Geochemical Dispersion of Gold in Stream Sediments in the Paleoproterozoic Nyong Series, Southern Cameroon

Abstract

Twenty-five stream sediment samples were collected in the Ngovayang area of southern Cameroon over a 1100 km2 area for heavy mineral fraction geochemical survey. The heavy mineral fraction of the stream sediments was analyzed for 45 trace elements. The majority of samples showed high Au concentrations though the anomalies were erratic. The geochemical data were processed using statistical and spatial analytical methods. R-mode Factor analysis produced a four-factor model which accounted for 77.02 % of the total variance in the data with the following metal associations: U-Th-Pb-W, Nb-Ta-Co-V, Au-Hf and Cu. The Au-Hf association indicated gold mineralization while the others reflect lithologic control. Uranium, Pb, Co, Ni and Ag show an almost uniform distribution within the Nyong Series indicating essentially the lithology. Anomalous gold concentrations clustered mostly in the northeastern part of the study area defining a potential primary gold target.