The Loulo gold and tourmaline-bearing deposit

The stratabound polymorph Loulo gold deposits and occurrences were discovered in sedimentary rocks of the Early Proterozoic Birimian Formation, in the Kéniéba region of SW Mali. Early work showed reserves in the Loulo-0 and Loulo-3 deposits of 28 t of gold in ore averaging 4.43 g/t Au, to depths of 140 m; recent drilling has found mineralization to at least 300 m depth. Early tourmalinization of the sedimentary host rock is indicated by reworked tourmalinite pebbles in non-tourmalinized hanging-wall rocks. Mineralization, restricted to highly tourmalinized zones, occurs as: (a) pre-D1 (deformation) disseminated pyrite with micron-size inclusions of gold particles; (b) syn-/late-D2 stockworks with minor disseminated sulphides and native gold. Gold in the sulphides is small (10–40 gm), and occurs at pyrite-crystal edges, filling cracks and/or as inclusions. Post-D2 stockwork mineralization derived from the pre-D1 one that was emplaced with tourmaline, as is indicated by the small differences between pre-D1 and post-D2 sulphur isotopes, as well as by the type of quartz vein that indicates an almost closed system. In West Africa, the pre-D1 mineralization of Early Birimian age represents the first major introduction of gold into the Proterozoic. It attributes a major metallogenic role to the tourmalinized sandstone that indicates crustal accretion in West Africa during the Early Proterozoic. Editorial handling: D.D. Klemm