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Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

www.elsevier.com/locate/jafrearsci

Gold metallogeny in the Birimian craton of Burkina Faso (West Africa)

a,*
Didier Béziat , Michel Dubois b, Pierre Debat a, Serge Nikiéma c,
Stefano Salvi a, Francis Tollon a
a
LMTG, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD, OMP, 14 Avenue Edouard Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
b
UMR 8110, Université de Lille1, Bât SN5, 59655 Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
c
Goldfield Exploration Johannesburg, South Africa

Received 6 April 2006; received in revised form 20 November 2006; accepted 13 September 2007
Available online 1 November 2007

Abstract

Primary gold deposits in Burkina Faso occur in Paleoproterozoic Birimian belt formations (2.0 Ga). Mineralization was synchronous
with regional metamorphism and deformation, and is either hosted within, or is adjacent to, quartz-bearing veins. These are classical
characteristics of epigenetic gold deposits in Precambrian metamorphic terranes and permit to classify the mineralized sites from Burkina
Faso as orogenic-type gold deposits. A review of data collected over the past decade by our team permits to recognize two main styles of
gold mineralization: (1) Quartz-vein hosted; this style occurs in all lithologies, the veins are deformed and gold is principally concentrated
within the veins, associated with either sulfides or tourmaline. (2) Disseminated; this style occurs exclusively in albitites (and to a lesser
extent listvenites) with gold occurring mainly within alteration halos of generally undeformed quartz-albite-carbonate vein. Quartz-vein
and disseminated styles of mineralization can be associated within the same deposit. Albitites and listvenites are alteration products of
mainly calc-alkaline igneous rocks of felsic to ultramafic composition, respectively. The predominant alteration assemblage consists of
chlorite, albite, carbonate, and pyrite. Sulfides occur as fine masses commonly in the alteration halos close to vein margins and consist
mainly of pyrite and arsenopyrite, depending on host-rock composition. Gold occurs as free native metal and, locally, in form of
tellurides, in fissures or as inclusions within pyrite and arsenopyrite. Two main populations of fluid inclusions are associated with the
gold deposits, independently of the mineralization style: (1) carbonic inclusions consisting of up to 90 mol% CO2 (plus N2 and CH4)
and (2) aqueous-carbonic fluid inclusions with moderate salinities. Interestingly, the disseminated gold style deposits of Burkina Faso,
which have the highest economic potential, show strong similarities with the world-class Ashanti deposit, in neighboring Ghana.
Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Orogenic gold deposit; Tourmaline; Albitite; Paleoproterozoic; West African craton; Burkina Faso

1. Introduction due to more favorable global gold prices. Consequently,

and also thanks to the development of new mining codes,
West Africa (Fig. 1), in particular Ghana (the former investment by foreign companies became much more
Gold Coast), has produced gold since antiquity. During attractive and a new gold rush ensued, resulting in an
the sixteenth century, the Gold Coast accounted for as increased effort towards the understanding of gold deposits
much as 35% of the entire world’s gold production (Ame- in this part of the world.
dofu, 1995). However, since then, gold production had After the classic contributions of Junner (1932, 1935,
been steadily decreasing until the twentieth century. Eco- 1940) on the deposits of Ghana, numerous studies have
nomic interests in the region only restarted around 1980, been published since 1980, characterizing gold deposits in
Paleoproterozoic formations of Ghana (Kesse, 1985; Milési
*
Corresponding author. et al., 1989, 1992; Leube et al., 1990; Eisenlohr and Hirdes,
E-mail address: dbeziat@lmtg.obs-mip.fr (D. Béziat). 1992; Blenkinsop et al., 1994; Davis et al., 1994; Hirdes and

1464-343X/$ - see front matter Ó 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jafrearsci.2007.09.017
216 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

Fig. 1. Simplified geological map of the West African Craton. The shaded area delimits the studied area.

Nunoo, 1994; Höhndorf et al., 1994; Hünken et al., 1994; extensional zones. This type corresponds to type 1 of Milési
Mücke and Dzigbodi-Adjimah, 1994; Oberthür et al., et al. (1989); type 2 – ‘‘syn-orogenic’’ deposits in exten-
1994, 1996, 1997, 1998; Hammond and Tabata, 1997; sional zones with disseminated Au-sulfide mineralization
Klemd and Hirdes, 1997; Osae et al., 1999; Schmidt- in metavolcanites or metadiorite, and auriferous paleoplac-
Mumm et al., 1997; Klemd et al., 1998; Barritt and Kuma, ers in Tarkwaian conglomerate. This type regroups types 2
1998; Yao and Robb, 2000; Allibone et al., 2002, 2004; and 3 of Milési et al. (1989); and type 3 – ‘‘late-orogenic’’,
Feybesse et al., 2006), Mali (Dommanget et al., 1985, discordant mesothermal gold mineralization, which repre-
1993; Milési et al., 1989, 1992), Sénégal (Sylla and Ngom, sents the most economically important deposit type and
1997), and Burkina Faso (Huot et al., 1987; Sanogo and regroups types 4 and 5 of Milési et al. (1989). The classifi-
Prost, 1993; Bourges et al., 1994, 1998; Bamba et al., cation of Leube et al. (1990) and Oberthür et al. (1994) dis-
1997; Klemd and Ott, 1997; Klemd et al., 1997; Béziat tinguishes two major types of gold occurrences in the
et al., 1998, 1999; Wille and Klemd, 2004). Amongst these Birimian of Ghana: (1) disseminated-sulfide type (or sulfide
are the review articles of Milési et al. (1989, 1992) on the ores) and (2) free-gold bearing quartz-vein type. The
entire West African craton, and of Leube et al. (1990) quartz-vein type generally carries better grades than the
and Oberthür et al. (1994) on the Ashanti deposit in disseminated-sulfide type. Oberthür et al. (1994) show that
Ghana, a world class deposit and the largest gold producer the hydrothermal mineralization is structurally controlled,
in West Africa. An early classification of Milési et al. and largely synmetamorphic and synkinematic, contempo-
(1989), based on host-rock type, structure, ore-body geom- raneous with the Eburnean tectonothermal event around
etry and paragenesis, distinguished five types of primary 2.0 Ga.
gold deposits: type 1 – mineralization in tourmalinized Although in Burkina Faso, like in the rest of West
turbidites; type 2 – mineralization within disseminated sul- Africa, gold has been exploited for thousands of years
fides in volcanic or plutonic rocks; type 3 – gold-bearing (e.g. Kiéthéga, 1983), production is still mostly artisanal.
conglomerates; type 4 – lode mineralization with gold- The only significant mining operations have been at the
bearing arsenopyrite; type 5 – quartz-lode mineralization mine of Poura (Fig. 2), where 11 t of gold and 1.5 t of silver
with native gold and polymetallic sulfides. Subsequently, were produced between 1981 and 1991 (Sanogo and Prost,
Milési et al. (1992) revised their classification and proposed 1993). Poura was shut down at the end of the 1990s. Since
a threefold typology of gold deposits in West Africa, relat- 1990, the only available information on gold deposits in
ing mineralization to regional tectonic events: type 1 – Burkina Faso is limited to unpublished internal company
‘‘pre-orogenic’’ stratiform deposits, associated with early reports, in addition to a handful of papers or conference
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 217

