Integrated Interpretation

Paper 28

The West African Exploration Initiative (WAXI): 10 Years of Integrated Research for Development

Jessell, M.W. [1, 2] and the WAXI Team

______1. Centre for Exploration Targeting, School of Earth Sciences, the University of Western Australia, WA, Australia 2. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Laboratoire Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Toulouse, France

ABSTRACT

The eleven-year AMIRA International Project P934 'West African Exploration Initiative' (WAXI), now in its third phase, has the dual aims of scientific research focused on increasing our understanding of the tectonic and regolith settings of ore deposits, and the development of the research and training capacity of West African geological surveys and universities. We describe the drivers for the WAXI initiative, as well as key research and capacity building outcomes. The WAXI project is a public-private partnership that has brought together seventy of the principal stakeholders in the domain of mineral exploration in West :

• The government surveys and departments of mines of eleven West African states (Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, , Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Togo). • Seven West and South African universities (from Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Senegal and South Africa). • Thirty-four international companies. • Researchers from twelve European and Australian research institutions. • AMIRA International, an independent association of minerals companies that develops, brokers and facilitates collaborative research projects. • NGOs based in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Luxembourg. • A professional training centre based in Burkina Faso. • National research and aid agencies in South Africa, France and Australia.

This initiative demonstrates the significant research and development achievements that can be made when the different stakeholders in the minerals sector (industry, academia, government and non-government organizations) work together to achieve their diverse goals.

The WAXI project in numbers:  12 countries.  73 partners over 11 years.  76 Postdoc, PhD, Masters and Honours Projects, half of them African.  76 International Publications.  650 GB exploration geoscience databases.  1800 person-days of technical training in West Africa.  650,000 km2 of geophysically constrained geological mapping. 

INTRODUCTION (Milési et al., 1992; Markwitz et al., 2016). As early as 1916, systematic regional geological mapping was being carried out by The West African Craton (WAC) consists of two Archean nuclei Henry Hubert, a French Government official working in what in the north-western and south-western parts of the craton was then French West Africa (Hubert, 1934). A period of data juxtaposed against an array of Paleoproterozoic domains made acquisition by colonial and post-colonial geological surveys up of greenstone belts, sedimentary basins, domains of extensive ensued, followed by collaborations funded by transnational granitoid-TTG plutons and large shear zones, which are overlain agencies (principally the UN, the World Bank, and the European by Meso- and Neoproterozoic and younger sedimentary basins Union), which enabled regional maps and geophysical surveys (Bessoles, 1977; Feybesse et al., 1989; Feybesse and Milési, to be compiled for much of the craton. Building on this 1994; Kouamelan et al., 1997; Caby et al., 2000; Hirdes et al., information, the WAC has seen a major increase in exploration 1992). The region has a thousand-year history of mining, and mining activity over the last 10 years, which in turn has and numerous gold deposits are shown in the 1934 Gold Coast incited renewed research interest in the tectonics and Geological Survey map of what is now southern Ghana (Junner, metallogenesis of the highly prospective Paleoproterozoic 1934). The WAC is typically referred to as a gold province, Terrane. although it also hosts world-class iron ore and bauxite deposits

In “Proceedings of Exploration 17: Sixth Decennial International Conference on Mineral Exploration” edited by V. Tschirhart and M.D. Thomas, 2017, p. 399–412

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Figure 1: The 73 WAXI partners over the 10-year life of the project. Map shows current partner countries, geology modified from the Geological Survey of Canada 1:35 M map of the world (Chorlton, 2007). Financial sponsors: ARC Linkage Program, Acacia Mining plc, Ampella, Anglogold Ashanti, AusAID, Avocet, Azumah Resources, BHP Billiton, Barrick, Castle Peak, Drake Resources, First Quantum Minerals Ltd, Fonds National de la Recherche Luxembourg, GoldenStar, Goldfields, Gryphon Minerals Ltd, IAMGOLD Corp., IRD, Kinross, Newcrest Mining Limited, Newgenco Pty Ltd, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Orezone, Perseus Mining Limited, Qatar Mining, Randgold Resources, Redback, Resolute Mining Limited, Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Ltd, Riverstone, SEMAFO, Sarama Resources, Teck, Toro Gold Limited, Vale, Volta Resources, Votorantim. Sponsors in kind: Bureau des Mines et de la Géologie du Burkina, Direction Générale des Mines et de la Géologie du Togo, Direction National de la Géologie République de Guinée, Direction Nationale de la Géologie et des Mines - Mali, Direction de la Géologie Ministère des Mines et du Développement Niger, Direction des Mines et de la Géologie Senegal, Geological Survey Department - Ghana, Ghana Minerals Commission, Mines and Energy - Liberia, Ministère de l'Industrie et des Mines - République de Côte d'Ivoire, Ministry of Land, National Minerals Agency of Sierra Leone, OMRG l'Office Mauritanien de Recherches Géologiques. Research Partners: BRGM, CNRS-INSU (Institut National des Sciences de I'Univers), Centre for Exploration Targeting - University of Western Australia, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, GET Geosciences Environnement Toulouse, Geological Survey of the Czech Republic, Institut National Polytechnique Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), James Cook University., Macquarie University, Monash University, Nancy Université, Queensland University of Technology, TUT Tshwane University of Technology, Teng Tuuma Geoservices (TTGEO), Université de Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar (UCAD), Université de Cocody-Abidjan, University of Ghana, University of Liberia, University of Montpellier, University of Ouagadougou, University of the Witwatersrand, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Université de Toulouse, Université des Sciences des Techniques et des Technologies de Bamako (USTTB). Capacity building partners: Kalabash Ghana, L’Association Le Soleil dans la Main, SOS-Sahel.

