Evidence of heterogeneous crustal origin for the Pan-African Mbengwi granitoids and the associated mafic intrusions (northwestern Cameroon, central Africa)

Evaluation of the mineralizing potential of the Mbengwi plutonics, Northwestern Cameroon, Central Africa

“…They are of I-type with high-K to shoshonitic affinities. However, one sample of two-mica granites has typical Stype features, suggesting either the sedimentary nature of the protolith or the assimilation of sedimentary xenoliths (Mbassa et al 2016). The studied plutonics are strongly fractionated ((La/Lu) N = 4.05-102.96) and characterized by LILE and LREE enrichment compared with HFSE and HREE respectively.…”

“…The Pan-African plutonics consist of monzodiorites and a continuous granitic series extending from monzonites to granites. They mostly belong to an Itype suite displaying high-potassic calc-alkaline to shoshonitic features (Mbassa et al 2016). Actually, apart from some alluvial surveys carried out by Dumort (1968) and Peronne (1969) indicating indices of gold, rutile, iron, and manganese, no intensive prospection activity has yet been carried on the studied area.…”

“…Overall, the granitic rocks cover a significant surface both in central and western Cameroon. They derived from different sources such as lithospheric mantle (Tchameni et al 2006;Djouka-Fonkwé et al 2008), lower continental crust (Nzolang et al 2003;Nzenti et al 2006;Mbassa et al 2016), or mixing between those two components (Njanko et al 2006;Kwékam et al 2010Kwékam et al , 2013.…”

“…The Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of these plutonics evidence the involvement of heterogeneous crustal materials including both the lower continental and oceanic crusts during the melting processes. The Mbengwi plutonics are then specific; since the other Pan-African high-K calc-alkaline plutons from western and central Cameroon are all melting products of the continental crust only (Mbassa et al 2016).…”

Lu-Hf Isotopic Data of the Mbé-Sassa-Mbersi Tonalite (Central Cameroon Domain): Indicator of ca. 1.0 Ga Juvenile Tonian Magmatism in the Region

“…They have been dated from ca. 650 to 570 Ma and their calc-alkaline signatures, to high-K calc-alkaline for the youngest ones, have been attributed to mixing between a juvenile source and magmas issued from partial melting of Archean to Paleoproterozoic crust (Tchameni et al, 2006;Kwékam et al, 2010;Mbassa et al, 2016;Tchakounté et al, 2017;Saha-Fouotsa et al, 2019). With regard to the juvenile source, two Küster and Liégeois, 2001;Toteu et al, 2004;Saha-Fouotsa et al, 2019).…”