A.E.G.B. : Aribinda-Essakhane Greenstone Belt

B.G.B. : Boromo Greenstone Belt MALI
B.Y.G.B. : Bouroum-Yalogo Greenstone Belt
Fété Kolé
A.E.G.B.
F.N'G.G.B. : F.N'Gourma Greenstone Belt Souma Oursi-Tin Edia Essakhane
Inata Yalanga Baillata
H.G.B. : Houndé Greenstone Belt Belahouro Aribinda NIGER
Gangaol
Kaumbri Bouroum Baylidiaga
Sebba
Nongotayre Seguenega Bonda Guiro
Taparko
Margo Gambo
Koudma Guibaré B.Y.G.B.
Sian
Koupela
Patiri Goren 13°W
Boboulou Bangou
Diabatou-Piela
Semapoum Bahonga Boulougou

B.
Tienzan Zoula OUAGADOUGOU
Zwademen . G.
'G
Bagassi Sombou
F.N
Loraboué

.
.B
Dohoum Kiere
Dossi Poura

G
Kari Larafella

B.
Youga
.B.

Tankiedougou
Laro BENIN
H.G

Laba

Diosso Diakadougou TOGO

Sikango GHANA
Soukoura Dienemera Legend
Gongondy
Koursiera Cambro-ordovician
Doudou
Kamigouera
Greenstone belts
200 km
Granitoids

5°W
IVORY COAST 0° Orebodies

Fig. 2. Location map of the Burkina Faso gold bodies. The studied deposits are labelled in bold and are marked by a large point.

abstracts. This information concerns of course the Poura Faso. From North to South, the studied deposits are: Fété
Mine (Sanogo and Prost, 1993), and a number of prospects, Kolé, Souma, and Inata in the Aribinda–Essakhane belt;
i.e. Gangaol and Taparko (Bourges et al., 1994, 1998), Lar- Gangaol, Bayildiaga, Guiro, Taparko, and Guibaré in
afella (Bamba et al., 1997; Klemd and Ott, 1997), Loraboué the Bouroum–Yalogo belt; Diabatou in the Fada–N’gour-
(Béziat et al., 1998), Fété Kolé and Guibaré (Béziat et al., ma belt and the Loraboué and Larafella deposits which
1999), Diabatou (Klemd et al., 1997) and Essakhane (Lero- neighbor the Poura Mine, in the Boromo belt (Fig. 2).
uge et al., 2004). The only reviews on gold in Burkina Faso
remain those of Huot et al. (1987) and Milési et al. (1989, 2. Geological setting
1992). Huot et al. (1987) distinguish two types of primary
mineralization: (1) a syngenetic type, associated with man- The Paleoproterozoic (Birimian) formations of the Man
ganese in carbonaceous schist and strata-bound sulfides shield form a major part of the West African craton (Bes-
and (2) an epigenetic type, including vein gold deposits soles, 1977) at the eastern and northern boundaries of the
and gold-bearing shear zones. Milési et al. (1989, 1992) Archean Liberian cratonic nucleus (Fig. 1). The Birimian
describe two gold deposits in Burkina Faso: the Diénémera terranes, which make up the Baoulé–Mossi domain and
disseminated gold prospect, hosted in tholeiitic volcanic the Kédougou inlier, consist of narrow sedimentary basins
rocks, and the Poura deposit, which they describe as a mes- and linear to arcuate volcanic belts intruded by several gen-
othermal gold-bearing quartz vein deposit controlled by erations of granitoids (Leube et al., 1990; Doumbia et al.,
shear structures. Milési et al. (1992) classified the Diénémer- 1998; Gasquet et al., 2003; Dioh et al., 2006). They corre-
a prospect and the Poura deposit as ‘‘syn-orogenic’’ and spond to a period of accretion during the Eburnean orog-
‘‘late-orogenic’’ deposit types, respectively. eny around 2.0 Ga (Abouchami et al., 1990; Boher et al.,
The aim of this paper, is to provide an overall under- 1992; Taylor et al., 1992).
standing of the primary gold mineralization in the Paleo- The lithostratigraphic succession of the Paleoproterozo-
proterozoic metamorphic terranes of Burkina Faso and ic formations of the Man shield, although previously much
compare it to similar mineralization elsewhere in West debated (see discussion in Vidal et al., 1996) is now consid-
Africa, notably the world-class deposits in neighbouring ered to be well established. The Birimian crust s.l. com-
Ghana (i.e. Ashanti). We use a compilation of published prises the following lithologies from bottom to top
as well as unpublished data from our team on a number (Hirdes et al., 1996; Pouclet et al., 1996; Vidal et al.,
of gold deposits from several greenstone belts in Burkina 1996; Doumbia et al., 1998; Béziat et al., 2000; Debat
218 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

