Distribution and occurring state of copper-gold mineral resources in Northeast Africa

Copper-gold deposits are the main types of mineral resources in Northeast Africa with great metallogenic potentials, and their metallogenic processes are closely related to the evolution history of Nubian Shield in the east African orogenic belt.Orogenic gold deposits and volcanogenic massive sulfides (VMS) copper-gold deposits are two main genetic types, while the porphyry copper-gold deposits are rare.Orogenic deposits, mainly gold in mineralization, are mostly related to the quartz veins in ductile-brittle shear structure, and they are distributed in 5 different regions.However, VMS deposits, mainly copper and gold in mineralization, are primarily related to the Neoproterozoic volcanic rocks, and they are distributed in 3 different regions.The oxide zone of VMS deposits exhibits copper-gold resources with relatively high tenor and large tonnage.Combined with regional geology, tectonic evolution and distribution characteristics of copper-gold resources in Northeast Africa, the geological characteristics and occurring states of copper-gold deposits are analyzed, which would provide critical clues for the copper-gold exploration or mining development in Northeast Africa for domestic mining enterprises and institutions.