The AMIRA International P934 West African Exploration from March 2010 until July 2013 (with 20 industry and Initiative (WAXI) is a collaboration between the principal actors government sponsors) and the third phase started in September in the large-scale minerals sector of West Africa (Figure 1). The 2014 and will run until August 2018 (with 13 industry sponsors first (pilot) phase of the project ran from September 2006 to to date). The overall aim of WAXI is to enhance the exploration March 2008 (with 13 industry sponsors), the second phase ran potential of the West African Craton (WAC) through an

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integrated program of research and data gathering into its tectonics, metallogenesis and landform evolution of the West 'anatomy', and to augment the capacity of local institutions to African Craton. In parallel, the project aims to support the undertake this form of work. development of geoscience capabilities in the short, medium and long term. Immediate support for company staff improves their In the following sections, we summarize the principal research capacity to undertake exploration in the region; training and capacity building outcomes of the project, which for ten geological survey staff improves their ability to provide years has supported the minerals industry via the acquisition and geoscience data to end users, and scholarships and access to synthesis of exploration data, and supported West African equipment for graduate students prepares them for work in all institutions in the training of geoscientists and the management sectors of minerals geoscience, and trains the next generation of of exploration-focused geoscience data. This project has resulted university lecturers. in positive outcomes for all partners, and the lessons learned in this project help provide an improved model for collaborative research in developing countries.

THE NEED FOR INTEGRATED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPEMNT The Archean and Paleoproterozoic West African Craton extends over 2.5 million square kilometres, and is hosted by 13 countries that use three administrative languages1. Every country in the region shares at least one border with a country that uses a different administrative language. This has resulted in a fragmentation of effort and is a barrier to integrated research, as data are held by each country in different languages and formats, and with very heterogeneous levels of detail. Publically available syntheses are principally limited to harmonized regional-scale maps (e.g., Milési et al., 2004). The Paleoproterozoic granite-greenstone terranes represent one of the world’s most important gold provinces, with output increasing from approximately 50 t/year to 220 t/year between 1993 and 2103 (Goldfarb et al., 2017), and this period saw some countries, such as Burkina Faso, becoming significant gold Figure 2: Lithospheric-scale 3D model of the West African Craton producers for the first time. integrating key information from the WAXI database with global geophysical datasets (Jessell et al., 2016b) The shared challenges facing geoscientists wishing to undertake scientific research in West Africa (from industry, governments RESEARCH ACTIVITIES and academia) include the limited flow of scarce government resources to STEM activities in general, and geoscience research The WAXI research program was designed after a process of in particular. In 2014, the Science, Technology, Engineering, consultation with industry in a pilot phase, during which a and Mathematics (STEM) sector made up only 29% of all detailed data and information audit and gaps analysis was research in Sub-Saharan Africa (excluding South Africa, World carried out. Its main focus is on the collection and synthesis of Bank and Elsevier, 2014). National research priorities across geological, regolith, metallogenic, geochemical and Africa do include a range of activities related to geoscience geochronological datasets from across the WAC. The resulting research, in particular Energy, Natural Resource Management research program comprises a set of integrated research and Information and Communications Technology. modules, which are grouped into three themes: architecture and Nevertheless, the low proportions of the Gross Domestic timing; mineralizing systems; and surface processes. Product (GDP) spent on research in West Africa (often less than 1%) coupled with the overall low levels of GDP, mean that even The results of the research program have been progressively as priority areas the available budgets are small, and funds published over the last ten years (see available for basic research are limited. This contrasts with the http://www.tectonique.net/waxi3 for a complete list of papers significant revenue flow that many West African countries and access to the thesis collection), but in particular as four receive as the result of mining activity, and the costs of special issues that were compiled following the end of managing the environmental impacts of mining (and in confidentiality for stage two of the project (Jessell and Liegeois, particular by variably regulated artisanal mining). 2015; Jessell et al., 2016a; Hein, 2016; Goldfarb and André- Mayer, 2017). The WAXI project has a series of overlapping research goals, and is globally aimed at improving our understanding of the Integrated Geophysical Analysis The WAXI research program has taken a multi-scale approach 1 Algeria, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Liberia, to understanding the craton. At the largest scale, we have Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Western examined existing and newly compiled geophysical Sahara/Morocco and Togo representations of the WAC in terms of its large-scale tectonic