et al., 2003; Feybesse et al., 2006): (1) a thick sequence of quartz-veins. Therefore, we consider that all deposits are
mafic rocks, including basalt, locally pillowed, as well as epigenetic in origin. Two main styles of mineralization
dolerite and gabbro, all of tholeiitic composition, locally encompass all deposits mentioned above, and are largely
interlayered with immature detrital sediments and lime- controlled by the nature of the host rock: (1) a quartz-vein
stone; (2) a detrital sedimentary pile (volcanics, turbidite, mineralization style, in which gold is found within
mudstone and carbonate) including interbedded calc-alka- deformed quartz veins, principally associated with pyrite
line volcanics; and (3) a coarse clastic sedimentary sequence or tourmaline and (2) a disseminated mineralization style,
belonging to the Tarkwaian group (Oberthür et al., 1998). where gold occurs as disseminated particles dominantly
During the Eburnean orogeny, the volcanic and metasedi- associated with sulfides within the alteration halo of
mentary rocks were subjected to crystal shortening associ- quartz ± albite ± carbonates unfolded veins. The veins
ated with greenschist-facies regional metamorphism themselves contain little or no gold. The latter mineraliza-
(Bessoles, 1977; Oberthür et al., 1998). Locally, amphibo- tions have lower grades but much higher tonnage, and
lite metamorphic facies are reached, but these occurrences occur in highly carbonatized and albitized rocks or pure
are interpreted as resulting from contact metamorphism albitites.
(Debat et al., 2003).
All deposits studied in Burkina Faso are located in Biri-
4. Characteristics of the quartz-vein deposits
mian belts and all the above mentioned rock types are rep-
resented. Similarly to the rest of the West African craton,
Quartz-vein hosted deposits in Burkina Faso, as in the
the metavolcanic and metasedimentary series are intruded
rest of West Africa, occur in all lithologies, i.e. in mafic
by granitoids (Hottin and Ouedraogo, 1976; Béziat et al.,
formations dominated by tholeiitic series (e.g. Taparko,
2000; Naba et al., 2004). In Burkina Faso, however, grani-
Gangaol, Bayialdiaga), and in felsic units dominated by
toids are particularly abundant and represent 70–80% of
calc-alkaline series, and in metasediments (e.g. Fété
the Birimian formations (Fig. 2). All rock units show meta-
Kolé).
morphic mineral assemblages of greenschist facies grade
(Table 1).
4.1. Structure
3. Styles of gold mineralization
In outcrop, three structural types of veins can be distin-
All primary gold deposits, prospects and showings that guished (Fig. 3): (1) steeply dipping, boudinaged veins
we studied in Burkina Faso occur within or adjacent to (type-1 veins); (2) shallowly dipping, folded veins (type-2
veins); and (3) shallowly dipping, undeformed veins (type-3
veins). Types-1 and -2 veins are mineralized whereas
Table 1 type-3 veins are barren.
Primary mineral assemblages and metamorphic assemblages in the Type-1 veins (e.g. Taparko, Gangaol) trend parallel to
different lithologies (Béziat et al., 2000) the regional foliation (N50–N80, dipping 60°–80° SE).
Rock types Primary mineral Greenschist These veins show an asymmetrical double boudinage with
assemblages facies boudins in the dip direction but only pinch-and-swell struc-
metamorphism
tures along strike (Fig. 4). This double boudinage charac-
Ultramafic rocks Olivine Serpentine terizes a major vertical extension which is also underlined
Clinopyroxene Tremolite
Amphibole Chlorite
by a prevalent vertical lineation and a minor horizontal
Chromite Magnetite extension, both resulting from horizontal shortening. In
these veins, quartz is highly deformed (ribbon structure
Gabbro–Diorite Clinopyroxene
Amphibole Tremolite and recrystallization features) (Bourges et al., 1998).
Plagioclase Albite Type-2 veins (e.g. Fété Kolé, Guibaré) develop perpen-
Ilmenite Chlorite dicularly to the main foliation (Fig. 3). They are strongly
Biotite Zoı¨site folded with ptygmatic folds evolving into flattened folds
Apatite, Zircon Titanite
with thinned limbs and thickened hinges (Fig. 5B and C).
Basalt and No relicts present Chlorite In tourmaline-bearing veins (see below), tourmaline crys-
intermediate to Actinolite tals are folded with the vein whereas quartz crystals are
felsic volcanites Albite
Epidote
elongated parallel to the axial-plane cleavage of the fold
Sericite (Fig. 5A).
Quartz Type-3 veins are filled with white quartz which has a typ-
Sedimentary rocks Detrital lithic, plagioclase, quartz Chlorite ical buckshot texture (Boyle, 1979; Dowling and Morrison,
and muscovite grains and black Epidote 1989) (Fig. 3). As mentioned above they are not deformed
shale Albite and can be observed to cross-cut types-1 and -2 veins. This
Quartz suggests that they occurred at the end of the regional defor-
Graphite
mation events.
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 219

Quartz-vein style Disseminated style

Type-1 vein Type-2 vein Type-1 vein Type-3 veins

^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^
^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ Regional
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ shortening
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^ ^ ^
^ ^ ^

Regional Type-3 vein Type-2 vein Type-2 veins

cleavage not to scale

Legend
Metasediments and metavolcanics Quartz-vein gold mineralization

^ ^ ^ ^
^ Albitite Disseminated gold mineralization
^

Fig. 3. Schematic diagram showing simplified structural pattern for the two gold mineralization styles. Darker greys correspond to higher gold grades.

A B
Barren
quartz
vein a ol
Auriferous ng
quartz vein Ga
km
Metabasite 70 1,8
0 to 47ppb 80
70
5,48 to 10.77 g/t Selvage A S1 32
515 ppb 310 ppb 4m 30
(Vairon,1984)

70
60-75 20
60 40
65
20 75
Dori
to
80 B
ug
a 70 80 N
Dio 75
m
1, 5k 70 METABASITES

80
70

40 Legend

Barren white quartz

Auriferous dark quartz

20
35
Regional cleavage
100m 25
Later crenulation cleavage

Fig. 4. Level plan and cross-section showing the orientation and dipping of quartz-veins and gold grade distributions at the Gangaol deposit.

4.2. Petrography rocks are highly altered in the selvage of the veins and
show, particularly in the Gangaol deposit, high SiO2 and
Types-1 and -2 veins can be further subdivided based on K2O contents.
their mineralogy into quartz-sulfide and quartz-tourmaline Quartz-tourmaline veins are exemplified by two deposits:
veins (sulfides and tourmaline rarely occur in the same the Guibaré deposit, where most veins are of type-2, and
veins) (Table 2). the Fété Kolé deposit, where both boudinaged veins
Quartz-sulfide veins are exemplified by the Taparko and (type-1) and folded veins (type-2) occur. Veins in the Gui-
Gangaol deposits. At Taparko, veins are hosted by meta- baré deposit are found in highly altered ultramafic to mafic
gabbro–diorite and metagranite whereas at Gangaol they rocks (occurrence of chromite). In the Fété Kolé deposit
are hosted by a metabasalt with tholeiitic affinities. Host veins are hosted by metasedimentary rocks and mafic to
220 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

intermediate metavolcanic rocks. Carbonate and chlorite veins are 5–11 g/t but only 500 ppb in the alteration sel-
occur in the vein alteration halos in both locations; how- vages; Fig. 3).
ever, the chemical composition of these minerals as well In the quartz-sulfide veins, pyrite is by far the most com-
as that of tourmaline varies with respect to host-rock lithol- mon sulfide. Gold occurs as native metal: (i) as clouded
ogy. At Guibaré, chlorite displays a Fe/(Fe + Mg) ratio grains associated with microsaccharoidal quartz, filling
around 0.25 with a Cr2O3 content higher than 2 wt%, the the dense set of tension gashes; (ii) at the contact between
carbonate is ferroan dolomite with Mg/Fe > 4 and tourma- pyrite aggregates and quartz-fibers in pressure shadow
line is Mg-rich dravite. The mafic to intermediate volcanic zones, and along pyrite faces (Fig. 6A); and (iii) in small
rocks at Fété Kolé contain chlorite with Fe/(Fe + Mg) tension fissures cross-cutting early pyrite crystals
around 0.60, carbonates are predominantly ankerite (cal- (Fig. 6B). Gold is locally accompanied by subordinate
cite in metasediments) and tourmaline compositions tend amounts of ore minerals including chalcopyrite, sphalerite,
toward schorl. pyrrhotite and galena.
In quartz-tourmaline veins, gold is concentrated within
layers of tourmaline as globular grains or in films
4.3. Ore mineralogy (<2 mm), typically at the terminations of tourmaline crys-
tals (Fig. 6C1), and as small grains (<100 lm) filling frac-
Gold grades in types-1 and -2 veins range from 8 to tures or cleavages (Figs. 6C2 and 7A). Uncommonly,
12 g/t, with generally <1 g/t in the alteration halos (e.g. gold is accompanied by chalcopyrite, which is pseudomor-
in the Gangaol deposit, gold concentrations within the phed by chalcocite and covellite during weathering.

