Short-wavelength infrared spectroscopy as a tool for characterising hydrothermal alteration at the Geita Hill gold deposit, Tanzania

Geita Hill is a world-class gold deposit located in north-western Tanzania and hosted within an ironstone-dominated sedimentary package, intruded by diorite dykes and sills. The host rocks were metamorphosed to greenschist facies and show a complex deformation history comprising early ductile, and late brittle-ductile events. The regional metamorphic assemblage at the deposit is characterised by Bt + Chl + Act + Kfs ± Phg ± Mt ± Po ± Py. The gold-related alteration overprints the regional metamorphism, and manifests as a series of silicification and sulfidation fronts, and/or microfracture and vein networks. Gold is closely associated with secondary pyrite, and occurs as free-Au and gold tellurides. The mineralized vein/microfracture networks contain Bt and Kfs as primary accessory minerals. The mineralising alteration is overprinted by barren, multiphase quartz-carbonate and carbonate-chlorite veins, characterised by the assemblage Ca + Sd + Chl ± Qtz ± Py ± Ba. The close association between gold and biotite in the mineralized vein/microfracture networks and the scarcity of retrograde chlorite makes the Geita Hill deposit ideal to test the change of the biotite short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral response with the proximity to the gold alteration. SWIR spectra were collected from three well-characterised drill holes that intercepted the gold mineralization and the results were compared to the gold grades. The SWIR data shows that there is a good correlation between the biotite spectral response and the gold grades. The position of the 2250 nm biotite absorption feature is changing systematically as a function of the ore proximity indicating that SWIR can be used to trace gold mineralization and has the potential to be a powerful exploration tool if used in conjunction with well characterised mineral paragenesis

The petrogenesis of the Neoarchean Kukuluma Intrusive Complex, NW Tanzania

The Kukuluma Intrusive Complex (KIC) is a late Archean igneous complex, dominated by monzonite and diorite with subordinated granodiorite. The monzonite and the diorite suites have low silica content (SiO2 ≤ 62 wt%), moderate Mg# (Mg#average = 49), high Sr/Y (Sr/Yaverage = 79) and high La/Yb (La/Ybaverage = 56) ratios, and strongly fractionated (Lan/Ybn = 9–69) REE patterns. Their moderate Ni (Niaverage = 50 ppm), Cr (Craverage = 85 ppm), variable Cr/Ni ratio (0.65–3.56) and low TiO2 (TiO2average = 0.5 wt%) indicate little to no interaction with the peridotitic mantle. For most major elements (Al2O3, FeOt, Na2O, TiO2 and P2O5) the monzonite and the diorite suites display subparallel trends for the same SiO2 content indicating they represent distinct melts. Intrusions belonging to the diorite suite have high Na2O (Na2Oaverage = 4.2 wt%), Dy/Ybn (Dy/Ybn-average = 1.6), a positive Sr anomaly and uncorrelated Nb/La and Zr/Sm ratios suggesting derivation from partial melting of garnet-bearing amphibolite. Intrusions belonging to the monzonite suite have higher Na2O (Na2Oaverage = 5.61 wt%), Dy/Ybn (Dy/Ybn-average = 2.21), a negative Sr anomaly and correlated Nb/La and Zr/Sm ratios consistent with derivation from partial melting of eclogite with residual rutile. Small variations in the Th/U ratio and near chondritic/MORB average values (Th/Umonzonite = 3.65; Th/Udiorite = 2.92) are inconsistent with a subducting slab signature, and it is proposed that the monzonite and the diorite suites of the KIC formed by partial melting of garnet-bearing, lower mafic crust of an oceanic plateau. The granodiorite suite has lower Mg# (Mg#average = 41), moderately fractionated REE, low Sr/Y (Sr/Yaverage = 20), La/Yb (La/Ybaverage = 15), Dy/Ybn (DyYbn-average = 1.24) and small negative Eu anomalies suggesting derivation from partial melting of amphibolite and plagioclase fractionation. Near-MORB Th/U (Th/Uaverage = 2.92) and Zr/Sm (Zr/Smaverage = 30.21) ratios are consistent with intracrustal melting of amphibolite. Archean rocks with an “adakitic” geochemical signature have been used to argue in favour of a plate tectonics regime in the Archean. The results presented here suggest that tectonic models for the Tanzania Craton, which invoke a subduction-related setting for all greenstone belts may need revision

The tectonic history of a crustal-scale shear zone in the Tanzania Craton from the Geita Greenstone Belt, NW-Tanzania Craton

