Copper-gold investigations in Mauritania

Abstract

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania is subject to two major mineral investigation campaigns being undertaken by the CRC 525 of the University of Technology Aachen of Germany and the Mining Sector Capacity Building Project of the World Bank undertaken by the British Geological Survey of the U.K. and BRGM of France. The general goal of the CRC 525 is the evaluation of the potential of undiscovered copper-gold deposits in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. This particular study focuses on the northern part and the southern part of the Mauritanides Belt, as the major Mauritanian copper mineralisation of economic interest is located in the Mauritanides Belt. A Minerals GIS for both regions has been developed by the CRC 525 which includes detailed digital geology, airborne geophysical data and geochemical exploration data which has been made available from international mining companies operating in these regions. Based on the GIS mineral potential mapping is currently being carried out which will lead not only to finding potential areas, but also in a final step to estimating the amount of undiscovered copper-gold deposits. This work involves key collaborative research with international mining companies currently operating these selected regions and the British Geological Survey (BGS). The British Geological Survey is undertaking a large mapping project in the southern half of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania. Whilst undertaking the mapping, any mineral locations will be noted and the details stored within a new Mineral Occurrence database for the country. This will be complemented by the development of a geographical information system (GIS) which will integrate the mineral occurrences with other data sets such as geology, satellite imagery and geophysical data. The GIS will be used to highlight potential economic mineral deposits