelines of the NSDWQ and WHO, while the rest eighteen (18) groundwater samples (90 %) have faecal coliform bacteria count above the recommended value. Most of the groundwater samples are not suitable for drinking based on the faecal coliform count. The groundwater samples are suitable for agricultural purposes based on the SAR, RSC and PI classifications. The groundwater in the study area is dominated by Na-Cl and CaHCO3- type facies water.

Description: This paper focuses on the review of electrical geophysical methods such as electrical resistivity and induced polarization as a technique for mineral exploration. It highlights the general fundamental principles of the electrical methods and result from other investigations. Most rock – forming minerals are insulators, and electrical current is carried through rocks mainly by the passage of ions in pore waters. In light of this, most rocks conduct electricity by electrolytic rather than electronic processes. Since metals and most metallic sulphides conduct electricity efficiently by the flow of electrons, electrical method is efficient and important in environmental investigation especially in areas where metallic objects are the targets and also in the search for sulphide ores. The results from various research showed the applicability of these geophysical ground methods, specially the Induce Polarization method, as a support tool in the identification and selection of exploration targets for test drilling.

Description: The Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) was used to study the soil erosion processes in Edda-Afikpo mesas, Lower Cross River watersheds,Nigeria. The mesas occupy an area estimated at 60km2 on a surface relief of about 284m. DEM data, satellite images and basemap of the area were used. Remotely sensed data were ground-truthed through extensive field works. The results show that the process is facilitated by the Trifecta of hill slope hydrology, geology and land use practices. Steep hill Slope of values 78 % at the major hot spots, very fragile, dry and non-plastic sandy soils all aid sediment detachment. Analysis of the index properties which include Liquid Limit(LL) of 25-30,moisture content(w%) of 5.9-7.4,permeability of 1.541x10-3 – 1.636x10-3 cm/s and shear strength of 36-42 KN/m2 predispose the sediments to detachment and erosion. Based on the analysis, the amount of soil loss in the project area is about 1373.79 ton per year. Soil erosivity factor is high at the mesas(5023.83 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr−1 - 5069.51 MJ mm ha−1 h−1 yr−1) The sandy layer attain thickness of 50m-60m in places and with high pore pressure development, slope failure are triggered during intense storm events. In terms of vulnerability level in erosion risk, high to very high constitute 4.1% of the watershed which translate to 5.05km2 of the 59km2. The various processes occur simultaneously and are exacerbated by human factors through seasonal bush burning and development along drainage lines. The study reveals that 18.8% of the available land for development is at high to very high risk of erosion. The soil loss model has been validated and the hotspots from the map coincide with the gully sites. The results of this research can therefore be used for conservation and adaptation purposes.

Description: The Oligocene-Early Miocene Nari Formation is widely distributed in the Kirthar thrust-fold belt. The formation in the study area is mainly consist of sandstone and shale. Field observations and detailed petrographic study reveal that these sandstones are mostly fine to medium grained, subangular to subrounded and poorly to moderately sorted. Detrital grains are dominantly quartz ranging in proportion 36-76%, feldspar 7-17% and lithic grains 1-13%, reflecting that these sandstones are compositionally submature. Quartz is mostly monocrystalline with some polycrystalline grains. Feldspar is dominantly plagioclase (albite) with some alkali feldspar (orthoclase and microcline). Lithic fragments are siltstone, mudstone and chert. Biotite and muscovite are present as accessory minerals. Heavy minerals such as apatite, tourmaline, and zircon are present in trace amount. The QFL diagrams show that the sandstones of the Nari formation are subarkose and lithic subarkose. The QtFL, QmFLt ternary diagrams and paleocurrent direction suggest that the sediments were transported from the Indian shield exposed to the northeast of the Nari Basin.

Description: Three dimensional (3D) seismic survey was acquired and processed in Bornu-Chad basin, Nigeria with the aim of detecting and attenuating multiples to aid proper imaging of the subsurface. The 25.5km2 volume was processed using SeisUp processing software on a 32-Node Cluster Infrastructure (CI) hardware. Considering the imaging objectives and depth of interest of 1.2s-4.5s, the minimum, middle and maximum offsets were set at 500-2300m, 2500-4300m and 4500-7300m respectively. Since the study area comprised of dry open land and swampy Lake Chad, vibroseis and dynamite sources were used respectively. Charge depth was 0m (surface) for vibroseis and 25m dynamite. The dataset was first pre-conditioned, normalized, regularized before application of demultiple process. The detection and demultiple processes based on multiple characteristics of periodicity and velocity discrimination were applied as the multiples have comparable velocity with the primaries. The near-surface reverberations and short-period multiples were attenuated using predictive deconvolution and radon transform algorithms. High resolution radon was performed on post-migrated common-mid-point (CMP) gathers and stacked with 1kmx1km target line velocities. Internal multiples were detected and attenuated using data-driven methodology of extended internal multiple prediction (XIMP). Multiples detected were short, long period and interbed multiples on all frequencies ranges of 0 – 90Hz but useful seismic frequency range was between 20Hz and 70Hz. The frequencies and amplitudes of the primaries and multiples were very comparable, therefore great care was taken in the attenuation processes. The results of this work has produced better seismic section for interpretation of subsurface geology in the study area.

