Sínese has been especially involved in many diamond exploration and mining projects in Angola and Brazil, of natural stone in Portugal, Brazil and in Angola and 15°E 20°E gold and/or niobium and tantalum (alluvial and hard rock) in Portugal and in the Republic of Congo – Brazzaville and oil, groundwater and other geological resources elsewhere (South America, Africa, Western Europe). Created in 1995, Sínese has written many technical, economical and market research studies, developed specialized information systems based on GIS technology, designed and executed exploration, evaluation and mining projects of mineral deposits in several countries and continents.
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A N G O L A N K I M B E R L I T E S S S ° ° L 5 5 D e m o c r a t i c R e p u b l i c Roughly 1/6 of the world’s kimberlites are Angolan. In addition to the 700+ kimberlites Lôva cluster – 14 kimberlites including Catoca (the powerhouse of Angolan discovered between 1952 and 1974, recent exploration work has generated a big diamond production), Camassaca, Samucunha, Camúri, Caimbunze, Lôva, Caiputa, expansion of that number. Kaissar e Luite. The Tchiuso kimberlite project in the Luemba concession, 25 km o f t h e C o n g o Some of those kimberlites are world-class deposits, surely the Catoca and possibly the north of the Catoca mine, is located in this cluster. The project is in its final pre- ´ Camatchia pipes. The Camútuè cluster of kimberlites, although with lower reserves, has implementation stage, close to production. some of higher-quality Angolan diamonds. Other kimberlites, like Camafuca-Camazambo O and Camuanzanza, just to name a few where diamonds occur, have to be further studied Other kimberlites occur outside of the above clusters, namely north of the Mufuto to evaluate their real economic value. Recent discoveries in the Cuango-Cacuílo-Cocumbi river; they are scattered and known in small number. kimberlite province at the Lulo project, definitely mineralized, seem to hold big economic ! Cuango/Cocumbi/Cacuílo kimberlite province. This is the most numerous province potential. with roughly 450 known kimberlites – 439 inside the old DIAMANG claims and over a dozen more reposted by CONDIAMA. Most of them were only lightly studied in SPATIAL DISTRIB UTION
G colonial times but some were diamond bearing and a few had interesting grades. This province has been explored recently by several companies, the most successful The primary sources of the Angolan diamonds are kimberlites located (generally speaking) apparently being Lucapa Diamond Company in the Lulo project. CONDIAMA divides along a SW-NE tectonic corridor – the Lucapa Trend (not to be confused with the Lucapa the province in two clusters: Graben). The Lucapa Trend extends from the SW of Angola into DRC territory, including the Mbuji-Mayi kimberlite province. From the Cuango NE up to the Cocumbi River. MBUJ I - MAY I This volcanic corridor includes thousands of old volcanoes: barren (most), (relatively
N frequent) mineralized but uneconomic and (rare) economic kimberlites and other volcanic The Luangue tributaries. rocks, namely the exotic carbonatites (potential sources of phosphates, niobium, tantalum ! Cuanza kimberlite province. There are around fifty kimberlites known from the and rare earth elements). colonial times in the Cuanza basin, especially in its headwaters area. Most of the The occurrence of these rocks is structured in several ways: known kimberlites weren’t studied and most of the kimberlites studied weren’t ! Rather than a clean single fault, the Lucapa Trend is made of a mesh of smaller scale mineralized; a few, however, included diamond. There are however a couple of small fractures (but some deep enough to reach the Earth’s upper mantle where diamond-rich economic secondary deposits in the region. The region was targeted by the A magma has thermo-dynamical conditions to exist – 200 km deep). BHP/ESCOM JV, that confirmed new kimberlites (some of them with large surface expression) following a detailed airborne geophysical survey. The area is now again ! Mineralized kimberlites occur in the old core of continents – cratons. On a very under the attention of other operators.
