The economic mineral potential of the mid-Proterozoic Waterberg Group, northwestern Kaapvaal craton, South Africa |
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Authors: | P G Eriksson B F F Reczko C C Callaghan |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Geology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0002, South Africa, ZA;(2) 138 Uitspan Road, Die Wilgers, Pretoria 0041, South Africa, ZA |
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Abstract: | The 1900–1700 Ma Waterberg Group in the main Waterberg fault-bounded basin consists of dominantly coarse siliciclastic red
beds with minor volcanic rocks. The sedimentary rocks were deposited mainly by alluvial fans, fluvial braidplains and transgressive
shallow marine environments, with lesser lacustrine and aeolian settings. Uplifted, largely granitic source areas were located
along the Thabazimbi-Murchison lineament (TML) fault system in the south, and along the Palala shear zone in the northeast.
Palaeoplacer titanomagnetite-ilmenite-zircon heavy mineral deposits, best developed in the Cleremont Formation in the centre
of the basin, reflect initial fluvial reworking and subsequent littoral marine concentration. Coarse alluvial cassiterite
placer deposits are found in the Gatkop area in the southwest of the basin, and appear to have been derived from stanniferous
Bushveld Complex lithologies south of the TML. Hydrothermal zinc and U-Cu mineralisation in the Alma lithologies in the same
area appears to be related to the TML fault system. Small manganese deposits and anomalous tungsten values occur in the south
of the basin, where they are again closely spatially associated with the TML. Copper-barium mineralisation is found associated
with dolerite dykes, and in stratigraphically controlled, inferred syngenetic settings. The most interesting of these apparently
syngenetic occurrences is found within green coloured reduced mudrocks and inferred volcanic rocks, at an unconformity developed
within the overall red bed sequence of the Waterberg Group, adjacent to the TML in the southwest of the basin. The most important
potential mineralisation in the main Waterberg basin thus encompasses shoreline placer Ti and the possibility of substantial
sediment-hosted copper deposits.
Received: 31 May 1996 / Accepted: 17 February 1997 |
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