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architecture, which provides a framework for specific regional variations in magmatic evolution of the southern WAC, which studies (Figure 2, Jessell et al., 2016b). The different shows a systematic diachronous cessation of magmatic activity geophysical methods suggest a partitioning of the WAC into two from east to west, which implies an intriguing rate of migration tectonic domains at the largest scale, based on seismic of tectonic activity of 3.5 cm per annum (Figure 6, Parra-Avila tomographic data, lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary models et al., 2016). Spatial mapping of LuHf model ages and detrital and long wavelength gravity signals. A single 450 km zircons is helping us to define lithospheric-scale domains in the magnetotelluric and gravity profile was acquired across south- southern WAC (Parra-Avila, 2015). west Burkina Faso and north-west Ghana, which showed that many of the structures mapped at the surface extend deep into Stratigraphic Synthesis the crust and even into the upper mantle. (Le Pape et al., 2014). Starting with the stratigraphic synthesis of Baratoux et al.

(2011), the project has systematically re-analyzed existing and At the belt scale a number of studies have integrated geological new data to produce 30 harmonized stratigraphic columns across mapping with the interpretation of regional geophysical datasets the southern WAC. Although this has shown many similarities (magnetics, gravity, radiometrics and in some cases in stratigraphic succession across the craton, there are also electromagnetic data). These studies share a common second-order variations that are helping us to define sub- geodatabase so that we can produce seamless maps across domains within the Birimian belts. When combined with the country boundaries and between belts (Figure 3; Tshibubudze et lithospheric-scale geophysical data and the geochronological al., 2009, 2015; Baratoux et al., 2011; Metelka et al., 2011; record we can see coincident signals suggesting a major Perrouty et al., 2012; Block et al., 2016; McFarlane, 2016). lithospheric break running through Côte d’Ivoire. Combined with petrophysical acquisition campaigns, these maps provide important constraints for belt-scale 3D models (Metelka et al., 2015; Perrouty et al., 2014; Diene et al., 2015). In South Deposit Analysis West Ghana this analysis led to the proposition of a model for At the mineral deposit scale, the research program has the main regional-scale controls on gold mineralization to the characterized 25 deposits across the craton, principally gold southeast of the main Ashanti Belt by highlighting the deposits, which reflect the economic focus of much of the lithological distribution and geometry of geological structures in industry in the region over the last ten years. This includes 3D. The South West Ghana 3D model has also been used as a grain-scale studies to characterize structural, mineralization, test case for more theoretical studies in geophysical inversion metamorphic and fluid evolution histories within and outside of and the analysis of 3D lithological uncertainty (Lindsay et al., ore deposits (Figure 7, Block et al., 2015; Fougerouse et al., 2013a, b; Martin et al., 2013). 2016; Masurel et al., 2017; Lebrun et al., 2017; Le Mignot et al., 2017; Salvi et al., 2016a, 2016b), and these studies show the As in other cratons, the availability of airborne magnetic data remarkable diversity of host-rocks, structural controls and allowed us to build up a comprehensive map of mafic dykes, and mineral associations found in what are still generally classed as we are currently in the processes of systematically dating each orogenic gold systems. The dispersion of elemental and isotopic swarm thanks to a collaboration with the Supercontinent anomalies around these deposits has shown that 206/207Pb ratios consortium (Figure 4; Jessell et al., 2015c; Baratoux et al., in barren soils and ferruginous crusts are much higher compared 2016), http://www.supercontinent.org/). This work has shown to those in gossan and related altered rocks (Kríbek et al., 2016). that more than two dozen dyke swarms intrude the WAC, with 8 newly dated swarms having ages ranging from 2700 Ma to 200 Exploration Database Ma. These Large Igneous Provinces form important constraints This research represents one form of support of economic for our understanding of the relative position of West Africa development in the region, as it provides key datasets (in GIS- during successive supercontinent cycles. There are also ready formats) that help to reduce geological risk in the minerals variations in spatial density of dyke swarms that may reflect exploration decision-making process. The development of an underlying variations in the lower crust or mantle. integrated exploration GIS has proved to be a very efficient approach for transferring information to partners, all of whom We have also undertaken a research program that characterized have access to an exploration GIS, which has now expanded into West Africa’s regolith and landform evolution using airborne a more than 650 Gigabyte, 180-layer online and static GIS geophysical data and ground surveys, which has produced the database of metadata and data related to West African first paleo-topographic map in the region (Grimaud et al., 2014, exploration. More that 80 of these layers consist of new data or 2015), has identified a previously unrecorded 230 km-long compilations developed by project partners. In particular we paleochannel in the Volta Basin (Jessell et al., 2015b) and have developed new georeferenced syntheses of harmonized produced the first spectral library of rocks and regolith for West geological maps covering 650,000 km2; a geochronology Africa (Figure 5, Metelka et al., 2015), which demonstrated that database with over 1000 zircon ages; a database of more than although weathering alters the spectral signature of the fresh 8000 whole rock geochemical and isotope analyses for rocks rock, indicative absorption features located in the short-wave and regolith; a new map of mafic dyke swarms; regolith maps; infrared region remain detectable. outcrop databases; petrophysical databases including a spectral library of fresh and weathered rocks; a new mineral deposit Integrated Geospatial Analysis database for the region; a database of metamorphic observations; An extensive geochronological sampling program, together with as well as compilations of several global geophysical datasets, isotopic studies, has allowed us to define large-scale spatial such as receiver function data