In this contribution, we present for the first-time field based evidence of a crustal scale shear zone from the southern margin of Geita Greenstone Belt. The Geita Shear Zone is a broad (∼800 m wide) ductile, high-strain, deformation zone that can be traced for at least 50 km along the southern margin of the Geita Greenstone Belt. It is near vertical, trends ∼E-W and separates the mafic volcanics of the Kiziba Formation, to the north, from the TTG gneisses that crop out south of the shear zone. The shear zone is hosted almost entirely by the TTG gneisses and is characterised by a well-developed mylonitic foliation near the greenstone margin that transitions into a gneissic foliation and eventually becomes a weakly developed foliation further south. It contains approximately equal amounts of dextral, sinistral, and asymmetric shear sense indicators suggesting that the shear zone accommodated mainly flattening strain while the mineral stretching lineation defined by quartz and feldspar ribbons and stretched biotite selvages plunges shallowly W. A series of younger, sub-vertical, NW trending brittle-ductile, strike-slip shear zones truncate and displace the Geita Shear Zone with dextral displacement in the order of 2–4 km. Deformed tonalite interpreted to predate the shear zone yielded U-Pb zircon ages of ∼2710 Ma while synshearing granodiorite samples have zircon ages between 2680 Ma and 2660 Ma. The ∼2630 Ma age of the undeformed Nyankumbu granite is interpreted to mark the minimum age of movement on the shear zone. The presence of 3000 Ma and 3200 Ma zircon xenocrysts in the tonalite and granodiorite opens the possibility that older basement rocks underlie the greenstone belts in the northern half of Tanzania Craton. Whether or not the greenstone belts were erupted on older basement, thrusted on top of older basement rocks or incorporated older basement fragments has profound implications for the tectonic framework and evolution of the Tanzania Craton

A giant gold system, Geita Greenstone Belt, Tanzania

[Extract] Archean greenstone belts are a well-known source of gold deposits. If we ignore the giant Witwatersrand gold system we can confidently say that the majority of Archean gold comes from greenstone belts. Even though as a general rule greenstone belts are highly prospective for gold some greenstone belts have proved to be much more productive than others. For example most of the gold in Canada's Superior Province comes from Abitibi Greenstone Belt, particularly from Timmins area (e.g. Wyman, 2003). Similarly, most of the gold mined from Australia's Yilgarn Craton comes from the Kalgoorlie camp which accounts for more than half of the gold mined so far (Philips et al., 1996) in the entire craton. Interestingly, although far apart, the geology and mineralization styles of gold deposits in both areas are very much alike suggesting that the processes leading to the formation of giant ore systems must be similar starting from the ground preparation to the mineralization process. In the Tanzania Craton the giant Bulyanhulu gold deposit is also similar to the giant deposits found in the Timmins and Kalgoorlie areas, respectively. That is, lode gold mineralization style, mafic host rocks, ages, map scale patterns, deformation styles and the short premineralization crustal history are all largely similar (e.g. Bateman and Bierlein, 2007). Bulyanhulu is much more similar to the Kalgoorlie camp in the sense that it consists of one major gold deposit, while the Timmins camp is made of a large number of smaller gold deposits. These similarities between three giant gold camps situated on three different continents may indicate that in order to form giant gold deposits certain conditions need to be satisfied. However, that is not always the case and the gold mineralization found in Geita Greenstone Belt does not follow the typical pattern of Archean lode gold deposits. Geita Greenstone belt contains a minimum of fifteen gold deposits which may resemble the Timmins camp, but the mineralization style, alteration, structures and host rocks are different. The mineralization in Geita Greenstone belt is preferentially hosted within deformation zones developed along the contact of banded ironstones and porphyries of various compositions rather than along some major shear systems. The structures associated with the mineralised system are minor, the alteration zone is restricted to the mineralised zone, quartz veins are rare or missing although silicification is common

Zircon U-Pb ages and Hf isotope data from the Kukuluma Terrain of the Geita Greenstone Belt, Tanzania Craton: implications for stratigraphy, crustal growth and timing of gold mineralization

