A comparison between orogenic gold deposits in Northeast Africa and Jiaodong, China and its implications for exploration in Africa

The Nubian shield in the Northeast Africa is an emerging world-class gold province with numerous orogenic gold deposits.Based on the investigation of some representative orogenic gold deposits, the geological features related to the orogenic gold deposits in the Nubian shield were summarized.It is suggested that gold mineralization in this area might be formed during the transition from compression to tensional shear after block accretion of the Nubian shield, the greenschist-amphibolite facies metamorphic rocks are main host rock, and the shear zones (faults) are main ore-controlling structures.The orogenic gold deposits in the Nubian shield and Jiapdong in China underwent oceanic crust subduction before large-scale mineralization.Both are similar in ore-controlling structures, mineralization type, mineral assemblages and ore-forming fluids, except for the obvious differences of host rocks and metallogenic ages.Combined with the comparison of ore-controlling factors and prospecting indicators, some detailed suggestions for the orogenic gold deposits exploration in Nubia Shield are proposed as follows: remote sensing and geological mapping to outline potential area; geochemical and geological brief survey to target prospecting area; alteration mapping, reverse circulation drilling and electromagnetic survey to track hidden ore bodies; theoretical study and structural analysis to promote deep ore-prospecting.