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Figure 3: 650,000 km2 of new harmonized geophysically constrained mapping. Multi-coloured zones: WAXI Stage 1 & 2 mapping (Metelka et al., 2011; Baratoux et al., 2011; Perrouty et al., 2012; Tshibubudze and Hein, 2015; Block et al., 2016; Miller et al., 2016 unpublished; McFarlane, 2016); shades of red WAXI 3 mapping (still confidential); greyscale modified from BRGM SIGAfrique map (Milési et al., 2004).

Figure 4: Mafic dyke swarms identified and mapped from airborne magnetic data and subsequently dated. Derived from Baratoux et al. (2016) and Jessell et al. (2015c).

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Figure 5: Relative reflectance of basalts and andesites. Mean reflectance (solid line), plus and minus one standard deviation (dashed line). Absorption features are indicated with vertical lines and horizontal brackets (Metelka, 2011; Metelka et al., 2015).

Figure 6: Geospatial analysis of geochronology data. Longitudinal variations in magmatic activity: zircon and monazite U-Pb age distribution as a function of longitude for the age bracket 2300-2000 Ma (455 ages). The progressive cessation of the magmatic activity from east to west during this period in the southern West African Craton (lower grey arrow) equates to a migration of approximately 35 km/Myr. Over 95% of all ages plot above the “magmatic front”. There is also a suggestion that the start of magmatism is diachronous, (red arrow) however the signal is less strong (Parra-Avila, 2015).

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Figure 7 : Images from deposit-scale analyses included in theses subsequently published as: Tabakoroni (Ballo et al., 2016); Siguiri (Lebrun et al., 2017); Inata (McCuaig et al., 2016); Pampe (Salvi et al., 2016a); Gaoua (Le Mignot et al., 2017); Kalana (Salvi et al., 2016b); Sadiola (Masurel et al., 2017); Perkoa (Kribek et al., 2016); Obuasi (Fougerouse et al., 2017); Wassa (Perrouty et al., 2015), Julie (Amponsah et al., 2015); Nassara (Ouiya et al., 2016).

In order to provide immediate access to new datasets, we needs. Many of these same themes are also found in the UN’s developed a WMS Web Client to provide on line access to the Sustainable Development Goals, and map directly to WAXI latest data sets (Figure 8). This same Web Client has also been activities (Table 1). supplied to the International Mining for Development consortium in support of their OpenData Initiative The capacity building program is jointly led by the (http://opendata.im4dc.org/). Luxembourg-based NGO Le Soleil dans la Main and the professional training centre Teng Tuuma Geoservices (I-TTG) CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. Direct capacity building activities are supported in the form of student scholarships, Based on UNESCO/Geological Society of Africa data, there are financial support for student research, and in continuing currently 38 public higher education institutions that provide education for industry, university and geological survey staff. geoscience training in West Africa (including Schools of Mines), of which 29 are in Nigeria. In the last ten years, the Graduate Scholarships and Research Support African Union via the African Mining Vision (AMV) and its associated action plan (African Union Commission, 2011), the The different stages of the project, together with associated one- World Bank and the African Development Bank have on-one industry projects and university-funded scholarships, recognized the need for renewed investment in higher education have allowed us to support a total of 35 PhD projects, 35 to support the growing African population, which is predicted to Masters and Honours projects, and six Postdoctoral fellowships, have the world’s largest labour force by the year 2040 (Africa with more than half of these being African. Nevertheless, the Development Bank, 2014). These groups recognize the need for demand for scholarships, and in particular projects which a broader spectrum of higher education models to meet the provide support for research costs, far outstrip the capacity of demand for a skilled workforce that does not necessarily have to the WAXI project’s resources, and partnering with other training involve degree-based courses. The African Development Bank, schemes provides a partial solution to meeting this demand, as UNESCO’s Earth Science Initiative in Africa, the AMV and many outside scholarships do not provide research funds. African Network of Earth Sciences Institutions (ANESI) share many proposals in terms of enhanced regional collaboration, Most if not all of the 70 Honours, Masters and PhD projects better integration of the private sector and the minerals industry, integrated combinations of geological, geophysical and in particular via Public-Private Partnerships, and the use of ICT- geochemical datasets to arrive at their conclusions, so that the based training programs as supports for Africa’s education next generation of West African geoscientists are being taught the value of integrating multiple datasets.