Fig. 5. Petrographic observations of samples and thin sections (transmitted light) from various lithologies. (A) Sample Gui5: A1 (hand specimen), A2
(crossed polar); Ptygmatic fold in quartz-vein and tourmaline crystals from Guibaré. (B) Sample H4-212; quartz-feldspar pebble conglomerates from
Inata. (C) Sample LAS91; relict hinge of quartzite layer in metasediment (Larafella). (D) Sample Lor96-21; D1 (hand specimen), D2 (plane polarized
light); albitite sample from the supergene zone showing high density of shallowly-dipping quartz-veins and the corresponding thin section (Loraboué). (E)
Sample Las78; Quartz (1)–albite (2) veins cross-cutting the albitite (Larafella). (F) Sample Las78; Calcite (1)–pyrite (2) veins cross-cutting the albitite
(Larafella). (G) Sample Lor13b64; pyrite alteration halo in the selvage of a quartz (1)–ankerite (2) vein (Loraboué).
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 221

Fig. 5 (continued )

5. Characteristics of the disseminated style deposits Within the deposits, deformation is heterogeneous with: (i)
zones of highly ductile deformation affecting the metavolca-
Disseminated gold deposits occur in felsic rocks of the nics and the metasediments and (ii) zones of brittle deforma-
calc-alkaline and metasedimentary series. Loraboué is an tion affecting the albitites. Large scale structures include: (1)
example of a deposit dominated by calc-alkaline series, a major steeply-dipping to vertical cleavage and (2) presence
whereas at Larafella and Inata metasediments constitute of vein sets with composition varying according to vein ori-
the predominant lithology. This style of mineralization is entation and to the nature of the host rocks.
characterized by the association of a peculiar rock, com- Cleavage: In the deposits, the major cleavage is concor-
posed almost entirely of albite (termed albitites). In the dant to the regional foliation (10–20°N, dipping vertically
deposits studied, albitites can form bodies varying from a in the Inata deposit; N–S and vertical in the Loraboué
few centimeters to several meters in thickness (<25 m) deposit; N–S, dipping 60° east in the Larafella deposit).
and can extend over several hundreds of meters in length Within mineralized zones, cleavage planes are more ser-
for the most important units. Although the size of these rated, reflecting stronger deformation. Cleavages are well-
deposits varies, they are generally rather large (Loraboué developed within the metavolcanics and particularly so
is 1.5–2 km wide and 8 km long; Larafella is 300 m thick within the metasediments, where they transpose bedding.
and can be followed for some 3 km along strike, and Inata Commonly, the cleavage surfaces show a steep dip linea-
is somewhat larger, Fig. 8). Although in these deposits gold tion. In places, the major cleavage is affected by a second
occurs principally as disseminated mineralization, mineral- crenulation cleavage which, however, does not disturb the
ized folded quartz-veins can also be found within interca- structural pattern (Fig. 8). On the other hand, in the albi-
lated metasedimentary and metavolcanic units (Fig. 3). tites, cleavages are only moderate to absent.
Veins: Veins of similar generation to the vein-type style
5.1. Structure of mineralization can be found throughout the albitites
(Fig. 3). However, albitites are very competent bodies,
The disseminated deposits occur in strongly deformed i.e. they show essentially a brittle behavior. Therefore,
zones developed during regional deformation (the major although in these rocks shallowly-dipping veins formed
foliation in the deposits is parallel to the regional foliation). synchronously with the type-2 veins described above, they
 222
Table 2
Alteration and mineralization paragenetic sequence. Major ( ), minor ( ) and rare (- - -) phases

D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

(Constructed using textural data in Bamba et al., 1997; Béziat et al., 1998; Béziat et al., 1999).
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 223

Fig. 6. Petrographic observations of ore minerals in hand sample and polished section (reflected light). (A) Sample Tap7; gold along pyrite faces and
between quartz-fibres (Taparko). (B) Sample GanFB1; gold in fractures cross-cutting pyrite crystals (Gangaol). (C) Sample GuiBKP; C1 (hand specimen),
C2 (polished section); gold at the tips of tourmaline crystals (Guibaré). (D) Sample GanFB7; supergene gold in pyrite boxworks within quartz fibres
(Gangaol).

were not folded by further deformation. As a consequence, However, the latter veins do not contain sulfides. In these
it is impossible to distinguish between type-2 (mineralized) rocks, type-1 veins are only slightly boudinaged, and are
and type-3 (barren) veins based solely on structural data. filled by quartz or by quartz + albite. Types-2 and -3 veins
224 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

Fig. 7. Backscattered electron SEM images. (A) Sample GuiBKP; gold (Au) as globular grains and thin films in fractures within tourmaline
(To) (Guibaré). (B) Sample Lors18/235; B1, gold (Au) and silver tellurides (AgTe) as inclusions in pyrite (Py); Ga, galena; mnz, monazite; B2,
detail of B1 showing the fissure with quartz (Qz) and muscovite (Mu) cementing some fragments of pyrite and hosting two gold grains; B3,
gold and silver tellurides as inclusions and along grain boundaries of pyrite crystals (Loraboué). (C) Sample Lors118/255; pyrite (Py)
containing gold inclusions (Au) partly associated with chalcopyrite (Cp) and as thin films in fractures (Loraboué). (D) Sample Lors118/255;
gold (Au) on fissures in pyrite (Py), as free-gold grains or intergrown with chalcopyrite (Cp); Ab, albite; Qz, quartz (Loraboué). (E) Sample
PRF-6; Cluster of tiny gold grains (Au) localized within an early pyrite crystal (Py); the latter is corroded by an As-rich pyrite (As–Py) then
overgrown by a new pyrite crystal (Poura). (F) Sample SOx; Supergene gold (Au) in goethite (G) derived from a quartz-sulphide vein
(Souma).
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 225

+ + ^ ^ + +
^ + + +
+ + + ^
+ ^ ^ +
+ +
+ + + ^ ^ ^
+ ^ ^ +
+ +
+ + ^ + +
+ + + +
Souma + ^
+ + + +
prospect Fété Kolé
+ + +
INATA PROSPECT prospect
+ + +
+
+
BELAHOURO
^ ^ +
+ ^ ^ ^ 10km
^ ^ +
^ ^ +
9000 E 10000 E 11000 E
Legend
Lateritic
BASE LINE

Hardcap + + Granitoids
Thick lateritic cover

12000 N
12000 N

Metasediments
40m
Metadifferenciated rocks
56m @ 1.833g/t
24m @ 3.41g/t
10m @ 6.91g/t Metavolcano-sedimentary rocks
11000 N

11000 N

8m @ 1.454g/t
N Basic and ultrabasic rocks
^ ^
6m @2.627g/t Metavolcanic and metaplutonic basic
and intermediate rocks

Thick lateritic cover 10m @ 2.123g/t

Prospect
10000 N

10000 N

S3 32m @ 1.521g/t
22m @ 2.156g/t
8m @ 0.570g/t

Limite of gold working

INATA GOLD
PROSPECT Orpaillage in saprolite
9000 N

9000 N

S2 8m @ 1.080g/t Quartz vein

5.5m @ 18.500g/t Mineralized interval >0.5g/t in trench

0 500 m
BUMIGEB diamond drill hole
S1 5.5m @ 5.390g/t

Fig. 8. Schematic geological map of Belahouro district, showing the distribution of different host rocks, quartz-veins, mineralized interval in trench, and
data on gold grades, based on scattered outcrops and drill-core data.

