Gold in Cameroon

Exploration pits in deeply weathered granite (saprolite)
Exploration pits in deeply weathered granite (saprolite)

The Batouri gold district in SE Cameroon hosts a number of deeply weathered shear-zone related gold occurrences which are currently under exploration. The lode gold mineralization (quartz-pyrite-sphalerite-arsenopyrite) appears to be related to felsic magmatism. We will study the hydrothermal mineral associations and date both hydrothermal muscovite (Ar-Ar stepped heating) and zircon (U-Pb) in granite. A particular feature is muscovite in meter-thick saprolite which will be tested for its potential for Ar-Ar dating in deeply weathered terrain. 

  • Suh CE, Lehmann B (2003) Morphology and electron-probe microanalysis of residual gold grains at Dimako, southeast Cameroon. Neues Jahrbuch für Mineralogie Monatshefte 2003: 255-275
  •  Suh CE, Lehmann B, Mafany GT (2006) Geology and geochemical aspects of lode gold mineralization at Dimako-Mboscorro, SE Cameroon. Geochemistry: Exploration, Environment, Analysis 6: 295-309