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Professional Training of better trained existing and incoming staff; geological surveys Up until the end of 2017, the project has supported 23 three- to benefit from better collaboration across the region, better trained five-day field and classroom training courses to over 350 staff and the opportunity to explore common goals with industry, university and geological survey personnel. The industry; and the higher education sector benefits from access to courses have been held in Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire student scholarships and research funds, which result in a supply and Senegal. The vast majority of the attendees of these courses of young well-networked researchers to take on the challenge of were African geoscientists. Many of these courses focus on training the next generation of geoscientists, with a particular integration of datasets for robust interpretation including focus on data integration skills. The WAXI program has also integrating geology and geophysics in 2 and 3 dimensions; partnered with a number of other research and capacity building geochemical interpretation of the regolith; structural controls of initiatives working in West Africa which have complementary ore deposits; and a minerals systems approach to prospectivity goals (including IGCP638, the GEOLOOC online training analysis. In addition to these technical courses, we organized a platform, the AEGOS data infrastructure program, the Côte five-day course on research management aimed at West African d’Ivoire-focused T2GEM project, a proposed Burkina-Faso university and geological survey personnel. (Figure 9, Table 2). Geoscope project focusing on the Boromo Belt, together with Finally, two international conferences (in Ougadougou, Burkina several one-on-one projects between partner research Faso in 2007, and Dakar, Senegal, in 2015) were held to organizations and industry). stimulate new research ideas in the region and present project outcomes. The WAXI project forms part of a broad range of development geoscience initiatives in Africa that have overlapping aims that partially fulfil the aims of the African Mining Vision and the CONCLUSIONS Sustainable Development Goals. This initiative demonstrates the The success of the WAXI program comes from the commitment significant achievements that become possible when the of the individuals and organizations that have been involved different stakeholders in the minerals sector (industry, academia, over the last ten years, and equally from the recognition that government and non-government organizations) partner together these different organizations have different drivers: industry to combine datasets and knowledge across national borders in benefits in the short term by the acquisition of new datasets and order to achieve their diverse goals. their interpretation, and in the long term through the availability

Figure 8: Web Feature Service and on-disk delivery of 650 GB geoscience database using custom web client serving a Geoserver PostgreSQL/PostGIS database, (De Boyer, 2011).

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Figure 9: Laboratory and field-based training.

Jelena Markov, Jérôme Ganne, Jirí Zacharias, Joe Cucuzza, John ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Miller, Julie Carcone, Kim Hein, Kinane, Kwame Boamah, Laurent Aillères, Laurie Reisberg, Lenka Baratoux, Luc We wish to gratefully acknowledge AMIRA International and Siebenaller, Luis Gallardo, Luis Parra Avila, Luke Peters, the 34 industry sponsors, as well as AusAid and the ARC Mahamadene Diene, Mahamadou Diallo, Makhoudia Fall, Linkage Project LP110100667, for their support of the different Mamadou Yossi, Marie Lefebvre, Mariette Minigou, Marieke stages of the WAXI P934 series of projects. We are also van Lichtervelde, Mark Jessell, Martin Lompo, Martin appreciative of the contribution of the 12 geological Mihaljevic, Mathieu Benoit, Matt Hill, Mikael Grenholm, surveys/departments of mines in West Africa who joined as Mokobo Mohale, Monié, Morou Francois Ouedrago, Nicolas sponsors in kind, as without their ongoing logistical support and Kagambèga, Nicolas Meriaud, Nicolas Thebaud, Noziwe provision of a range of country-level datasets, this project would Simoko, Nuru Saïd, Olivier Bruguier, Oumar Sangare, Ousman not have been possible. Finally, we wish to recognize our Wane, Ousmane Bamba, Pascal Ouiya, Patrick Hayman, Patrick research colleagues from 20 institutions from around the world. Ledru, Peter Ndibewu, Philippe Calcagno, Prince Amponsah, Pulane Sehloho, Quentin Masurel, Radislav Skoda, Ramabulana *The following people have contributed to the success of the Tshifularo, Raymond Sagna, Renaud Caby, Saga Sawadogo, WAXI project: Abdoulaye Ouedraogo, Abraham Traore, Adama Seta Naba, Stanislav Ulrich, Stanislav Vrána, Stefano Salvi, Sangare, Adama Yameogo, Adele Symon, Adja Ndoye, Alain Stéphane Perrouty, Sylvain Block, Thomas Fullgraf, Todani Kouamelan, Alan Jones, Alex Woolfe, Amara Fofana, Anathase Funyufunyu, Vaclav Metelka, Vanessa Markwitz, Vera Jelíková, Nare, Andile Mkentane, Anicet Beauvais, Anne-Sylvie André, Vera Zoulková, Villa Ramos, Vincent Bouchot, Vladimir Majer, Arnaud Fontaine, Asinne Tshibubudze, Augustin Yao Koffi, Xiaojun Feng, Yann Itard, Yolande Traore and Yu Chen. Aurélien Eglinger, Bohdan Kríbek, Bosh, B.R., Kouassi, T., Campbell McCuaig, Caswell Lehong, Catherine Zimmermann, Charlotte Magnette, Clare Desplats, Colin Hogg, Corinne Debat, REFERENCES Dan Apau, Daniel Asiedu, Daniel Stacík, David Baratoux, Denis African Development Bank, 2014, The Bank’s Human Capital Fougerouse, Didier Béziat, Dominique Chardon, Doria Strategy for Africa (2014-2018). Aitadjedou, Edmond Dioh, Elodie Le Mignot, Emmanuel Arhin, Emmanuel Baah-Danso, Eric Gloaguen, Erwann Lebrun, Eva African Union Commission, 2011, Action Plan for Geršlová, Fabrice Traore, Ferdinand Majiba Misakabu, Florian implementing the African Mining Vision, building a sustainable Le Pape, Fortune Tulombe, Francois Ndiaye, František Laufek, future for Africa’s extractive industry: From vision to Action, František Veselovský, Frederic Sea, Germain Velasquez, Gloria African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, 45 p. Senyah, Goran Boren, Graham Begg, Guillaume De Boyer, Helen Mcfarlane, Ibrahima Labou, Ilja Knésl, Irvin Matsheka, Amponsah, P.O., S. Salvi, D. Béziat, M. Jessell, L. Siebenaller, Jacques Kone, James Davis, Jan Duda, Jan Jehlicka, Jan Malec, and L. Baratoux, 2015, Geology and geochemistry of the shear- Jaroslav Hak, Jean Fossou, Jean Haba, Jean-Louis Grimaud,

