New detrital zircon U-Pb ages from BIF-related metasediments in the Ntem Complex (Congo craton) of southern Cameroon, West Africa

Abstract

<p style="text-align:justify;"> <span style="font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-size:12px;">Banded Iron Formations (BIFs) were formed by contemporaneous events of active sediments supply and the venting of a hydrothermal fluid source at the Mid-Ocean-Ridge. BIFs within the </span><span style="font-size:12px;">Ntem Complex at the northern edge of the</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> Congo </span><span style="font-size:12px;">Craton are intercalated with metasandstones</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> and </span><span style="font-size:12px;">siltstones. SHRIMP U-Pb analysis on detrital</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> zircons obtained from these metasediments gave variable ages from over 3000 Ma to 1000 Ma with </span><span style="font-size:12px;">the maximum age of deposition clustered</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> around 1200 Ma and the peak of deposition at 1800 Ma. </span><span style="font-size:12px;">This age range suggested that the sub-basin was</span><span style="font-size:12px;"> opened sometime in the Archean and remained active up till the Neoproterozoic. Zircons with Archean ages have a provenance linked to the charnockitic suite and the high-K granites within the Ntem Complex. The Paleoproterozoic ages are attributed to clastic inputs from the neigbouring Nyong Series west of the Ntem Complex. Also the peak of deposition in the Proterozoic could probably be explained by the globally recognized intense crust-forming processes in the Early Proterozoic time. The provenance of the younger Neoproterozoic ages is tied to various lithologies within the northern mobile belts of the Adamawa-Yade massifs and correlates with Neoproterozoic sedimentation ages in the Yaoundé, Lom and Poli series. The Neoproterozoic ages obtained are comparable to those obtained from metasediments of the Amazonian Craton and provide evidence of Pre-Gondwana assemblage of the Congo and the S<span style="font-family:Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;white-space:normal;background-color:#FFFFFF;">?</span>o Francisco Cratons.</span></span> </p

Petrography and Geochemistry of the Banded Iron Formation of the Gangfelum Area, Northeastern Nigeria

“…Minor BIF-related metasediments, similar in parts to those obtained in adjacent Cameroon (Chombong et al, 2013) occur within the basement rocks, thus refuting the previous assumption that the Nigerian schist belts are restricted to the western half of the country.…”

Evidences by Multiscale Analysis and 2D3/4 Models from the Magnetic Anomalies and Iron Mineralization (BIF) over the DJADOM-ETA Area, Southeastern Cameroon

“…Peak of deposition that took place in the Proterozoic could probably be explained by the globally recognized intense crust-forming processes in the Early Proterozoic era. The origin of the younger Neoproterozoic ages is tied to various lithologies within the northern mobile belts of the Adamawa-Yade massifs and correlates with Neoproterozoic sedimentation ages in the Yaoundé, Lom and Poli series [13]. In the northwest of the study area, [14] [15] the banded iron formation (BIF) is situated in the CC the west of the study area.…”

“…In the northwest of the study area, [14] [15] the banded iron formation (BIF) is situated in the CC the west of the study area. [13] characterizes meta-sediment associated with Banded Iron Formations (BIFs). This present of BIF confirm the rapport of CMC exploration in 2012 [16].…”

Metalogénesis del oro laterítico en las formaciones del greenstone belt de Minvoul (Gabón)

“…Estas formaciones, en regiones vecinas presentan muy altas concentraciones en hematites y otros óxidos de hierro que han sido evaluados como depósitos potencialmente económicos [eg. Mbalam (Camerún), Avima (República del Congo), Minkébé, Bélinga, Boka-boka (Gabón)] (Suh et al, 2008;Thieblemont et al, 2009Thieblemont et al, , 2009aChombong et al, 2013).…”