Preliminary Geological and Geochemical Study of Gold and Base Metals Mineralization in The Surupa Area, Borena Zone, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract Background: The southern Ethiopian Precambrian shield terrain largely of sutured medium to high-grades assemblages of Precambrian crystalline basement consists of metamorphic complex and associated plutonic rocks which belongs to northern and southern continuation of the Mozambique belt and the Arabian-Nubian Shield. The paper reported the information on geology, alteration pattern, ore minerals and geochemical investigation for gold and base metals and to delineate potential area of gold and base metals mineralization. The purpose of the study was to carry out a preliminary investigation on geological and geochemical study for gold and base metals mineral potentials around Surupa area.Results: The study area consists of heterogeneous sequences of medium to high-grade poly-deformed gneisses with igneous and sedimentary precursors and structurally affected by three phases of deformation like foliations, mesoscale folds, veins and fractures/joints respectively. The rocks of the area characterized by its medium to high-potassium calc-alkaline rocks of high silicon dioxide and displaying predominance of potassium oxide over sodium oxide. The positive and negative correlation with major oxides exhibited indicate the fractionation nature of the rocks during magmatic differentiation. Conclusions: Based on the result, nickel and cobalt are highly anomalous elements indicating the source for the mineralization controlled by different structures such as fractures and joints. Ore mineral assemblages of pyrite, goethite, magnetite and hematite characterizes the mineralization of the study area. Generally, all those integrated studies confirmed that mineral potential of the study area is mainly controlled by the nature of the rock and associated structures.