Nlonako area belongs to Cameroon Volcanic Line. To determine the mineralization potentials of the area, stream sediment survey and geochemistry were carried out. The results show weak anomalies in Gold and Silver with threshold values of 0.001 and 0.073 respectively. Copper, Lead and Zinc have some relatively high values which are 690ppm, 182ppm and 378ppm with mean values statistically calculated to be 73.90, 46.51 and 198.58 respectively. The data analyzed using multivariate statistical methods yielded 5 factors from Principal Component Analysis (PCA). These five factors are; Factor 1 (Ce, La, Nb, Y), Factor 2 (W, Mo, Sr, As, Cd, Ni), Factor 3 (Pb, Sn, Zn, Sb), Factor 4 (Au, Ag, Cu) and Factor 5 (Cr, Co, Bi). These factors point mostly to a possible sulphide mineralization. Gold shows high correlation with Ag and Cu while Y correlates more highly and positively with Ce and La. There is a relatively high input of the light rare-earth elements which form the highest factor (34.363%) of the total PCA variance and possibly points to a granitic source rock. The existence of mafic-ultramafic igneous rocks in the study area underlies high correlations between Cr and Co and other factors gotten from PCA.
BSE-CL images, U-Th-Pb abundance, and U-Pb ages were obtained for zircon crystals from Nkogho I-type anatectic granitic basement cropping in the Mamfe Basin (SW Cameroon). These data were used to characterize, classify each zircon crystal and elucide their registered information. They were also used to develop a formation model to their host and source rock, and present registered post-emplacement events. The studied zircons ranging in size from < 75 to >150 µm, form long and short prisms, pyramidal to dipyramidal with few subspherical, subhedral and anhedral crystals. They show oscillatory zoning, complex growth zoning, sector zoning, patchy zoning, faint broad zoning, a preserved xenocrystic core with overgrowth rim, or are unzoned. These features are mainly compatible with those of igneous zircons. The U (30-6380 ppm), Th (4-1280 ppm), and Pb (12-648 ppm) contents show core, zone and rim variations with most values being within the range limit in igneous crustal granitic zircons. The Th/U ratios (0.08-1.23) with core, zone and rim difference mainly enclose values of magmatic zircons with few values characterizing metamorphic zircon grew in equilibrium with an anatectic melt. The U-Pb age (108.4 ± 1.7-988.4 ± 19 Ma) with some core and rim difference date: Early Neoproterozoic, Cryogenian-Ediacarian, Early Cambrian-Ordovician, Devonian-Carboniferous, and Aptian-Albian, events. The Nkogho I-type granite was formed during Cryogenian to Ediacarian times from slow cooling of a deep-seated crustal magma originated from partial fusion of a preexisting grantic protolith. This rock underwent partial fusion with granitization during Early Cambrian-Ordovician, Devonian-Carboniferous, and Aptian-Albian periods. The Aptian-Albian periods can date the opening of the Mamfe sedimentary basin (the southernmost Cameroon portion of the Benue Trough).
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