Faculty of Science

Objectives

The course examines the origin and types of mineral deposits as well as the various geochemical and geophysical exploration methods and their relative merits for different mineral deposits and mining methods.

Contents

Concept of economic mineral deposits. Ore and gangue minerals. Origin, association and evaluation of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits. Introductory treatment of genesis of magmatic, hydrothermal and sedimentary metallic ore types. Description of classical deposits representing individual types of deposits. Economic mineral deposits of Cameroon. Practical study of hand specimens of host rock-ore mineral suites. Criteria for exploration programmes. Stratigraphic, lithological and structural criteria for target generation. Reconnaissance programmes. Geochemical and geophysical exploration techniques.