Transfer and deposition of gold in the Congo watershed

Gold has been measured in water and suspended particulate matter samples coming from the Oubangui-Congo system. Gold anomalies up to 800 pico M/l were measured at two different locations. These are interpreted as the result of gold transport by dissolved organic complexes. Everywhere else the gold content is in the range of 10⁻¹¹M/l and gold is present as an aurous hydroxichloride complex.The knowledge of both discharge rates and gold content allows a quantification of the gold input into the Atlantic ocean. Respective values for dissolved and particulate gold input are equal to 2.86 t/a and 2.95 t/a. Both chemical denudation and physical weathering rates were computed from this new set of data.