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Chorlton, L.B., 2007, Generalized geology of the world: Hein, K.A.A., 2016, West African mineral atlas monograph: Ore Bedrock domains and major faults in GIS format: Geological Geology Reviews, 78, 556-557. Survey of Canada, Open File 5529, 1 CD-ROM. Hirdes, W., D.W. Davis, and B.N. Eisenlohr, 1992, De Boyer, G., 2011, Development of a web mapping system for Reassessment of Proterozoic granitoid ages in Ghana on the geoscience data: Unpublished MSc Thesis, Université le Mirail, basis of U/Pb zircon and monazite dating: Precambrian Toulouse. Research, 56, 89–96.

Diene, M., T. Fullgraf, F. Diatta, E. Gloaguen, M. Gueye, and Hubert, H., 1934, Carte Géeologique, Afrique Occidentale P.M. Ndiaye, 2015, Review of the Senegalo-Malian shear zone Française et Togo. Echelle 1:6M. system – Timing, kinematics and implications for possible Au (http://yves.cordelle.free.fr/CDFamilialAvantSept1939/Photos4/ mineralisation styles: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 112, 1934c-AlbertH-AOFgeologique.jpg ). 485-504. Jessell, M. W., P.O. Amponsah, L. Baratoux, D.K. Asiedu, G.K. Fougerouse, D., S. Micklethwaite, S. Ulrich, J. Miller, B. Godel, Loh, and J. Ganne, 2012, Crustal-scale transcurrent shearing in D.T. Adams, and T.C. McCuaig, 2017, Evidence for Two Stages the Paleoproterozoic: Precambrian Research, 213, 155–168.

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Jessell, M.W., K. Boamah, J.A. Duodu, and Y. Ley-Cooper, Lindsay, M.D., S. Perrouty, M.W. Jessell, and L. Ailleres, 2015b, Geophysical evidence for a major paleochannel within 2013b, Making the link between geological and geophysical the Obosum Group of the Volta Basin, Northern Region, Ghana: uncertainty: Geodiversity in the Ashanti Greenstone Belt: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 112, 586-596. Geophysical Journal International, 195, 903-922.