can be extremely abundant, and, in place, account for half between albitites and other rock types are parallel to the
the total rock volume (Fig. 5D). principal cleavage and are commonly transitional; however,
locally they can be sharp enough to resemble dikes. Differ-
5.2. Petrography ent facies of albitite are recognized; equigranular with fine-
grained (100–200 lm) or coarse-grained (1–2 mm) texture,
The Loraboué deposit is dominated by calc-alkaline and heterogranular with large albite crystals (>5 mm) in a
metavolcanics associated with mafic to ultramafic units fine-grained groundmass of albite (Fig. 2 of Béziat et al.,
(gabbro and werhlite) (Table 1) and, more rarely, basalt, 1998). They consist dominantly of almost pure (An0-5)
dolerite and gabbro of tholeiitic affinity (Béziat et al., albite which occurs both as plagioclase replacement and
2000). The pile also comprises some finely laminated vol- as secondary, pore-filling albite. Around early plagioclase
cano-sedimentary rocks alternated with thin (<10 cm) lay- phenocrysts, which can exceptionally present an An10 com-
ers of black shale. The Larafella and Inata (Fig. 8) deposits position, we observe overgrowth of pure albite showing
are hosted in volcano-sedimentary rocks dominated by ‘‘chessboard’’ pattern and also a zone of pore-filling equi-
black shale, conglomerate, sandstone and epiclastic sedi- granular albite. In addition to residual feldspars, apatite
ments; they also contain various calc-alkaline metavolca- and zircon, albitite may contain rutile, chlorite and quartz.
nics including basalt–andesite to rhyodacitic lava and As a consequence, their chemical composition is very close
pyroclastites. to that of albite (Bamba et al., 1997; Béziat et al., 1998).
In all the deposits, numerous bodies of albitites occur as In addition to albitites, in the Loraboué deposit large
lenses of white to pale grey homogeneous rocks. Contacts patches (100–200 m across) of carbonatized ultramafic
226 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

rocks termed listvenite (Halls and Zhao, 1995) also occur. within the veins, either in sub-millimeter-thick fractures
The listvenite in Loraboué has been described in detail by or disseminated in sulfide alteration halos (Fig. 5G). Opa-
Béziat et al. (2000). It appears along tectonic contacts, in que minerals in the alteration halos are mainly pyrite in
highly silicified zones. It is composed of centimeter-size basic to intermediate series (e.g. Loraboué), pyrite and
crystals of ferroan magnesite including microcrystals of arsenopyrite in metasediments and metavolcanics (e.g.
dolomite, rutile, cobaltite-gersdorffite [(Co,Ni)AsS] and rel- Inata and Larafella). They are accompanied by chalcopy-
ics of chromite rimmed by chlorite, partially or totally con- rite and to a lesser extent by galena, sphalerite, pyrrhotite
verted to fuchsite. Quartz (±pyrite) occurs as interstitial and tellurides. Tellurides occur locally and consist essen-
grains, along magnesite cleavage planes and in late, cross- tially of petzite (AuAg3Te2), plus silver (AgTe) and lead tel-
cutting thin fractures. lurides (PbTe ± S) (Fig. 7).
Native gold occurs mainly as free grains in fractures in
5.3. Wall-rock alteration pyrite (Fig. 7C), intergrown with pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite
(Fig. 7D) and gangue minerals (quartz and muscovite
In the disseminated gold deposits, albitites contain veins grains, Fig. 7B). Gold inclusions less commonly occur as
with well developed alteration halos, a few-cm to a few tens clusters of tiny droplets and as ragged inclusions in early
of cm in thickness. Although the alteration mineralogy arsenopyrite and pyrite grains (Fig. 7E), along grain bound-
changes slightly with the composition of the rocks sur- aries, sometimes partly associated with pyrrhotite and chal-
rounding the albitites, we were able to define a general alter- copyrite inclusions within pyrite crystals (Fig. 7C). Gold
ation trend (Table 2): (1) carbonate alteration is important tellurides generally occur as very small particles (up to
and consists of extensive replacement of albite by euhedral 20 lm) (Fig. 7B1 and B3). In the supergene zones of all
carbonate crystals. Relic albite occurs locally as inclusion in deposits, gold is found as isolated grains or aggregates in
carbonates; (2) a sulfidation stage, consisting mostly of goethite (Fig. 7F) or recrystallized quartz growing from
crystallization of pyrite. This takes place at a subsequent the quartz-fibers in the pyrite boxworks (Fig. 6D).
stage, as evidenced by the presence of isolated remnants Gold shows a wide range in Ag contents (10–28 wt%
of albite crystals, partially replaced by ankerite, within pyr- Ag), similarly to that of gold from the Ashanti gold mine
ite grains; and (3) lastly, a relatively small proportion of (Oberthür et al., 1994). However, Ag contents decrease
muscovite occurs as small veinlet swarms cross-cutting ear- below 3 wt% in recrystallized gold grains from the super-
lier fabrics, and as overgrowths on pyrite crystals. Quartz gene zone.
crystallizes throughout the alteration event.
This sequence of crystallization can also be observed in 6. Fluid inclusions
the numerous zoned veins that cross-cut the albitites. These
include monomineralic albite or quartz-veins; veins com- Several fluid inclusion studies on gold deposits of Burk-
posed of carbonate plus pyrite (Fig. 5F); zoned albite or ina Faso have been published, mainly on lode deposits
carbonate veins (Fig. 5E and G) with quartz filling the cen- associated with shear zones (e.g. Klemd et al., 1996,
tral parts; and complexly zoned veins with quartz cores sur- 1997; Klemd and Ott, 1997; Bourges et al., 1998; Dubois
rounded by a carbonate-pyrite zone and, at the margins, an et al., 2001). A review of all data permits to outline three
albite zone. Pyritized alteration halos surround the Au- main fluid-inclusion types (Table 3): type 1 – carbonic fluid
bearing veins and extend a few cm to tens of cm into the inclusions, with CO2–N2(±CH4) P 90 mol%; type 2 –
wall rock. In these halos, pyrite and carbonate contents water-rich aqueous-carbonic fluid inclusions; type 3 –
increase progressively toward the vein (up to about 10– aqueous fluid inclusions. In type 1 inclusions, water seems
20% pyrite by volume) (Fig. 5G). Pyrite also occurs within to be absent or only present in small quantities, whereas N2
the auriferous veins, as large disseminated grains, whereas is generally subordinate to CO2 but can dominate locally
in the larger barren quartz-veins, pyrite is much rarer. (e.g. Loraboué and Diabatou, respectively; Table 3,
When albitites occur within mafic to intermediate series, Fig. 9). Type 2 fluid inclusion chemistry can be described
carbonates are dominantly of ankeritic composition, by the system H2O–NaCl–CO2–N2, with CO2 being the
whereas in felsic metasediments nearly pure calcite is the major species of the vapor phase (Z(CO2) > 90 mol%)
prevailing carbonate phase in the alteration assemblage. and these inclusions have generally low to intermediate
salinities. Types 1 and 2 inclusions are rarely found in the
5.4. Ore mineralogy same deposits. However, in deposits where these inclusion
types do coexist, Type 1 inclusions are by far the most
In the disseminated deposits the most intensely mineral- abundant (e.g. Diabatou, 1997; Klemd et al., 1997). Both
ized zone is localized on both sides of some shallowly dip- Types 1 and 2 inclusions display extremely variable calcu-
ping undeformed veins within albitites and, less commonly, lated bulk densities (Table 3). These are the consequence
within listvenites. Gold grades range within 10–6000 ppb in of variable volume fractions of the vapor phase (overall
the albitites, and 10–200 ppb in the listvenites. Sulfides vapor-filling ratio range from 0.1 to 0.5; Table 3) and result
occur as millimeter to sub-millimeter sized aggregates, in highly variable bulk homogenization temperatures,
commonly closer to vein margins, more rarely intergrown which, for all deposits, are below 300–330 °C (Table 3).
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 227