The Geita Greenstone Belt is a late Archean greenstone belt located in the Tanzania Craton, trending approximately E-Wand can be subdivided into three NW-SE trending terrains: the Kukuluma Terrain to the east, the Central Terrain in the middle and the Nyamullilima Terrain in the west. The Kukuluma Terrain, forms a NW-SE trending zone of complexly deformed sediments, intruded by the Kukuluma Intrusive Complex which, contains an early-syntectonic diorite-monzonite suite and a late-syntectonic granodiorite suite. Three gold deposits (Matandani, Kukuluma and Area 3W) are found along the contact between the Kukuluma Intrusive Complex and the sediments. A crystal tuff layer from the Kukuluma deposits returned an age of 2717 ± 12 Ma which can be used to constrain maximum sedimentation age in the area. Two granodiorite dykes from the same deposit and a small granodiorite intrusion found along a road cut yielded zircon ages of 2667 ± 17 Ma, 2661 ± 16 Ma and 2663 ± 11 Ma respectively. One mineralized granodiorite dyke from the Matandani deposit has an age of 2651 ± 14 Ma which can be used to constrain the maximum age of the gold mineralization in the area. The 2717 Ma crystal tuff has zircon grains with suprachondritic 176Hf/177Hf ratios (0.28108e0.28111 at 2717 Ma) and positive (þ1.6 to þ2.6) εHf values indicating derivation from juvenile mafic crust. Two of the granodiorite samples have suprachondritic 176Hf/177Hf ratios (avg. 0.28106 and 0.28107 at 2663 and 2651 Ma respectively) and nearly chondritic εHf values (avg. -0.5 and -0.3 respectively). The other two granodiorite samples have chondritic 176Hf/177Hf ratios (avg. 0.28104 and 0.28103 at 2667 and 2661 Ma respectively) and slightly negative εHf values (avg. -1.1 and -1.5 respectively). The new zircon age and isotope data suggest that the igneous activity in the Kukuluma Terrain involves a significant juvenile component and occurred within the 2720 to 2620 Ma period which, is the main period of crustal growth in the northern half of the Tanzania Craton

The structural history and mineralization controls of the world-class Geita Hill gold deposit, Geita Greenstone Belt, Tanzania

The Geita Hill gold deposit is located in the Archean Geita Greenstone Belt and is one of the largest gold deposits in East Africa. The Geita Greenstone Belt experienced a complex deformation and intrusive history that is well illustrated and preserved in and around the Geita Hill gold deposit. Deformation involved early stages of ductile shearing and folding (D1 to D5), during which episodic emplacement of large diorite intrusive complexes, sills, and dykes occurred. These ductile deformation phases were followed by the development of brittle-ductile shear zones and faults (D6 to D8). The last stages of deformation were accompanied by voluminous felsic magmatism involving the intrusion of felsic porphyry dykes, within the greenstone belt, and the emplacement of large granitic bodies now forming the margins of the greenstone belt. Early, folded lamprophyre dykes, and later lamprophyre dykes, crosscutting the folded sequence are common, although volumetrically insignificant. The gold deposit formed late during the tectonic history of the greenstone belt, post-dating ductile deformation and synchronous with the development of brittle-ductile shear zones that overprinted earlier structural elements. The main mineralizing process involved sulfide replacement of magnetite-rich layers in ironstone and locally the replacement of ferromagnesian phases and magnetite in the diorite intrusions. The intersection between the brittle-ductile (D6) Geita Hill Shear Zone and different structural elements of ductile origin (e.g., fold hinges), and the contact between banded ironstone and folded diorite dykes and sills provided the optimal sites for gold mineralization

The world-class gold deposits in the Geita greenstone belt, Northwestern Tanzania

The Geita mine is operated by AngloGold Ashanti and currently comprises four gold deposits mined as open pits and underground operations in the Geita greenstone belt, Tanzania. The mine produces ~0.5 Moz of gold a year and has produced ~8.3 Moz since 2000, with current resources estimated at ~6.5 Moz, using a lower cut-off of 0.5 g/t.The geologic history of the Geita greenstone belt involved three tectonic stages: (I) early (2820–2700 Ma) extension (D1) and formation of the greenstone sequence in an oceanic plateau environment; (II) shortening of the greenstone sequence (2700–2660 Ma) involving ductile folding (D2–5) and brittle-ductile shearing (D6), coincident with long-lived igneous activity concentrated in five intrusive centers; and (III) renewed extension (2660–2620 Ma) involving strike-slip and normal faulting (D7–8), basin formation, and potassic magmatism. Major gold deposits in the Geita greenstone belt formed late in the history of the greenstone belt, during D8normal faulting at ~2640 Ma, and the structural framework, mineral paragenesis, and timing of gold precipita-tion is essentially the same in all major deposits. Gold is hosted in iron-rich lithologies along contacts between folded metaironstone beds and tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) intrusions, particularly where the contacts were sheared and fractured during D6–7 faulting. The faults, together with damage zones created along D3 fold hinges and D2–3 hydrothermal breccia zones near intrusions, formed microfracture networks that were reactivated during D8. The fracture networks served as conduits for gold-bearing fluids; i.e., lithologies and structures that trap gold formed early, but gold was introduced late.Fluids carried gold as Au bisulfide complexes and interacted with Fe-rich wall rocks to precipitate gold. Fluid-rock interaction and mineralization were enhanced as a result of D8 extension, and localized hydro-fracturing formed high-grade breccia ores. Gold is contained in electrum and gold-bearing tellurides that occur in the matrix and as inclusions in pyrrhotite and pyrite. The gold mineralization is spatially linked to long-lived, near-stationary intrusive centers. Critical factors in forming the deposits include the (syn-D2–6) formation of damage zones in lithologies that enhance gold precipitation (Fe-rich lithologies); late tectonic reactivation of the damage zones during extensional (D8) faulting with the introduction of an S-rich, gold-bearing fluid; and efficient fluid-rock interaction in zones that were structurally well prepared