Jessell, M.W., J. Santoul, L. Baratoux, N. Youbi, R.E. Ernst, V. Markwitz, V., K.A. Hein, and J. Miller, 2016, Compilation of Metelka, J. Miller, and S. Perrouty, 2015c, An updated map of West African mineral deposits: spatial distribution and mineral West African mafic dykes: Journal of African Earth Sciences, endowment. Precambrian Research, 274, 61-81. 112, 440-450. Martin, R., V. Monteiller, D. Komatitsch, S. Perrouty, M.W. Jessell, M.W., P.A. Cawood, and J.M. Miller, 2016a, Editorial: Jessell, S. Bonvalot, and M. Lindsay, 2013, Gravity inversion Craton to Regional-scale analysis of the Birimian of West using wavelet-based compression on parallel hybrid CPU/GPU Africa: Precambrian Research, 274, 1-2. systems: application to South-West Ghana. Geophysical Journal International, 195, 1594-1619. Jessell, M.W., G.C. Begg, and M.S. Miller, 2016b, The geophysical signatures of the West African Craton: Precambrian Masurel, Q., N. Thébaud, J. Miller, S. Ulrich, K.A.A. Hein, G. Research, 274, 3-24. Cameron, D. Béziat, O. Bruguier, and J.A. Davis, 2017, Sadiola Hill: A world-class carbonate-hosted gold deposit in Mali, West Junner, N.R., 1934, Geological Map of the Gold Coast. Southern Africa: Economic Geology, 112, 23-47. Sheet. Showing Positions of Gold Mines and Prospects: Gold Coast Geological Survey, 1: 500,000 scale. McCuaig, T.C., D. Fougerouse, S. Salvi, L. Siebenaller, L.A. (http://www.bmarchives.org/items/show/100203728). Parra-Avila, R. Seed, D. Beziat, A-S. Andre-Mayer, 2016, The Inata deposit, Belahouro District, northern Burkina Faso: Ore Kouamelan, A.N., C. Delor, and J-J. Peucat, 1997, Geology Reviews, 78, 639-644. Geochronological evidence for reworking of Archean terrains during the early Proterozoic (2.1 Ga) in the western Côte McFarlane, H., 2016, Lower and middle crust exhumation d’Ivoire (Man Rise-West African Craton): Precambrian during Palaeoproterozoic accretionary tectonics: Key new Research, 86, 177–199. evidence from the Sefwi Greenstone Belt, SW Ghana: 35th International Geological Congress, Cape Town, South Africa, Kríbek, B., J. Zachariáš, I. Knésl, J. Míková, M. Mihaljevic, F. Paper 4504. Veselovskýa, and O. Bamba, 2016, Geochemistry, mineralogy, and isotope composition of Pb, Zn, and Cu in primary ores, Metelka, V., 2011, Application des méthodes de géophysique et gossan and barren ferruginous crust from the Perkoa base metal de télédétection à l’analyse du régolithe et de la géologie du deposit, Burkina Faso: Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Burkina Faso, Afrique de l’Ouest : Unpublished PhD Thesis, 168, 49–64. Université de Toulouse.

Lebrun, E., J. Miller, N. Thébaud, S. Ulrich, and T.C. McCuaig, Metelka, V., 2015, A regional-scale 3D model of an emerging 2017, Structural controls on an orogenic gold system: The gold mining district in SW Burkina Faso, Western Africa: 13th world-class Siguiri Gold District, Siguiri Basin, Guinea, West SGA Biennial Meeting 2015. Proceedings, Volume 5, 1743- Africa: Economic Geology, 112, 73-98. 1746.

Le Mignot, E., L. Siebenaller, D. Béziat, A-S. André-Mayer, L. Metelka, V., L. Baratoux, S. Naba, and M.W. Jessell, 2011, A Reisberg, S. Salvi, G. Velasquez, C. Zimmermann, A. Naré, and geophysically constrained litho-structural analysis of the G. Franceschi, 2017, The Paleoproterozoic copper-gold deposits Eburnean greenstone belts and associated granitoid domains, of the Gaoua District, Burkina Faso: Superposition of orogenic Burkina Faso, West Africa: Precambrian Research, 190, 48–69. gold on a porphyry copper occurrence?: Economic Geology, 112, 99-122. Metelka, V., L. Baratoux, M.W. Jessell, and S. Naba, 2015, Visible and infrared properties of weathered to unaltered rocks Le Pape, F., A.G. Jones, M.W. Jessell, C. Hogg, L. Siebenaller, from Precambrian granite greenstone terrains of the West A. Touré, G. Boren, P. Ouiya, A. Mahamud, 2014, Preliminary African Craton: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 112, 570- 2D results from a magnetotelluric survey crossing Burkina Faso 585. and Ghana as part of the WAXI project: Extended Abstract, 22nd EM Induction Workshop, Weimar, Germany, August 24- Milési, J.-P., P. Ledru, J-L Feybesse, A. Dommanget, and E. 30, 2014 Marcoux, 1992, Early Proterozoic ore deposits and tectonics of the Birimian orogenic belt West Africa: Precambrian Research, 58, 305–344.

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Milési, J.P., J.L. Feybesse, P. Pinna, Y. Deschamps, H. northeast Burkina Faso: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 112, Kampunzu, S. Muhongo, J.L. Lescuyer, E. Le Goff, C. Delor, 382-418. M. Billa, F. Ralay, and C. Heinry, 2004, Geological map of Africa 1:10,000,000, SIGAfrique project, in 20th Conference of World Bank and Elsevier, 2014, A Decade of Development in African Geology, BRGM, Orleans, France, 2–7 June. Sub-Saharan African Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Research. 72 p. Ouiya, P., L. Siebenaller, S. Salvi, D. Béziat, S. Naba, L. Baratoux, A. Naré, and G. Franceschi, 2016, The Nassara gold prospect, Gaoua District, southwestern Burkina Faso: Ore Geology Reviews, 78, 623-630.

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Perrouty, S., L. Aillères, M.W. Jessell, L. Baratoux, Y. Bourassa, and B. Crawford, 2012, Revised Eburnean geodynamic evolution of the gold-rich southern Ashanti Belt, Ghana, with new field and geophysical evidence of pre- Tarkwaian deformations: Precambrian Research, 204-205, 12– 39.

