TITLE:
Characterization of Alluvial Gold Bearing Sediments of Betare Oya District-East Cameroon, Implication for Gold Exploration and Recovery
AUTHORS:
Germain Marie Monespérance Mboudou, Kennedy Folepai Fozao, Olivier Annoh Njoh, Christopher Mbaringong Agyingi
KEYWORDS:
Betare Oya, Aspect Ratios, Au Grains Yield, Alluvial Sediments, Pull-Apart Basin
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Geology,
Vol.7 No.11,
November
30,
2017
ABSTRACT: Field studies (location Au pits, sampling of different layers of sedimentary sequences filling the pits, panning of sediments), litho-stratigraphic investigations, grain size analysis and outlining of depositional conditions revealed a characteristic fining upward sequence in all the sections of 08 Au-pits within the Betare Oya basin. A typical profile is 2.5 to 4.5 m thick and is composed of a 30 to 50 cm organic topsoil layer, underlain by a 1.5 m thick reddish brownish gold free saprolite, which is underlain by 1.5 m sandy section. From litho-stratigraphic investigations and grain size analysis results a quartz dominated gravelly 1.4 m thick layer consisting in boulders (275 mm), cobbles (2-−0.0148x2 + 1.2187x + 2.0344, R2 = 0.6929 (sandy layer); 2) y = 0.0617x2 + 1.0849x + 0.8097, R2 = 0.8694 (gravelly layer); and y > R2 is satisfied in both cases. This implies that Au recovery from these layers could be effective through gravity separation using sieves mounted on classifiers of 7 cm (sandy layer) and 10 cm (gravelly layer) diameter.