Table 3
Compilation of fluid inclusion characteristics in gold deposits of Bukina Faso
Deposit Style of mineralization Ref. Inclusion type Bulk inclusion properties
Diabatou Quartz-sulfide veins [1] CO2–N2(–H2O) Raman : X(CO2) = 0.36–0.78
X(N2) = 0.26–0.60
Flv = 1 0.35 < d = d(CO2) < 0.99 g/cm3
Aqueous inclusions s = 14–19 wt% eq. NaCl
Te < 30 °C
160 < Th < 190 °C (L)
Taparko [2] H2O–CO2 CO2 + unquantified CH4 and/or N2 and/or H2S
s = 3.0–3.5 wt% eq. NaCl
Flv = 0.1–0.5 0.74 < d(CO2) < 0.93 g/cm3
270 < Th < 300 °C (V)
255 < Th < 310 °C (L) + decrepitation
Guibaré Quartz-tourmaline veins [3] H2O–CO2(–CH4) Z*(CO2)  1
0.95 < d(CO2) < 0.99 g/cm3
Flv = 0.3–0.5 s = 0–6.6 wt% eq NaCl
280 < Th < 330 °C (L)
Aqueous inclusions 135.8 < Th < 184.1 °C
Larafella Disseminated [4] CO2–H2O CO2 major species in vapor phase
Raman: X(N2) = 0.064–0.107
Flv = not given X(CH4) = 0.024–0.05
160 < Th < 323 °C + decrepitation
Aqueous inclusions s = 0–10.5 wt% eq. NaCl
150 < Th < 310 °C
Loraboué [3] CO2 X(CO2) close to 1
Flv = 1 0.7 < d = d(CO2) < 1.01 g/cm3
Aqueous inclusions Salinity = 0–3 wt% eq NaCl
150 < Th < 200 °C (L)
Symbols: Flv: vapor filling ratio, Tm(CO2) = CO2 melting temperature, Te = eutectic melting temperature, Tmcl = clathrate melting temperature,
Th = bulk homogenization temperature, X = bulk mole fraction, Z = mole fraction in the vapor phase generally determined by Raman microspectros-
copy or thermodynamic calculation (Z*), s = salinity of the aqueous solution, d = bulk inclusion density, d(CO2) = density of the CO2 dominated phase,
V = vapor, L = liquid + decrepitation indicates this process is frequent.
Data sources: [1] Klemd et al. (1997); [2] Bourges et al. (1998); [3] Dubois et al. (2001); [4] Klemd and Ott (1997).

Homogenization temperatures for type 3 inclusions range

from 60 to 300 °C, with most data clustering between 100
and 200 °C.

7. Discussion

All primary gold deposits, prospects and showings that

we studied in Burkina Faso occur in Paleoproterozoic
greenstone belts that have undergone regional metamor-
phism and show some degree of structural control (i.e.
formed synchronously with deformation). In addition, all
mineralizations occur within or adjacent to quartz-veins.
These major characteristics are shared by many other epi-
genetic gold deposits in Precambrian metamorphic terranes
(cf. Goldfarb et al., 2005; for a recent review). We therefore
Fig. 9. Compilation of volatile fluid-inclusion data for different deposits in consider that all mineralized sites can be classified as oro-
Burkina Faso, from the literature sources (cf. Table 3). genic-type gold deposits, as defined by Groves et al.
(1998) (see also Groves et al., 2003; Goldfarb et al.,
2005). Homogenization temperatures of fluid inclusions
Aqueous inclusions (type 3) are considered either sec- as well as their low-salinity and CO2-bearing composition
ondary or posterior to the CO2-bearing populations. They are also consistent with those of many other Paleoprotero-
mostly contain low-salinity NaCl-dominated solutions. zoic orogenic gold deposits. Although felsic igneous rocks
However, higher salinities and complex ionic solution, are abundant in the mineralized regions, these deposits
probably including CaCl2 and MgCl2 in addition to NaCl, are not intrusion-related (cf., Thompson and Newberry,
have been determined at Diabatou (Klemd et al., 1997). 2000) because deposition of gold clearly occurs well after
228 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

the emplacements of these igneous bodies (e.g. Béziat et al., It follows that, based on structural and textural evi-
2000). dence, formation of quartz-veins and gold precipitation
(in veins and in vein halos) is synkinematic and synmeta-
7.1. Structural control on gold mineralization morphic, which explains why undeformed (type-3) veins
are barren, as they were emplaced after the peak of the
A feature that is common to the studied deposits is that Eburnean orogenic event. This interpretation renders obso-
gold can occur in two main mineralization styles, i.e. vein- lete the distinction between ‘‘syn-orogenic and late-oro-
hosted and disseminated deposits (Table 4). In quartz-vein genic deposits’’ suggested by Milési et al. (1992).
style mineralization, gold is found in strongly boudinaged
(type-1) and folded (type-2) veins, i.e. affected by ductile 7.2. Two mineralization styles
deformation. The disseminated gold style of mineralization
is characterized by essentially brittle deformation as it is Although mineralized quartz-veins typically contain
hosted by more competent albitites (Fig. 10). The attitudes higher gold grades than the disseminated mineralization
of the cleavage and of the deformed and undeformed veins style, the latter contains far greater tonnages, and thus rep-
indicate a coaxial strain history (e.g. pure shear zone) with resents a more attractive exploration target. However, the
a horizontal shortening. The cleavage of the two deposit two styles of mineralization can coexist in the same mining
types is concordant with the regional foliation; the deposits district and even in the same deposit. This is the case for the
must therefore be interpreted as a more intense representa- Belahouro district, where the Fété Kolé prospect is of the
tion of the regional deformation. Furthermore, the mineral quartz-vein style while the Souma and Inata prospects
assemblages (chlorite–albite–carbonates–quartz–musco- are of the disseminated style (the latter location also con-
vite) associated with the development of the structures tains quartz-vein mineralization). Similarly, the Poura dis-
(cleavage, veins) are consistent with PT conditions of regio- trict comprises both disseminated (Loraboué and
nal, greenschist facies metamorphism. Larafella) and quartz-vein (Poura mine) mineralization

