Geological and geochemical characterization of the Nanlia and Makorongo gold prospects, Mozambique Belt, northeastern Mozambique

Northern Mozambique hosts numerous occurrences of gold mineralization in metamorphic terranes, which are little known because the insufficient studies. In this work, we describe main geological and geochemical characteristics Nanlia Makorongo prospects located Namuno district, northeastern Mozambique. We report mode occurrence gold, petrography mineralogy host rocks ores, fluid inclusion stable isotope data, to understand genesis study area. The is hosted by Neoproterozoic Xixano Metamorphic Complex Belt, composed mafic granulite, amphibolite, paragneiss marble. rock amphibolite consists mainly amphibole, plagioclase, biotite minor quartz, titanite sulfides. associated with E-W ENE-WSW trending quartz veins, oriented parallel low angle foliation amphibolite. ore pyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, magnetite, galena sphalerite, tellurides, xilingolite, electrum native gold. Mineralized veins two types inclusions locally coexist same assemblage: type 1, one-phase CO2 final melting temperature between ?58 ?52 °C; 2, two-phase H2O + NaCl (±CO2 ± N2 CH4) homogenization ranging from 246 370 °C 239 382 prospects, respectively, salinity 12–21 wt% eq. Pressure (P-T) conditions ore-formation were estimated sphalerite geobarometry at 420–620 160–280 MPa, 330–440 150–200 MPa respectively. classified as orogenic-type deposits. suggest that was caused an aqueous-carbonic low-moderate originated devolatilization during prograde metamorphism underlying rocks. post-dates peak rocks, thus formed retrograde precipitation phase separation induced pressure drop mineralizing migrated shallower depths.