generalized perspective, as we move away from the centre of cratons into their margins and beyond (in this corridor, into the SW of Angola) the likelihood of the occurrence of ! Huambo region, Cunene and Queve headwaters province. Many kimberlites LUN DA kimberlites (especially the ones mineralized) decreases. On the contrary, the likelihood (some dozens) have been discovered in this region by either DIAMANG or of carbonatite volcanism increases. As a result, we observe a mixture of carbonatites CONDIAMA. Most of these kimberlites were tested and classified as barren, although NORT H EAST and kimberlites along this corridor but with increased dominance of carbonatites in the F occasional diamonds were found in the gravels of these basins. SW and of kimberlites in the NE of Angola – the Lundas, the heartland of diamonds. ! Longa headwaters. Some kimberlites were located in this region, leading DIAMANG ! Known kimberlites occur in this broad, 2.000 km long tectonic corridor in provinces to stake a claim. The knowledge about diamond metallogeny in this province is, (some authors preferring to call them districts), areas where kimberlites seem to however, very scarce. concentrate. Some of the diamond provinces are a little off the general SW-NE corridor. CAMATCHIA ! KIMBERLITE Chibemba/Colui province. This province includes 13 kimberlites. It seems, though,
O ! MINE CAMÚTUÈ Kimberlites are also organized in a smaller scale, in clusters of close-by pipes or dikes. that the province corresponds to more than a single unit: When a kimberlite is found, others will be present nearby. The metallogenic North Chibemba cluster. These kimberlites, located North of Chibemba, are Luanda characteristics of neighbouring structures may be radically different though, with one presumed diamond bearing, the likely source of the small diamonds found in this kimberlite being economic and its neighbour barely mineralized or barren e.g. the "/ region. CALONDA Camútuè W and E (one mineralized and the other almost barren but just separated by Ì less than 50 m at surface ) CATOCA South Cassinga (Colui River) cluster. Five kimberlites compose this cluster, located
KIMBERLITE ! South of Cassinga along the Colui River. LULO MINE On an even smaller spatial scale, a kimberlite pipe may be the result of several
S eruptions, being built by material successively erupted along time. There are several
EXPLORATION Cubango valley cluster. Three kimberlites were found up north, in the Cubango
PROJECT CAMATCHIA such examples in Angola, notably the Camafuca-Camazambo (the coalescence at surface valley, close to Mumba. These kimberlites area apparently barren. Even if Ì Ì of five different pipes) and the Camatchia pipes. This has important economic otherwise, the economic prospects seem very poor, as the diamonds occasionally
n consequences in the mining of these deposits: these eruptions may have different found in the area are very small. populations of diamonds – some areas of the deposit may be barren, others may have a ! Quando/Cuchigi - Lungué Bungo/Luia province. Seven kimberlites occur in this E LÔVA combination of high grade – smaller, lower value stones or low grade – larger, higher
a value stones. The complexity of the deposit model is compounded by the fact that each province, four of which occur in the Cuchigi River basin, close to Maué. They may be
S S area may also contain a variable content of barren country rock as xenoliths. mineralized given the diamond indications in the region. The Kalahari sands have a
° ° great thickness here, fact that may limit the economic interest of the province.The
0 0 ERUPTION TIME area has recently been studied by SOMILESTE/ IGE, confirming the old pipes and 1 1 e ALTO CUÍLO discovering new targets. C Kimberlite eruption in Angola occurs during Middle Cretaceous in association with tectonic Cuchigi cluster.
c movements affecting Continental Intercalary Formation (ENE-WSW and NNW-SSE). It is LON GA admitted (Monforte 1993), however, that a second, younger, kimberlitic volcanism period Luia cluster (perhaps misspelled Luio). Three kimberlites were found but not CUAN GO, may have occurred. In some areas, kimberlitic eruptions are associated with N-S and E-W studied by CONDIAMA. Previous work by DIAMANG had resulted in positive tectonic movements. In fact, during the Tertiary, the ENE-WSW and NNW-SSE movements indications regarding diamond mineralization. O change to E-W and N-S due to the rotation of the African shield. COC UMB I ! Cunene province. Three kimberlites were found near the Ruacaná waterfalls. They
N In addition, silicified blocks with kimberlitic ilmenite are found at the surface of some kimberlite bodies or mixed with gravels of the present hydrographical network. These are apparently barren. & C ACUIL O silicified blocks are in fact polymorph sandstones (gréspolimorfos), implying that that these kimberlitic eruptions are contemporaneous of the silicification that originated the ! Kuito province. Two kimberlites were located in the Cuíto basin, over the 20oW meridian. These kimberlites are supposed mineralized, as diamonds have been found
c polymorph sandstones (gréspolimorfos) and this extended until, at least, Middle Tertiary. I (Monforte 1993) thus believes that two kimberlite generations occurred: in the area.