Description: The Zhob Ophiolite is divided into three detached blocks including the Omzha block. The Omzha block is mapped and divided into lithological units such as ultramafic rock, mafic-felsic rock, and volcanic–volcaniclastic–pelagic rocks. These units are quite deformed and mixed up and are associated with one another by thrust faults. Petrography and geochemistry divide them into gabbro, diorite, plagiogranite, pheno-tephrite and trachy-andesite basalt, trachy basalt, chert, limestone, and mudstone. The ultramafic rocks are dominantly serpentinized harzburgite, dunite, and a minor lherzolite. Petrography of peridotite shows that it may be depleted in nature and may have residual after processes such as partial melting and the melt-rock reaction of a lherzolitic source. The gabbroic rocks are less well-developed and highly deformed. They are cross-cut by diorite, plagiogranite and anorthosite’ intrusions. The gabbro may be the plutonic section of Omzha block’ crust while the intermediate-felsic igneous rocks may have formed by the anataxis of crustal gabbro. The volcanic–volcaniclastic–pelagic rocks unit may be corrected with Bagh complex found underneath the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite. The metamorphic sole rocks of Omzha block are highly deformed and dismembered are comprising of metamorphic facies such as amphibolite, quartz-mica schist, and greenschist.

Description: Dipole-dipole electrical resistivity tomographic method was applied to investigate the subsurface cavities at Staff Welfare Hospital & School Quetta. A total of 890-meter profile line was covered along five smaller profile lines and fracture zones with maximum 21 meters interval. The cavity system along profile line-1 and 2 was very restricted and had no direct impact on infrastructure while major cavity beneath the building was traced at profile line-3 and line-4 thus constituting a ~20m wide cavity system with 3-4 small interconnected cavities between depths of 7 to 21 meters. This system was also traced at profile line-4 at a depth of 10 meters having a reduced width of 10m. At profile line-5, a few other cavities were detected that proved imperceptible due to limitations in data acquisition. To conclude, the cavity systems traced in profile line-3 and profile line-4 were the most perilous ones and are commonly the foremost reason for building collapse.

Description: Water is indispensable for human life and without water, life cannot exist on earth. Every person required 33 to 35-gallon water per day for drinking and demotic purpose. But due to lack of quality, inefficient water supply designs, intermixing of sewage water and unlined sewage water system, quality of water is deteriorated specially in recent decades and affecting a number of people. In present study, it was inevitable to design a water supply system for selected area to provide safe water supply design for a small community. For this purpose, a study area was selected named as chak.no. 253 RB, Samundri Road Faisalabad. The existing water supply system of the village was built 30 years ago with the problems of leaky pipes, mixing of sewerage water with drinking water was causing water-borne diseases like Diarrhea, Cholera, Giardiasis, Typhoid fever, Schistosomiasis. A computer software abbreviated as EPANET (Environment protection agency network) was used to design a water supply system of the area providing input parameters to the software. For this a profiling survey was conducted to determine the length of pipes and the elevation of each junction. The other input parameters such as the diameter of pipes, pipe network map, head losses were provided. Conclusively, EPANET gave a detailed water supply system plan for specific design period. By adopting this design provided by detailed surveys of the area and EPANET will help to control intermixing of sewage water which ultimately improves the quality of water. The new design is based on technology by using modern techniques (Software). It will provide save and continue supply of water to community. It will also reduce the cost of water billing, leakage, decrease the diseases rate and improve the life standard of people’s lives in that area.

Description: Energy crises is the one of the major problem that was faced by Pakistan in order to overcome on that crises Pakistan need to be developed and improvement in energy sector, Throughout in the country the demand of water and power increasing day by day therefore hydropower project are the need of the hour in Pakistan. Before initiation of any project EIA play important role in evaluating the nature of the project on different factors. Government of Pakistan planned one of the mega hydropower project diamer basha dam was planned in Gilgit Baltistan. It was intended to conduct the research work on describing significant factors so as to evaluate the influence of the project on them and develop guidelines for environmental assessment for these factors. To find out these significant factors the methodology was adapted to conducting field investigation. Besides to assess the relevant impact questionnaires were developed. Finally, in order to reduce the negative impact of the project on the predefine factor mitigation measure was suggested. It is anticipated that this study work support in developing structure work to be executed as mitigation measures and boost the advantages of the project.

Description: The Gwal mélange is mapped on a large scale and is divided into the lithological units such as ultramafic, mafic, volcanic, volcanoclastic rocks, pelagic sediments and ophicarbonates. Petrographically, the mapped rocks are classified as harzburgite, dunite, wehrlite, serpentinite, gabbro, basalt, and andesite. These rocks are quite deformed and altered into the secondary minerals. Harzburgite is a layered mantle peridotite consists of olivine and orthopyroxene while dunite lacks the presence of any pyroxene. Serpentinite is the secondary product after peridotite is the product of post magmatic stages. The mesh structure is usually observed when olivine is completely altered to serpentine. The volcanic rocks are structurally sheeted and pillow type while the volcanoclastic rocks are essentially hyaloclastites associated with pelagic sediments. The Ophicarbonate is composed of serpentinite fragments and carbonate minerals, most probably calcite. Minor to trace amounts of opaque minerals are also present in association with major components. The gabbros may be a fragment of the main crustal rocks and have been formed in a magma chamber by fraction crystallization. The origin of ophicarbonate may be due to gas seeps originated by mantle or as the surficial process where ultramafic rocks and carbonates are mixed through processes of gravity, tectonic crushing and sedimentary reworking. The Gwal mélange may the southern extension of Bagh Complex found beneath the Muslim Bagh Ophiolite. The mantle peridotite of the mélange is much like that of the Khanozai peridotite and may represent its detached blocks. Volcanic and volcanoclastic rocks may be the representatives of the uppermost part of ophiolite crust which might have trimmed off from subducting slab and are, now, part of the Gwal accretionary wedge. The mélange may have tectonically emplacement over the Indian platform sediments along with overlying the ophiolite sheet during the Late Cretaceous.