Tracing the Origin of Metasedimentary Rocks in the Tortiya Diamond Region (Northern Côte d’Ivoire)

Metasedimentary rocks from the Tortiya diamondiferous region (northern Côte d’Ivoire), located in the Ivorian Paleoproterozoic domain, were analyzed with the aim of identifying their different petrographic facies, constraining their provenance and tectonic environment, and assessing the effects of sedimentary processes and weathering on the signature of their source rocks. These analyses were carried out with a view to helping trace the origin of Tortiya diamonds, which are generally hosted in these metasediments. Major and trace element geochemical data reveal that these samples are characterized by negative Eu anomaly values, low to moderate weathering index values and a high compositional variation index (ICV). These results led to the definition of these metasediments as immature sediments potentially originating from rapid erosion and sediment deposition from local sources. Chemical alteration index (CIA) values and Al2O3-(CaO* + Na2O)-K2O composition space suggest low to medium degrees of meteoric alteration of the parent rock. These rocks therefore show poorly differentiated compositions from the parent rock and poor sediment sorting. Geochemical data and ratios of immobile elements, e.g. Al2O3/TiO2, Cr/Th, Eu/Eu* and (La/Yb)n, indicate that the clastic materials derive mainly from felsic to intermediate sources. Sedimentary tectonic discrimination diagrams demonstrate that most of the samples from the Tortiya diamond-bearing region were deposited on an active continental margin or in a continental arc-island environment. Although this region has a long history of diamond mining, its petrogenesis remains unresolved, and this petrogeochemical work is a step towards initiating scientific research in the area.

Evaluating the Provenance of Metasedimentary Rocks of the Jiangxian Group from the Zhongtiao Mountain Using Whole-Rock Geochemistry and Detrital Zircon Hf Isotope

In this study, whole-rock geochemical and Nd isotopic data, as well as detrital zircon Hf isotopes of Palaeoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks from the Jiangxian Group are presented to evaluate the characteristics of their provenance and the tectonic history. The major and trace element compositions are comparable to Post-Archean upper continental crust （PA-UCC）, but have slight enrichment in the LILE, with the exception of Cs and Sr, and a slight depletion in ferromagnesian elements, HFS elements, such as Nb and Ta, and some major elements, such as CaP and Na2O. The geochemical data reveal that the collected metasedimentary rocks have experienced intermediate source weathering with chemical index of alteration values ranging from 72 to 78, varying degrees of K- metasomatism, and post-depositional loss of Na, as well as negligible sorting, and are derived from the weathering of mostly felsic and non-mafic rocks. The selected Lu-Hf isotopic analysis on detrital zircon points to both the Trans-North China Orogen and Eastern Block of the north China craton as the most likely sources for the metasedimentary rocks of the Jiangxian Group. However, a contribution of detritus from the Western Block of the north China craton can be ruled out. The sediments were probably deposited in a back-arc basin within an active continental margin setting.

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

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 Ntem Complex at the northern edge of the Congo Craton are intercalated with metasandstones and siltstones. SHRIMP U-Pb analysis on detrital zircons obtained from these metasediments gave variable ages from over 3000 Ma to 1000 Ma with the maximum age of deposition clustered around 1200 Ma and the peak of deposition at 1800 Ma. This age range suggested that the sub-basin was 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?o Francisco Cratons.

Metasediments in the Alahina Sector and Associated Mineralization (North-Eastern Guinea)

The Alahina sector is located in the North-East of Guinea, precisely in the Siguiri volcano-sedimentary basin. It consists mainly of meta-sediments traversed by Paleoproterozoic pyroclastite, granite, monzogranite and granodiorite veins as well as Mesozoic dolerite and gabbros veins. This article presents new data, on the one hand, on the geochemical petrographic features and the origin of the metasediments of this zone, and on the other hand, on the genetic model of the gold mineralization that they contain. Field observations, as well as petrographic and geochemical studies reveal that the meta-sediments consist of sericite and chlorite schists. They belong to the groups of shales and grauwackes. Their protholites are moderately altered (60 N/YbN = 6.31 - 13.24) and a flat heavy rare earth patterns (HREE). This spectrum is almost identical to those of the “Post-Archean average Australian Shale” and Early Proterozoic Greywackes. Two types of polyphase gold mineralization occur in the Alahina sector: disseminated and veined. They consist of particular of grains and nanoparticles pyrite associated with gold, magnetite, hematite, ilmenite. The hydrothermal alteration accompanying this mineralization consists of silica, microcline, chlorite-epidote-sericite-carbonates.