! i 1. Some kimberlites are pre-Calonda, Middle Cretaceous, associated with ENE-WSW and Lomba/Quando province. This region may contain a diamondiferous kimberlite NNW-SSE tectonics, strongly eroded, its diamonds being incorporated into the basal province under the Kalahari sands, as several diamonds and indicator minerals have conglomerates of the Calonda Formation. been found in the area.
t V HUAM BO, 2. Other kimberlites are post-Calonda, younger (Middle Tertiary) and associated with N-S and E-W tectonics, lightly affected by erosion. BIBLIOGRAPHY n CUN ENE & Most of the previously known Angolan kimberlites were only superficially studied in the Cham bel, L. (2000). Evolução do peso dos rochas quimb erlíticas e nos jazigos secundários QUEVE past and, based on those studies and the technical and economical conditions then diam antes ao longo do rio Chicapa (Lu nda, (Vols. 2 - Jazigos de diamante). Sociedade Angola). REM: R. Esc. Minas, 53 (3), 01-0 7. Portuguesa d e Empreeendimentos. a prevailing, discarded as not interesting by DIAMANG or CONDIAMA. A thorough study of
O the kimberlite occurrences in Angola is thus a priority. Cham bel, L., Caetano, L., & Reis, M. (2013). One Monforte, A. (1 988). O diamante em Angola nas One of the most interesting puzzles to solve in what concerns Angolan diamond geology is cen tury of Angolan diamonds . Sínese & rochas quimb erlíticas e nos jazigos secundários l CUAN ZA the discovery of the source(s) of the Cuango River basin diamonds. The Cuango deposits Eag lestone. (Vols. 3 - Metodologia Geral de Prospecção). Sociedad e Portugu esa de Em preend im en tos. are the richest in Angola (in grade and value, fetching 300+ USD/ct). Although many Correia, E. (1 965). Prospecção geoqu ím ica de t kimberlites have been found in the vicinity of the Cuango River, all of them were classified kimberlitos na Lunda. Boletim dos Serviços de Monteiro, J. A. (1993). O diam an te, riqueza de as sterile in the past (although many were not studied). No primary source was yet found Geologia e M inas, 1 1, 14. Angola: n otas sob re a indústria do diamante em
R Angola desde a sua descoberta até 19 75. In J. d. Lucapa Diam ond Com pany. (201 2, 10). Lucapa Gouveia, P. C. Moncada, J. A. Monteiro, & M . N. A PROVINCES AND CLUSTERS Diam ond Com pany. (L. D. Company, Produc er) Neto, Riquezas Minerais de Angola (p. 25 7). QUANDO-CUCHIGI Retrieved 10 30, 2 012, from Lucapa Diam ond Instituto para a Cooperação Econ óm ica. LUNGUÉ BUNGO-LUIA Angolan kimberlites occur spatially organized in provinces and clusters. The issue of the Com pany website: Angolan diamond provinces may need a new analysis, given the availability of recent data. http://www.luc apa.com.au/projects/ Pereira, E., Rodrigues, J., & Reis, B. (200 3). Synopsis of Lu nda geolog y, N E Angola:
P However, the major lines are already present in the works of (Monteiro, 1993) and others Lucapa Diamond Com pany. (20 12, 1 0 29). Implic ations for diam ond exploration. based on DIAMANG and CONDIAMA information. According to (Monteiro, 1993), there are Lucapa to Raise 5M to Expand Lulo Kimberlite Com unicações do lns tituto Geológico e Mineiro, several kimberlite provinces in Angola, further subdivided in clusters: Program . Retrieved 10 30, 2012, from Lucapa 90, 189-212.