Formulação com aminoácidos totais ou digestíveis em rações com níveis decrescentes de proteína bruta para frangos de corte de 21 a 42 dias de idade Total and digestible amino acids formulation in diets with decreasing levels of crude protein for broilers from 21 to 42 days of age

Foram realizados dois experimentos para avaliar a formulação de rações para frangos de corte com redução do nível de proteína bruta (PB) e suplementadas com aminoácidos sintéticos, formuladas com base nos aminoácidos totais - AAT (experimento 1) ou digestíveis - AAD (experimento 2). Os experimentos foram conduzidos no período de 3 a 6 semanas de idade das aves. Em ambos os experimentos, os quatros níveis de PB foram: 20,8; 19,7; 18,6 e 17,5% PB. No experimento 2, também foram testados outros dois tratamentos com rações contendo 20,8 e 17,5% de PB e alta digestibilidade (ADig), à base de milho, farelo de soja, amido de milho e proteína isolada de soja. Nos dois experimentos, o consumo de ração não foi afetado pela redução de PB. No experimento 1, o ganho de peso (GP), a conversão alimentar (CA) e os rendimentos de peito e de coxa foram afetados negativamente pela redução dos níveis de PB, enquanto, no experimento 2 estas variáveis não foram influenciadas. No entanto, em ambos os experimentos, na semana de 21 a 28 dias, o GP e a CA foram influenciados negativamente pela redução dos níveis de PB na ração. Com o decréscimo no nível de PB, a digestibilidade da matéria seca (MS) e da matéria orgânica (MO) aumentou no experimento 2, em virtude da menor inclusão de farelo de soja. Em ambos os experimentos, a retenção relativa de proteína foi superior para rações com baixos níveis de PB. No experimento 2, apesar de os níveis de PB não terem influenciado o desempenho, a ração de ADig proporcionou maior digestibilidade da MO e tendência à maior digestibilidade da MS. As rações com 17,5% PB e ADig promoveram balanço mais positivo e maior retenção relativa de proteína em comparação às de digestibilidade padrão. Considerando todos os resultados, a formulação de rações com AAD mostrou vantagens em relação aos AAT.<br>Two experiments (Exp) were carried out to evaluate diets for broilers formulated with reducing crude protein (CP) level, supplemented with synthetic amino acids, formulated based on total amino acids (TAA) (Exp 1) or digestible AA (DAA) (Exp 2). The experiments conducted in the period from 3 to 6 weeks of age of the birds. In both experiments, the four levels of CP were: 20.8, 19.7, 18.6 and 17.5% CP. In the Experiment 2, two other treatments were added: diets containing 20.8 and 17.5% CP and high digestibility (HD), based on corn, soybean meal, corn starch and soy protein isolate. In both experiments, the feed intake was not affected by CP decreasing. In Exp1, weight gain (WG), feed conversion (FC), breast and drumstick yield were negatively affected by CP reduction, meanwhile in Exp 2 those variables were not affected. However, in both experiments, in the week from 21 to 28 days of age, WG and FC were negatively influenced by CP decrease. As the CP levels decrease, the dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) digestibility increased in the Exp 2, due to the smaller inclusion of soybean meal. In both experiments, the relative protein retention was greater for rations with low CP levels. In Exp 2, although of the different CP levels did not affect the performance, the Hdig diets promoted higher OM digestibility and tended to have higher DM digestibility. The rations with 17.5%CP level and HDig promoted a more positive protein balance and higher relative protein retention as compared to the standard digestibility. Considering all the results, formulation with DAA showed advantages related to TAA