Metallic Resources 2

Sophie Decrée is a geologist at the Geological Survey of Belgium (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences). As a specialist in metallogeny, her research has for many years focused on critical raw materials, primarily in Europe and Africa.

Chapter 1 Lithium Mineralization, Contributions of Paleoclimates and Orogens 1
Éric GLOAGUEN, Jérémie MELLETON, Blandine GOURCEROL and Romain MILLOT

1.1 Properties and distribution of lithium in minerals and Earth reservoirs 1

1.1.1 Physicochemical properties of lithium 1

1.1.2 Uses of lithium 3

1.1.3 Lithium minerals 5

1.1.4 Distribution of lithium in Earth's reservoirs 6

1.2 Lithium metallogeny and gitology 8

1.2.1 Lithium behavior in geological processes 8

1.2.2 Lithium gitology and metallogeny: geological settings and types of mineralization 21

1.2.3 Geochemical cycle of lithium 49

1.3 Acknowledgments 51

1.4 References 51

Chapter 2 Metallogeny of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada 63
Patrick MERCIER-LANGEVIN, Benoît DUBÉ, Michel G HOULÉ, Valérie BÉCU, Anne-Aurélie SAPPIN, Jean-Luc PILOTE and Sébastien CASTONGUAY

2.1 Introduction 63

2.2 Mining history 64

2.3 Geological context 65

2.3.1 Volcanic rocks 68

2.3.2 Sedimentary rocks 73

2.3.3 Intrusive rocks 74

2.3.4 Deformation and metamorphism 75

2.4 Mineral resources and metallogeny 77

2.4.1 Auriferous deposits 77

2.4.2 Cu-Zn-(Au-Ag-Pb) volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits 94

2.4.3 Ni-Cu-(PGE)-Cr-V deposits associated with mafic and ultramafic rocks 104

2.4.4 Fe deposits associated with Algoma-type iron formations 111

2.4.5 Miscellaneous types of deposits 113

2.4.6 Post-Archean deposits 116

2.5 An evolving industry: technical and scientific challenges, and innovations in the mineral resources world 117

2.5.1 Underground 4G LTE mobile network, the example of the LaRonde mining complex (Quebec) 118

2.5.2 Use of electric vehicles in mining, the example of the Borden mine (Ontario) 118

2.5.3 Mine wastes used in the restoration of an abandoned mine site, the example of the Manitou project (Quebec) 120

2.6 An exceptional metallogenic context: a brief discussion 121

2.7 Conclusion 123

2.8 Acknowledgments 123

2.9 References 124

Chapter 3 The Unconformity-related Uranium Mineral System of the Athabasca Basin (Canada) 143
Patrick LEDRU, Antonio BENEDICTO, Guoxiang CHI, Charles KHAIRALLAH, Julien MERCADIER, Jonathan POH and John ROBBINS

3.1 Introduction 143

3.2 Defining the critical elements of the unconformity-related uranium mineral system of the Athabasca Basin 147

3.2.1 The architecture of the Athabasca Basin and its basement at the regional scale 147

3.2.2 The fluid flow system 158

3.2.3 Fertility 176

3.2.4 Preservation 177

3.3 Implication of the mineral system concept applied to the exploration of unconformity-related uranium deposits 178

3.4 Conclusion 181

3.5 References 181

Chapter 4 North African Mississippi Valley-Type Deposit and Its Link with the Alpine Chain Evolution 195
Mohammed BOUABDELLAH

4.1 Introduction 195

4.2 Geological settings of MVT deposits of the Atlasic system: main ore deposits and districts 199

4.2.1 Morocco 200

4.2.2 Algeria 213

4.2.3 Tunisia 219

4.3 Discussion 228

4.3.1 Physicochemical characteristics of the mineralizing fluids 228

4.3.2 Source and origin of fluid salinity 229

4.3.3 Origin(s) and source(s) of mineralizing fluids 230

4.3.4 Origin of sulfur and ore depositional processes 232

4.3.5 Sulfide ore controls 234

4.3.6 Role of organic matter 236

4.3.7 Metal source(s) 238

4.3.8 Timing of sulfide ore formation 241

4.3.9 Genetic model(s) – conclusions 242

4.4 Supergene non-sulfide Pb-Zn mineralization associated with MVT deposits 246

4.4.1 Introduction 246

4.4.2 Supergene non-sulfide mineralization associated with MVT deposits of the Touissit-Bou Beker and Upper Moulouya districts 247

4.4.3 Non-sulfide mineralization associated with MVT deposits of the calamine-bearing province of Central and Eastern High Atlas 248

4.4.4 Supergene mineralization associated with MVT deposits of the Tunisian "Diapir Zone" 249

4.4.5 Discussion 250

4.5 Acknowledgments 250

4.6 References 251

Chapter 5 West African Leo-Man Shield Metallogenic Province 265
Aurélien EGLINGER, Anne-Sylvie ANDRÉ-MAYER, Nicolas THÉBAUD and Quentin MASUREL

5.1 Introduction 265

5.1.1 Definition of a mineral system 265

5.1.2 Metallogenic period and province 266

5.2 Geology of LMS 268

5.2.1 The Archean Kénéma-Man domain: genesis of a continental crust 269

5.2.2 Columbia supercontinent: stabilization of LMS 271

5.2.3 The Paleoproterozoic Baoulé-Mossi domain 273

5.3 Spatiotemporal distribution of gold in LMS 281

5.3.1 Introduction 281

5.3.2 Archean gold 282

5.3.3 Paleoproterozoic gold 283

5.3.4 Alluvial and eluvial deposits 289

5.4 Spatiotemporal distribution of other LMS metallogenic systems 290

5.4.1 Iron 290

5.4.2 Nickel and chrome 292

5.4.3 Copper, zinc and lead 292

5.4.4 Diamond 293

5.4.5 Other mineral substances 293

5.5 Conclusion 294

5.6 References 294

Appendix 1 Lithium Mineralization, Contributions of Paleoclimates and Orogens 307
Éric GLOAGUEN, Jérémie MELLETON, Blandine GOURCEROL and Romain MILLOT

Appendix 2 Metallogeny of the Abitibi Greenstone Belt, Canada 309
Patrick MERCIER-LANGEVIN, Benoît DUBÉ , Michel G HOULÉ, Valérie BÉCU, Anne-Aurélie SAPPIN, Jean-Luc PILOTE and Sébastien CASTONGUAY

List of Authors 345

Index 349

Summary of Volume 1 353