Katanga Supergroup

Native copper, Mufulira Mine of the Copperbelt Province of Zambia where the Katanga Supergroup formations are mined for copper

The Katanga Supergroup is a Neoproterozoic sequence of geological formations found in central Africa.[1] The formation is well-studied for its rich stratiform copper-cobalt deposits mined extensively in from the Central African Copperbelt in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Particularly rich outcrops of the Roan Group of the supergroup occur in eastern Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where open-pit copper mining has occurred.

The Katanga Supergroup nonconformably overlies the 883 Ma Nchanga Granite.[1] The Katangan Supergroup is divided into four metasedimentary series, from the oldest siliclastic and dolomitic Roan Group conglomerates, sandstones, and shales, to Nguba Group of mostly carbonates and carbon-rich shales, to the youngest, upper most Kundelungu Group including glacial metasediments and a cap carbonate.[1][2]

The Katanga Supergroup correlates with rocks of the Makuti Group in other parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo.[3]

Mines of the Katanga Supergroup

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Master, S; C. Rainaud, R.A. Armstrong, D. Phillips, L.J. Robb (2005). "Provenance ages of the Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup (Central African Copperbelt), with implications for basin evolution". Journal of African Earth Sciences 42: 41–60. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.08.005.
  2. ↑ Rainaud, C.; S. Master, R.A. Armstrong, L.J. Robb (2005). "Geochronology and nature of the Palaeoproterozoic basement in the Central African Copperbelt (Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo), with regional implications". Journal of African Earth Sciences 42: 1–31. doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2005.08.006.
  3. ↑ Hunter, edited by D.R. (1981). Precambrian of the Southern hemisphere. Amsterdam: Elsevier Scientific. ISBN 978-0-444-41862-3.