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The Geology and Gold Mineralization of the Belhoura Region, Northern Burkina Faso, West Africa, and Their Implications for the Birimian of West Africa

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The Geology and Gold Mineralization of the Belhoura Region, Northern Burkina Faso, West Africa, and Their Implications for the Birimian of West Africa The Geology and gold mineralization of the Belhoura Region, Northern Burkina Faso, West Africa, and their implications for the Birimian of West Africa Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Schaeneman, Lewis George Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 05/10/2021 09:17:45 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/558232 The Geology and Gold Mineralization of the Belhoura Region, Northern Burkina Faso, West Africa, and Their Implications for the Birimian of West Africa by Lewis George Schaeneman HI Copyright © Lewis George Schaeneman m 1994 A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the DEPARTMENT OF GEOSCIENCES In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements For the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE In the Graduate College THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA 1 9 9 4 2 STATEMENT BY AUTHOR This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at The University of Arizona and is deposited in the University Library to be made available to borrowers under the rules of the Library. Brief quotations from this thesis are allowable without special permission, provided that accurate acknowledgment of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the copyright holder. SIGNED: APPROVAL BY THESIS DIRECTOR This thesis has been approved on the date shown below: ) 9 ? ^ ~ John M. Guilbert Date ofesspr of Geology 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This study was funded in large part by BHP Minerals. Ideas presented here are by products of a visit to Burkina Faso with Demetrius Pohl of BHP Minerals in July of 1990. These ideas, however, were developed solely by the author and are his responsibility alone. Jim Bratt, Chris Ford, and Demetrius Pohl were instrumental in obtaining funding for the field portion of the study and the chemical analyses, and Demetrius' instruction in the ’how to' of operating in Burkina was invaluable. Doug Ellesworth and Bill Fox of BHP Minerals' Minerals Laboratory provided valuable assistance in analyzing the geochemical samples and added much to the interpretation of the geochemical data through our numerous discussions. John Foley, a temporary employee at the Minerals Lab, also contributed to these discussions. Puru Shresta generously donated instruction and time on the SEM, arranged for the preparation of polished grain mounts, and spent time discussing the data. This study would not have existed, and could not have been completed, without the help of these individuals. Sincere thanks are extended to the people of the Bureau Des Mines et de la Geologic du Burkina (BUMIGEB) for their assistance during the field portion of this study. Mr. Kabore, the Director General of BUMIGEB, graciously allowed the use of their facilities at Belhoura and Ouagadougou, as well as access to BUMIGEB bulk samples and drill cores at Belhoura. Mr. Kabore's assistance was instrumental in dealing with the military authorities during my stay in Burkina and undoubtedly made travel much easier than it would have been otherwise. Credit and thanks also go to Joseph Sawadogo, Francois Pale, and Jean Frederic Somdah for their open discussion of their work at Belhoura and for their help in making travel and living arrangements at Belhoura. Understanding of weathering processes and their effects in West Africa was greatly aided by discussions with George Grandin and Fabrice Colin during a two day field trip of the Belhoura area during the early stages of the field work. Many thanks are extended to Joe Wooden at the Branch of Isotope Geology, and Randy Koski at the Branch of Marine Geology of the United States Geological Survey in Menlo Park California. Use of their facilities and our many fruitful discussions were crucial to the development of the ideas presented here. Their encouragement throughout the later part of the study is in part responsible for its completion. , I would like to thank the members of my committee, John Guilbert, Joaquin Ruiz, and Spence Titley for sticking with me after the many problems and errors that made this project seem unfeasible early on and interminable later. Most of all I thank my wife, Robin, and the rest of my family for helping me through one of the most difficult periods of my life. Because of them, I am able to walk away from the experience a better person, with a healthier perspective on life and a deeper sense of what is really important in it. 4 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to the memory of my grandmothers Mary Schaeneman and Margaret Snider whose intelligence, kindness, tenacity of spirit, and zest for life left an indelible impression on me in my youth. They are deeply missed. 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS L IST OF FIG U R E S..................................................................................................................8 LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................15 LIST OF PLATES...................................... 16 A B ST R A C T ......................................................................................................... 1 7 IN T R O D U C T IO N ....................................................................................... .........................18 Purpose of Study.................................................................................... 18 L o c a tio n ............................................................................................................................... 2 0 G eography and C lim ate.............................................................................................. 2 1 C ulture...................................................................................................................................2 2 P R O T E R O Z O IC T E C T O N IC S..................................................................................... 2 3 GEOLOGY OF WEST AFRICA ...................................................................................2 5 K enem a-M an G ranite-G reenstone D om ain........................................................2 5 B aou li-M ossi D om ain .................................................................................. 2 9 E ffects of W eathering............................................................................... 42 METHODS OF STUDY ............................................ 4 5 F ield W ork ........................................................................................... 4 5 Lithologies..................... 4 6 Structural Geology.................................................................................................. 8 2 M icro sco p y ......................................................................................................................... 8 6 Heavy Mineral Separates..................................................................................... 8 6 Scanning Electron Microscopy............................................... 1 0 8 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS-Continued Geochemistry ................................................................. 1 2 8 Sampling Methods.................................................................................... 1 2 8 Analytical Methods................................................................... 129; Analytical Results...................................... 1 3 2 D IS C U S S IO N .................................................................!........... .......................................... 1 3 4 Interpretation off Field Evidence........... ..............................................................1 3 4 Lithologic Interpretation....................................................................................1 3 4 Structural and Tectonic Interpretation.......................................................1 4 3 Interpretation of Heavy Mineral Suites..................................................... 1 7 3 In terp retation off G eochem istry...................................................... 1 7 5 Geochemical Evidence for a Sedimentary Influence on the Gold Content of the Quartz Bodies.............................................. 1 7 5 Geochemical Evidence for a Magmatic/Hydrothermal Influence on the Gold Content of the Quartz Bodies.........................1 9 7 Geochemical Evidence for a Supergene Influence on the Gold Content of the Quartz Bodies.............................................................. 1 9 9 C O N C L U S IO N S ................................................................................................................. 2 0 8 A PPE N D IX A: G eochem ical D ata........................................................................... 2 1 5 APPENDIX B: Gold Grain Chemistry From Semi-Quantitative Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis........................................2 1 9 APPENDIX C: Geochemical Comparison off Heavy Mineral-Borne Trace Elements and Hydrothermal/Magmatic Trace E le m e n ts.............................................................................................. 2 2 1 APPENDIX D: Geochemical Comparison off Trace Elements and the Sum off Fe and Mn Oxides and Hydroxides............. 2 2 8 APPENDIX E: Geochemical Comparison
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