Coesite in metasediments from the Muzhaerte valley, southwestern Tianshan

The sediments,including calcareous,siliciclastic and volcanoclastic,usually occupy>90%in volume of an accretionary complex and thus,if involved in subduction zones,their maximum return depths(i.e.,peak pressures)are fundamental to unravel the geodynamic processes during the convergence of plates[1].As a unique example of accreted complex returned from sub-arc depths(>90 km)worldwide.

New Constraints from Pb-Evaporation Zircon Ages of the Méiganga Amphibole-Biotite Gneiss, Central Cameroon, on Proterozoic Crustal Evolution

The amphibole biotite gneiss (ABGn) in the Méiganga area forms part of a meta volcano-sedimentary sequence of the Adamawa Yade domain (AYD), Central African Fold Belt (CAFB). This sequence shows affinity with immature sediments (greywackes, arkoses) with intercalation of mafic lavas or tuffs. New 207Pb/206Pb zircon evaporation ages for two ABGn samples range from 1887 - 2339 Ma and from 675 - 889 Ma, respectively. These ages and evidence from internal zircon structures indicate that igneous rocks of Archean to Paleoproterozoic and of early Neoproterozoic age contributed to the detritus of the sedimentary sequence. The deposition of detritus took place prior to 614 - 619 Ma which represent the syntectonic emplacement of the Méiganga metadiorite. Leucogranites north to the Méiganga area were generated by melting of crust identical to that which provided the source of the ABGn. The metasedimentary sequence investigated in this study is similar to that of the southern part of the AYD and in the Borborema Province, NE Brazil. The tectonic and geochronologic characteristics of the AYD in the Méiganga area support the idea that during the Proterozoic, Central Africa and NE Brazil were part of the same continental landmass.

Nd Isotopes and Geochemistry of Phanerozoic Clastic Sedimentary Rocks from the Yangtze Block and Their Tectonic Implications

This article presents Sm-Nd and geochemical data on fine-grained sediments of the northern margin from the Yangtze block, China, to understand the variations of Nd isotopic compositions and crustal evolution history in this area. The results are as follows： （1） Nd isotopic compositions for clastic sedimentary rocks of the Middle-Late Proterozoic have relatively positive Nd（t） values （＋ 2.72 to ＋ 0.69）, with Nd model ages from 1.38 Ga to 1.55 Ga, corresponding to the contemporaneous volcanic rocks from the Xixiang （西乡） Group. This indicates that the arc-related materials from Middle-Late Proterozoic dominate the provenances of the Middle-Late Proterozoic periods. （2） The gradual decrease in εNd（t） during the Cambrian-Carboniferous periods is likely to reflect the progressively increasing proportion of erosion materials from the Foping （佛坪） and Qinling （秦岭） complexes, corresponding to a gradually decreasing trend in the La/Th ratios. （3） A prominent increase in the εNd（t） value of the Late Permian strata probably reflects the significant incorporation of the mantle-derived materials. The trace element data are compared with data of the Emeishan （峨嵋山）flood basalts. These data indicate that the volcanic dust has been added to the Late Permian strata during the Late Permian, represented by periods of extremely high Emeishan flood basalt activity in the south-eastern margin of the Yangtze block.

Mineragraphic Study of Manganese Ore Deposits of Kandri, Mansar, Beldongri and Satak Mines, Nagpur District (Maharashtra) Central India

In Nagpur, M.P.-Maharashtra Manganese Belt is exposed which is part of Sausar Belt. In Nagpur, four manganese mines viz Mansar, Kandri, Beldongri and Satak are selected for the ore microscopic study. These mining areas are situated in that part of Central India which are highly deformed and metamorphosed and are characterised by high grade amphibolite facies to low grade greenschist facies. The Precambrian manganese ore deposits of Nagpur are formed by the metasediments of Sausar belt which is rich in manganese sediments. The manganese ores of the study area are co-folded with distinct rock types i.e. “gondites” and predominantly composed of a mixture of braunite, bixbyite, hausmannite, hollandite, jacobsite, vredenburgite, pyrolusite, cryptomelane and psilomelane. The dominant rocks are tirodi migmatitic gneiss, argillaceous and calcareous rock types. This paper discusses the mineralogy of the manganese ores of Kandri, Mansar, Satak and Beldongri. After the careful assessment of mineralogy, texture and paragenesis of the manganese ore of the study area, it has been concluded that the manganese ores of the study area are formed by the multiple processes i.e. metamorphism and supergene enrichment. These supergene enrichments are evidence of colloidal influx. Occurrence of free braunite, free hausmannite and free jacobsite indicates the high grade metamorphism. Pyrolusite, rhodonite, and psilomelane-cryptomelane are formed by supergene enrichment. The presence of lamellar twinning in braunite indicates about shear pressure. In this area the different manganese mineral assemblages and their textures suggest about the occurrence of different metamorphic activity and depositional environment. The texture and paragenesis of manganese ore of the study area are discussed here.