TITLE:
Efficiency Comparison of Reverse Circulation and Diamond Drilling for Phosphate Exploration in Nigeria’s Sokoto Basin
AUTHORS:
Luqman Kareem Salati, Jacob Titilope Adeyemo
KEYWORDS:
Drilling Efficiency, Phosphate Exploration, Sokoto Basin, Reverse Circulation, Diamond Core Drilling, Resource Estimation
JOURNAL NAME:
International Journal of Geosciences,
Vol.17 No.4,
April
29,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study compares reverse circulation (RC) and diamond core (CD) drilling for exploring phosphate nodules in Nigeria’s Sokoto Basin. A programme of 15 RC wells (1000 m) and 2 CD wells (151 m) assessed performance metrics. RC drilling was significantly faster, progressing three times quicker than CD, and successfully identified phosphate layers 93% of the time. However, its bulk samples caused nodule breakage, reducing grade accuracy. Conversely, CD provided intact cores for precise stratigraphy with 78% recovery but was slower and 40% more expensive. Mineralisation was found primarily in the Dange formation’s gypsiferous shales, with optimal depths varying regionally from under 15 to over 100 metres. The analysis concludes RC is best for rapid lateral resource scoping, while CD is essential for detailed vertical delineation. A cost-time trade-off exists, favouring a hybrid strategy: initial RC mapping followed by targeted CD for reserve classification. The findings offer an optimisation framework for sedimentary phosphate exploration, though future work should integrate advanced coring and 3D modelling to better account for the basin’s geological trends.