Table 4
Summary of the characteristics of the two principal mineralization styles in Burkina Faso gold deposits
Mineralisation Occurrences and lithologies Ore bodies Structure Gold Alteration and mineralization Fluid inclusions
style assemblages
Quartz-veins All rock series (except Fété Kolé: Ductile deformation: Concentrated gold: Quartz-sulfide veins: pyrite, CO2–N2(–H2O)
granitoids): A.E.G.B. strong vertical (8–12 g/t) quartz chalcopyrite, sphalerite,
cleavage veins pyrrhotite, galena, gold (and
tellurides)
Metasediments Gangaol, Type-1 veins:
Bayildiaga, boudinaged, sub-
Guiro, vertical
Taparko,
Guibaré:
B.Y.G.B.
Metacalc-alkaline rocks Diabatou- Type-2 veins: folded, Low grade: (<1 g/t) Quartz-tourmaline veins: H2O–NaCl–
Piela: sub-vertical fold- vein selvages tourmaline ± pyrite, CO2(–N2–CH4)
F.N’G.B. axes chalcopyrite gold
Metatholeiitic rocks Poura Type-3 veins: Barren H2O–NaCl
Mine: undeformed, sub-
B.G.B. horizontal
Disseminated Albitites (to a lesser extent Souma, and Brittle deformation: Disseminated gold: Associated with mafic rocks: Pure CO2
listvenites): alteration Inata: no apparent (2–3 g/t on average) albite ! ankerite ! pyrite
product of felsic to A.E.G.B. cleavage vein alteration gold (and tellurides)
intermediate units in halos surrounding
metacalc-alkaline and barren to low-grade
metasedimentary series veins
Type-1 veins:
undeformed, sub-
vertical
Loraboué Type-2 veins: Associated with felsic and H2O–NaCl–
and undeformed, sub- metasediments: CO2–N2–CH4
Larafella: horizontal albite ! calcite ! arsenopyrite
B.G.B. gold (and tellurides)
Type-3 veins: Barren H2O–NaCl
undeformed, sub-
horizontal
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 229

Type-1 vein Type-2 vein Type-1 vein

Albitite
Type-2 vein that the competent igneous rock precursors to the albitite
^ ^ ^
(see below) developed extensive fracture networks since
^
^
^
^
^
^
the onset of deformation. This results in enhanced perme-
^ ^
Regional ^
^
^
^
^
^
Stage 1
ability to hydrothermal fluids, thus development of large
shortening ^ ^
^
^ ^
^
^
veins and important alteration halos, which is consistent
^
with the large number of veins observed in these rocks
Type-1 vein Type-2 vein Type-2' vein
(cf. Fig. 4). An additional reason can be found in the fact
^ ^ ^
^
^
^ ^
Type-2 vein
that these units represent a chemical anomaly with respect
^
^
^
^ ^ ^
Type-2' vein
to mafic and intermediate units in the greenstone belts, and
^ ^ ^
^ ^
^
^
^ Stage 2 thus are more likely in chemical disequilibrium with the
Type-2 vein
^ ^ ^ fluid. For instance, we can probably assume that the hydro-
Type-1 vein Type-2 vein Type-2' vein thermal fluids were quartz-undersaturated (this has been
^
^
^ ^ ^
^ ^
shown to be the case for many other similar deposits, e.g.
^
^
^
^
Type-2 vein
Stage 3
Flambeau Lake, Ontario; Mountain and Williams-Jones,
^
Type-2' vein
^ ^
^
^
Type-3 vein
1995). As a consequence, when the fluids pass through ten-
Type-3 vein Type-3 vein ^
^
^ ^
Type-2 vein sion fractures formed in felsic units, quartz is dissolved
Type-1 vein not to scale from the wall rock. This creates added porosity which, in
turn, favors the creation of well-developed alteration halos.
Fig. 10. Illustration of the effects of successive phases of deformation.
Conversely, the surrounding metasediments were more
Stage 1: In the metavolcanics and metasediments, emplacement of types-1
and -2 veins; cleavage in the deposit zone is parallel to the regional ductile and thus much less permeable, explaining the fewer
cleavage but more serrated; in the albitite, emplacement of types-1 and -2 veins observed in these rocks and the near absence of alter-
veins. Stage 2: In the metavolcanics and metasediments, increase of the ation around them.
deformation with boudinage of type-1 veins, folding of type-2 veins and
opening of type-2’ veins; in the albitite, emplacement of type-2’ veins.
7.3. Wall-rock alteration
Stage 3: In the metavolcanics and metasediments, increase of the
deformation and emplacement of type-3 veins, emplacement of type-3
veins in the albitites. The earliest alteration event observed in these deposits is
Na-metasomatism (cf. Table 2). The units that are most
styles. In other instances, such as in the Taparko, Gangaol affected by this fluid are most likely calc-alkaline rocks
and Guibaré prospects, only the quartz-vein mineralization (e.g. diorite, dacite, and felsic metavolcanics) that undergo
style is represented. early, intense fracturing (see above). In addition to being
Although the quartz-vein style mineralization is a very highly permeable, these rocks are rich in plagioclase and
common type of gold occurrence in orogenic type deposits, therefore are easily transformed to albitites. Ultramafic
in the great majority of these gold is associated with sul- rocks on the other hand, are not greatly affected, due to
fides. In Burkina Faso, in at least two deposits, gold is inti- lower permeability and to insufficient Al for the stabiliza-
mately associated with tourmaline instead of the sulfides. tion of albite. However, both albitites and ultramafic rocks
This particular association is extremely uncommon (e.g. are affected by later, intense carbonatization, probably by
Sigma mine, Canada, cf. Robert and Kelly, 1987). the CO2-rich hydrothermal fluids, similarly to the case of
The quartz-vein mineralization style can be observed in Alleghany, California (Böhlke, 1989), which, for the latter
all lithologies, however the disseminated gold style occurs rocks, gives rise to the listvenite facies.
exclusively in calc-alkaline and metasedimentary series Pyrite and arsenopyrite are the dominant sulfide miner-
(the latter is also the case for the Ashanti deposit; Milési als as in the majority of orogenic deposits (cf. review of
et al., 1989). A reason for this could be found in the differ- Goldfarb et al., 2005). Locally, tellurides are common.
ences in bulk composition of the rock types that host these We could observe that, within the same district (e.g. Poura),
mineralization styles. The tholeiitic series are poorly differ- arsenopyrite predominates in sedimentary rock hosted min-
entiated and mainly of mafic composition. On the other eralization (e.g. Larafella), whereas pyrite takes over in
hand, calc-alkaline series are highly differentiated, ranging deposits dominated by volcanic and plutonic formations
in composition from ultramafic and mafic cumulate rocks, (e.g. Loraboué). These differences most likely reflect differ-
to differentiated felsic volcanic and plutonic rocks (Béziat ent wall-rock composition that interacted differently with
et al., 2000). During wall-rock alteration (see below), only the hydrothermal fluid, rather than different fluid sources.
the felsic units have a bulk composition that can be easily For instance, the presence of arsenopyrite probably reflects
transformed into albitite, which we have shown is invari- higher amounts of As in pelitic sedimentary rocks com-
ably associated with disseminated-style gold deposits, i.e. pared to those in more felsic rocks (Allibone et al., 2004).
the most important mineralization, economically.
The question that remains to be addressed is why albi- 7.4. Fluid source and pressure–temperature conditions
tites are a favorable host for this style of mineralization
whereas mafic or intermediate units in general only host Two contrasting fluid-inclusion compositions have been
quartz-vein mineralization. The most likely hypothesis is recognized in the gold deposits of Burkina Faso (Fig. 9)
230 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233