Diam ond Com pany: ! Lunda Northeast kimberlite province. This province contains a great number of http://www.luc apa.com.au/files/Lucapa-to- Reis , B. (1971 ). Contribuiç ão da kimberlites, including most of (if not all) the known economic or most important deposits Raise-5M-to-Expand-Lulo-Kim berlite- aerom ag netom etria para a determ inação de – Catoca, Camafuca-Camazambo, Camútuè and Camatchia: Program .pdf estruturas profundas e sua importância na descoberta d e ocorrências quimberlíticas. I Calonda cluster - 19 accounted kimberlite occurrences, namely the Camafuca- Men ezes, R. (1973). Mina do Camútuè: ens aios Congresso H ispano Luso-Americano de Geologia efec tu ados sobre diamantes recolh idos entre 21 Económica, (pp. 345 -359). , Madrid - Lisboa.
E Camazambo (the largest area and first found Angolan kimberlite, in 1952) and e 3 1 de Maio de 1 973. Unpublished report, Camuanzanza kimberlites. DIAMANG. Reis , B., & Aires-Barros, L. (198 1). Sur qu elques quim berlites de l’Angola. Com un. Serv. Geol. Camatchia cluster – 8 known kimberlites in colonial times. The number has increased Monforte, A. (1960 ). E stu do dos diam an tes do Portugal, 67 (I), 3-18. with BHP/ESCOM JV later ESCOM/ATS huge exploration push. This cluster includes the Goege (Junho de 196 0). . Unpublis hed report, Camatchia (in the confluence of the Chicapa and Luó rivers, the first originally crossing DIAMANG. Reis , B., & Monforte, A. (198 1). N ota preliminar T sob re o m aciço q uim berlítico ociden tal de the southern section of the pipe), Camagico (6 km south of Camatchia), Lunhinga I, Monforte, A. (1 988). O diamante em Angola nas Cam útuè (Lu nda - Angola). . Boletim da Lunhinga II, Carambala, Cula and Samuchito. rochas quimb erlíticas e nos jazigos secundários Sociedad e Geológica de Portug al, XXII, 3 27-3 38. (Vols. 1 - Geologia Geral). Camútuè cluster – 12 known kimberlites. This cluster, conveniently located in the close Sociedad e Portugu esa de Em preend im en tos. RN I. (2008). Quarterly report for the p eriod I S Z a m b i a S ended 31 M arch 2008. Resource & Investm ent vicinity of Lucapa, comprises the Camútuè E and W, Caixepa, Muenze, Caitondo, ° ° Monforte, A. (1 988). O diamante em Angola nas NL. RNI.
5 5 Capombo, Sangombe, Sacuango, e Sachipita. 1 1
LOM BA Map version 1.0 Date: 2014-06-23 L CH IBEMB A QUAN DO COL UI Luís Chambel
Luís Chambel has an experience of over 25 years in the mining industry, with activity in the diamond fields of Angola and Brazil, and in other minerals (gold,
R columbo-tantalite, gemstones, etc.) and geological resources (oil, groundwater, natural stone, aggregates) in South America, Africa and Western Europe. Luís Chambel led the team that prepared this map and is currently one of the partners and the General Manager of Sínese.
Luís Caetano CUN ENE Luís Caetano, Sinese's Chief Operation Officer, has an experience of almost three decades (of which close to ten years with Sínese) in the mineral industry. He has been responsible for many in-the-field exploration, mining and processing projects in Africa, the Americas and Europe.
B Before joining Sínese, Luís Caetano managed several natural stone extraction quarries and processing plants in major Portuguese companies.
Alexandre Correia
M Alexandre Correia is the company's CIO. He has been with Sínese for the last eight years and the preparation of this map's databases and presentation was his KUITO responsibility. He has been involved in virtually all the company's projects since 2006, ranging from field work in Angola to GIS database compilation, analysis and modeling on Brazilian, Congolese, Angolan and Portuguese mineral deposits.
I [email protected] 0 100 200 km N a m i b i a R e f e r e n c e K
15°E 20°E Kimberlite Carbo natite Kimberlite Fault Kimberlite Expl oratio n Provinc e Provinc e Clus ter Te ctonics Mine Project