Exploration and Mapping of Metalliferous Black Shales in the Saghro Temporary Subsidence Zones (Anti-Atlas, Morocco)

The Saghro massif constitutes a vast metallogenic province with numerous deposits and shows of base metals (lead, zinc, copper) and precious metals (gold and silver), besides various useful substances (talc, pyrophyllite, barite, fluorite). Silver/lead occurrences are concentrated along the Cryogenian Imiter series and moderately at Boumalne and Sidi Flah. Copper occupies the plutonic intrusions and intrusive rocks of the East-Central Saghro while barite deposits are widespread throughout the Cambrian cover of the East Saghro in contact with the Ediacaran basement. To justify this distribution, the new contributions of the cartography and the organic geochemistry of the black shales of Jbel Saghro have clearly shown the particularity of the Imiter black shales in terms of the richness in organic matter (TOC = 0.18%), the blackish color and the friability. The Boumalne and Sidi Flah groups present some similarities with the Imiter group, such as the sub-equatorial structuring, the friable pelites and the richness in organic matter (Boumalne TOC = 0.11% and SidiFlah TOC = 0.16%), which is a quite good show that requires to reinforce the exploration works. For Western Saghro in the Iknioun and Qalaa’t M’Gouna groups, the variations in the thickness of the volcanic cover show an irregular paleotopography with hard, greenish, organic-poor pelitic sediments (TOC = 0.01 to 0.04%). We can conclude that the formation of Imiter-type silver concentrations requires the combination of the sedimentological, the volcanic and structural factors. For Imiter-type silver these factors are: a fine pelitic and argillic casing deposited in a confined environment, a basic volcanism source of metals and other intermediate to acid generated by the hydrothermalism and heat, a convenable paleotopography and a network of fracturations to trap the mineralizations.

Mineralogy and Geochemistry of EtekéEburnean Gold Deposit (Gabon)

The Gabon geology offered favorable and natural environments for the formation of various types of mineralization. The Etéké gold district, aim of this study, is located in the Ngounié province (southern Gabon) on the western edge of the Chaillu massif. Geologically, the gold mineralization is associated with the Eburnean orogeny and hosted in the Archean greenstone belts. Also, this deposit is covered by a significant vegetation cover and a very extensive lateritic weathering profile, which hinders the most accurate study. Through this paper, we aim to propose a genesis pattern of this mineralization via a multidisciplinary approach. To do this, a petrographic, metallogenic, and geochemical characterization has been established in the different sectors of the Etéké deposit. The studied deposits display varied facies which are encased in granitoid. They are essentially formed of abundant granitoid, and amphibolite compared to the volcano-sedimentary formations. These rocks display magmatic textures, affected by metamorphism, and not sufficiently preserved. Based on our multidisciplinary approach, the studied samples collected from the core’s boreholes allowed us to decipher a volcanogenic and metamorphosed origin of the gold genesis.

The Late Neoproterozoïc Continental Tholeiitic Basalts of the Toubkal Inlier (Western High-Atlas, Morocco): A Post-Pan-African Rifting Witness in the Northern Margin of the West African Craton

The late Neoproterozo&#239c Toubkal inlier (Ancient Massif of the High-Atlas, Morocco) contains two igneous basaltic series (Tircht and Sidi Chamharouch). Investigated rocks display characteristics of within-plate continental tholeiitic and are similar to rocks originated in orogenic contexts. The geochemical results allow the assumption that subduction active processes are indirectly responsible for the genesis of theses rocks. The orogenic signature is linked probably to a Pan-African magmatic source previously metasomatized in the northern margin of the West African Craton.