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Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon

Received: 21 August 2019    Accepted: 17 September 2019    Published: 28 May 2020
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Abstract

Au-bearing quartz veins in the Belikombone area are confined to major NW-SE orientations in schists and N-S and ENE – WSW in other host rocks. The objectives of this work were to study field, mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of gold mineralised quartz veins. Schists (chlorite rich) and gneisses (moderately magnetic) are the dominant rock types in the area with granite occurring as intrusions within the gneisses. Gold-bearing quartz veins occur in association with metamorphosed rocks ranging in composition from quartz ± gold to those that contain quartz ± gold ± sulphides ± iron-oxides ± sericite and mafic minerals. The mineralized veins contain Au from 0.50 to 25 ppm, while the quartz veins considered barren contain 0.20 ppm Au. The concentration of As in the quartz veins ranges from 0.30ppm to 10.70 ppm and it show positive correlation with Au in samples with high Au concentration. The ΣREE varies from 5.79 to 173.64 in the quartz veins. The investigated veins show evidence of multiphase deformation and it is associated with D2 deformation in the area. This structural setting suggest that the emplacement of gold mineralization occurred during the late Pan African orogeny. The main alteration types are silification, sericitization and sulphidation processes.

DOI 10.11648/j.es.20200502.12
Published in Engineering Science (Volume 5, Issue 2, June 2020)
Page(s) 17-26
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This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Gold, Quartz Veins, Geochemistry, Belikombone, Betare-oya, Cameroon

References
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Author Information
  • Geo-Technical Engineering Associates, Inc., Laurel, Maryland, USA

  • Department of Geology and Mining, Saint Monica University Institute, Buea, Cameroon

  • Geo-Technical Engineering Associates, Inc., Laurel, Maryland, USA

  • Department of Civil Engineering, The University Institute of Technology, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon

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    Melvin Tamnta Nforba, Suka Joe Chi, Tangko Tangko Emmanuel, Arnaud Patrice Kouske. (2020). Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon. Engineering Science, 5(2), 17-26. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.es.20200502.12

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    ACS Style

    Melvin Tamnta Nforba; Suka Joe Chi; Tangko Tangko Emmanuel; Arnaud Patrice Kouske. Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon. Eng. Sci. 2020, 5(2), 17-26. doi: 10.11648/j.es.20200502.12

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    AMA Style

    Melvin Tamnta Nforba, Suka Joe Chi, Tangko Tangko Emmanuel, Arnaud Patrice Kouske. Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon. Eng Sci. 2020;5(2):17-26. doi: 10.11648/j.es.20200502.12

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  • @article{10.11648/j.es.20200502.12,
      author = {Melvin Tamnta Nforba and Suka Joe Chi and Tangko Tangko Emmanuel and Arnaud Patrice Kouske},
      title = {Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon},
      journal = {Engineering Science},
      volume = {5},
      number = {2},
      pages = {17-26},
      doi = {10.11648/j.es.20200502.12},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.es.20200502.12},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.es.20200502.12},
      abstract = {Au-bearing quartz veins in the Belikombone area are confined to major NW-SE orientations in schists and N-S and ENE – WSW in other host rocks. The objectives of this work were to study field, mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of gold mineralised quartz veins. Schists (chlorite rich) and gneisses (moderately magnetic) are the dominant rock types in the area with granite occurring as intrusions within the gneisses. Gold-bearing quartz veins occur in association with metamorphosed rocks ranging in composition from quartz ± gold to those that contain quartz ± gold ± sulphides ± iron-oxides ± sericite and mafic minerals. The mineralized veins contain Au from 0.50 to 25 ppm, while the quartz veins considered barren contain 0.20 ppm Au. The concentration of As in the quartz veins ranges from 0.30ppm to 10.70 ppm and it show positive correlation with Au in samples with high Au concentration. The ΣREE varies from 5.79 to 173.64 in the quartz veins. The investigated veins show evidence of multiphase deformation and it is associated with D2 deformation in the area. This structural setting suggest that the emplacement of gold mineralization occurred during the late Pan African orogeny. The main alteration types are silification, sericitization and sulphidation processes.},
     year = {2020}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Structural and Geochemical Characterization of Gold Mineralized Quartz Veins in Belikombone Gold Prospect, Betare-oya Gold District, East Cameroon
    AU  - Melvin Tamnta Nforba
    AU  - Suka Joe Chi
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    AB  - Au-bearing quartz veins in the Belikombone area are confined to major NW-SE orientations in schists and N-S and ENE – WSW in other host rocks. The objectives of this work were to study field, mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of gold mineralised quartz veins. Schists (chlorite rich) and gneisses (moderately magnetic) are the dominant rock types in the area with granite occurring as intrusions within the gneisses. Gold-bearing quartz veins occur in association with metamorphosed rocks ranging in composition from quartz ± gold to those that contain quartz ± gold ± sulphides ± iron-oxides ± sericite and mafic minerals. The mineralized veins contain Au from 0.50 to 25 ppm, while the quartz veins considered barren contain 0.20 ppm Au. The concentration of As in the quartz veins ranges from 0.30ppm to 10.70 ppm and it show positive correlation with Au in samples with high Au concentration. The ΣREE varies from 5.79 to 173.64 in the quartz veins. The investigated veins show evidence of multiphase deformation and it is associated with D2 deformation in the area. This structural setting suggest that the emplacement of gold mineralization occurred during the late Pan African orogeny. The main alteration types are silification, sericitization and sulphidation processes.
    VL  - 5
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

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