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Perrouty, S., M.W. Jessell, Y. Bourassa, J. Miller, D. Apau, L. Siebenaller, G. Velásquez, L. Baratoux, L. Aillères, D. Béziat, and S. Salvi, 2015, The Wassa mine: a poly-deformed orogenic gold system in southwest Ghana – Implications for regional exploration: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 112, 536-547.

Salvi, S., G. Velásquez, J.M. Miller, D. Béziat, L. Siebenaller, and Y. Bourassa, 2016a, The Pampe gold deposit (Ghana): Constraints on sulfide evolution during gold mineralization: Ore Geology Reviews, 78, 673-686.

Salvi, S., A. Sangare, Y. Driouch, L. Siebenaller, D. Beziat, P. Debat, and O. Femenias, 2016b, The Kalana vein-hosted gold deposit, southern Mali: Ore Geology Reviews, 78, 599-605.

Tshibubudze, A., K.A.A. Hein, and P. Marquis, 2009, The Markoye shear zone in NE Burkina Faso: Journal of African Earth Sciences, 55, 245-256.

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Tshibubudze, A., K.A.A Hein, and T.C. McCuaig, 2015, The relative and absolute chronology of strato-tectonic events in the Gorom Gorom granitoid terrane and Oudalan-Gorouol belt,

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African Mining Vision Action Plan West African Exploration Initiative

Programme cluster 2 – Geological and mineral information systems

Support regional economic communities to: - Integrated regional geological and geophysical mapping programs and development of new maps (Baratoux et al., 2011; Hein, 2010; - adopt and implement sub-regional mapping and mineral Metelka et al., 2011; Perrouty et al., 2012; Tshibubudze et al., 2014; inventory programmes including the use of modern remote Block et al., 2015). sensing techniques. - Mineral Atlas Monograph and other special volumes as online - scale up efforts to standardize geological information resources material (Markwitz et al., 2016). management methods and approaches (e.g., stratigraphy, cadastre, legends, etc.). - Compilation of historical, geological, geographical and geophysical data in ArcGIS and MapInfo platforms (Jessell, 2013). - promote collaboration between the different national geological and mining-related institutions (Ministries, Universities, Research Centres, etc.).

Programme cluster 3 – Building human and institutional capacities - At national level: Diversify education, academic and - Industry and government supported academic training at the professional training funding sources to include private postgraduate level with 70 current and completed MSc and PhD theses, sector; strengthen continuing professional development over 60% from Africa. through short courses; align human resources development to - Training for academic staff. Collaborative agreements between AMV policy direction and needs of industry. universities, e.g., University of the Witwatersrand and Ecole Nationale - At sub-regional level: Establish strong inter-university d’Ingenieurs (Mali). collaborative programmes; improve cross-country - Research exchange programs for West African researchers to France, accessibility of learning centres. South Africa and Australia.

Programme cluster 6 – Research and development - At national level: Improve funding for minerals research - Total research and scholarship funding to West and South African including focus on improved mineral extraction processes as universities: $500,000. well as environmental and social impacts. - Combined WAXI GIS available to all West African partner - At sub-regional and regional levels: Develop strategies to organizations. enhance collaboration between R & D centres with a view to - Improved data access (Data Metallogenica). knowledge-sharing and technology transfer; develop exchange of information networks to enhance exchange of data and good practices.

Programme cluster 8 – Linkages and diversification - At national level: Develop institutional arrangements that - Annual meetings bringing together universities and geological survey combine the minerals industry, trade and science, technology organizations from partner countries across West Africa. and innovation complexes. - At sub-regional and regional levels: Develop best practice on new institutional arrangements combining the minerals industry, trade and science, technology and innovation complexes for regional economic communities and member states.

Table 1: Action items from the action plan of the African Mining Vision that are addressed by the WAXI project.

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Course Title Course type and location(s) Year Structural Geophysics: Integrated geological Classroom - Ghana, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, interpretation of geophysical data 2012, 2015, 2016 Exploration Geochemistry Classroom and field - Burkina Faso 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 Exploration Targeting in a Business Context Exploration Targeting in a Business Context 2011 Advanced Applied Structural Geology Field course / mine site - Ghana 2011, 2012, 2017 Research Management Classroom- Burkina Faso 2013 Field Geomorphology and Regolith Mapping Field course - Burkina Faso 2013, 2017 Mineral systems and metallogeny of the Classroom and field - Burkina Faso 2016, 2017 Birimian Craton and applications for exploration targeting: A regional to deposit scale perspective Back to the basics applied structural geology Field course - Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso 2017 and mapping Mineral alteration footprints and portable Classroom and field – Burkina Faso 2017 field techniques (ASD, XRF, etc.) Field and litho-structural mapping and Classroom and field - Senegal 2018 integration of geophysical data (radiometrics, magnetics): to be announced Table 2: Professional Training Courses.