The Mamelles iron ore deposit is located approximately 20 km southeast of the Kribi area at the north-western edge of the Congo Craton in southern Cameroon.The deposit comprises massive high-grade magnetite orebodies hosted by banded iron formations(BIFs)of the Nyong Complex.The BIFs in this deposit are associated with amphibolites and gneisses.Within the framework of detailed field investigation,we report whole-rock geo-chemical data of the BIFs to constrain their sources and depositional settings.Weak positive Eu anomalies(6Eu=2.14-3.55)indicate the contribution of high-temperature hydrothermal fluids to the Mamelles BIFs derived via submarine alteration of volcanics,with slightly detrital input.The absence of true Ce anomalies indicates that the BIFs were likely deposited in anoxic deep seawater.Deposition of the Mamelles BIF sequence occurred in volcanic arc or back-arc settings.
关键词
刚果克拉通/喀麦隆/Mamelles铁矿/条带状铁建造/地球化学
Key words
Congo Craton/Cameroon/Mamelles iron deposit/BIF/geochemistry