and these occur in both mineralization styles. They consist of permits to explain the presence of hydrated alteration min-
a CO2-rich population (X(CO2) generally exceeding eral assemblages, and the fluid-inclusion density variations
90 mol%) and a H2O–CO2 population (X(CO2) < 20 mol%). mentioned above.
The salinity of the water-bearing inclusions is low to Temperature (T) and pressure (P) conditions of mineral-
moderate (Table 3), and the carbonic phase is commonly ization were determined in some deposits using alteration
accompanied by N2 and CH4. In addition to these fluid mineral assemblages and fluid inclusion data (Klemd
inclusions, a water-only population has been identified, but et al., 1997; Wille and Klemd, 2004). Because of the large
does not appear to be related to the mineralizing episodes. density ranges and post-entrapment modifications dis-
The fluid inclusions in gold deposits in Burkina Faso cussed above, the PT estimates are generally affected by
have characteristics which differ significantly from those large errors, and trapping temperatures range from less
of fluid inclusions in other orogenic gold deposits. For than 300–470 °C. A compilation of P–T estimates for gold
instance, the great majority of fluid-inclusion studies car- mineralization in the Ashanti Belt by Schmidt-Mumm
ried out on similar deposits in the Canadian and Austra- (1998) shows similarly wide ranges, i.e. 150–440 °C for
lian shields describe low-salinity H2O–NaCl–CO2 fluids 1.7–5.4 kbars.
with X(CO2) ranging only between 10 and 20 mol%
(e.g. Groves, 1993; Groves et al., 2003; cf., Goldfarb 7.5. Precipitation mechanisms
et al., 2005 and Robert et al., 2005 for reviews). How-
ever, abundance of CO2 (–N2–CH4) fluid inclusions, i.e. In both styles of mineralization gold commonly occurs
very similar to those in Burkina Faso, is a distinguishing in zones of low pressure, such as fissures around or within
feature of numerous deposits elsewhere in the Western pyrite crystals, pressure shadows around porphyroblasts or
African craton (e.g. Bowell et al., 1990; Manu, 1991; alteration minerals, open cleavages, tension gashes, and in
Oberthür et al., 1994; Schmidt-Mumm et al., 1997; Wille cavities and fractures in tourmaline. In this scenario, gold,
and Klemd, 2004). Indeed, in most Ghanaian deposits of which was likely carried as a bisulfide complex (e.g. Sew-
the Ashanti Belt, the large majority of inclusions are ard, 1973; Tagirov et al., 2005), could have precipitated
CO2-dominated (see synthesis in Klemd et al., 1996; in response to these local pressure fluctuations. A further
Schmidt-Mumm et al., 1997; Wille and Klemd, 2004). precipitation mechanism could be destabilization of the
In addition, in the Ashanti gold mine H2O–CO2–NaCl gold sulfide complexes as a consequence of desulfidation
fluid inclusions have also been described (Oberthür of the fluid resulting from pyrite precipitation in the veins
et al., 1994; Wille and Klemd, 2004; see also Bowell (quartz-vein mineralization style) or pyrite replacement of
et al., 1990), similarly to Burkina Faso. Fe-bearing carbonates in alteration halos (disseminated
Authors working on these mineralizations have defined mineralization style) (see for instance Phillips and Groves,
the fluid chemistry as ‘‘unusual’’ (Klemd and Hirdes, 1984; Böhlke, 1989).
1997) or as a ‘‘new category’’ (Schmidt-Mumm et al., The differences in gold abundances observed between
1997), and the nature of these fluids has been the object albitite and listvenite could be the result of compositional
of debate. Schmidt-Mumm et al. (1997) argue in favor of differences between these two rocks, notably the presence
a mineralizing fluid essentially composed of CO2 with var- of ankerite in albitites and magnesite in listvenite, Fe in
iable proportions of N2. The elevated volatile content and the ankerite triggering pyrite precipitation (Böhlke, 1989;
the isotopic data from the inclusions suggest a deep origin Witt, 1992). Pressure fluctuations and desulfidation during
of the fluids (Oberthür et al., 1996). Schmidt-Mumm (1998) water/rock interaction are common mechanisms invoked
also attributed the chemical nature of the fluid to devolatil- for gold precipitation in these settings (e.g. Goldfarb
ization at depth and fluid focusing into shear zones without et al., 2005).
re-equilibration with the country rock. A different model to
explain widespread presence of CO2–N2 inclusions, pro- 7.6. Comparison to Ghana and the rest of the West Africa
posed by Schwartz et al. (1992), Klemd and Hirdes craton
(1997) and Klemd (1998), considers that the fluid was ini-
tially an aqueous-carbonic brine, and that the composition We have pointed out in previous chapters that gold
evolved to CO2-rich due to post-trapping modifications. deposits in Burkina Faso share many features with miner-
Wille and Klemd (2004) recently provided convincing tex- alizations elsewhere in West Africa (Eisenlohr and Hirdes,
tural evidence from the Abawo deposit (Ghana), which 1992; Blenkinsop et al., 1994; Allibone et al., 2002, 2004).
confirms this theory. Variable H2O/CO2 ratios are attrib- For instance, our disseminated mineralization style could
uted to partial immiscibility processes close to the H2O– be equivalent to the sulfide-ore type defined for Ashanti
CO2 solvus (Schwartz et al., 1992; Klemd and Hirdes, (Leube et al., 1990; Oberthür et al., 1994) and to the dis-
1997). Based on the above discussion, we favor the post- seminated Au-sulfide (type 2) mineralization described by
entrapment modification hypothesis proposed by Klemd’s Milési et al. (1989) in the Dienemera (Burkina Faso) and
group. In this scenario, mineralization was operated by a Yaouré–Angovia (Ivory Coast) deposits and by Allibone
H2O–NaCl–CO2 brine, which is consistent with generally et al., 2004) in the Chirano (Ghana) deposit. Another sim-
accepted models for gold deposits in similar settings. It also ilarity consists of the particular fluid chemistry of these
 D. Béziat et al. / Journal of African Earth Sciences 50 (2008) 215–233 231

deposits. For instance, Feybesse et al. (2006) pointed out B.H.P. – BILLITON and SOREMIB and for access to
that the peculiarity of the Ghanaian gold province con- exploration properties.
sisted in percolation of CO2-rich fluids in the mineralized
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