MINERAL PROSPECTS FOR PROMOTING GREENFIELD AREAS
Mineral Resources: Gold - Copper - Iron - Base Metals - Rare Earth Elements Minerals
IDENTIFYING THE AREA
The area being promoted has mining potential for the prospecting of Rare Earth Element Minerals and Gold, essential raw materials for use in various sectors of the manufacturing industry. This is a greenfield area, the groundwork for which took place during the implementation of the National Geology Plan (PLANAGEO).
Area (Km2)
2734
Municipalities
Ecunha e Londuimbali
Provinces
Huambo
Mineral Resources
Rare Earth Minerals, Gold
REGIONAL GEOLOGY
The area is on the SUL D33D sheet at a scale of 1:250,000, where the Bailundo Granite-Migmatite Complex outcrops, containing granite, gneiss and migmatite rocks. There are also deposits of peneplain and sedimentation of the main plateau with the presence of ferralitized conglomerates, peneplain colluvites, eluvial deposits and alteration of the substrate.
It also identifies fluvial and surface runoff deposits, valley bottom alluvial deposits containing sands, silts and clays; superficial deposits, slope deposits with the presence of blocks, pebbles and sands, as well as colluvial-alluvial deposits containing sands and clays.
Stratigraphically, the area is part of the Oendolongo Group, made up of rocks related to metagrass and metaconglomerates; the Quipungo Cuanza Supergroup – N’gola Group, with the presence of quartzi-tes; the Quipungo Cuanza Supergroup – Utende – Cela Group, containing schists and quartzites.
In and around the area, there are potential occurrences of rocks containing Rare Earth Element Minerals and Gold.
RECENT WORK AND RESULTS
The area under promotion has aero-geophysical information on magnetometry and radiometry acquired by means of flight lines with a spacing of 1,000 m and an altitude between 80 to 120 m. This data, available from the Geological Institute of Angola, can be used as support during the development of geological-mining activities.
The following results were obtained:
- Airborne geophysics (magnetometry and radiometry);
- Systematic geological mapping at a scale of 1:250,000;
- Regional geochemistry at a scale of 1:250,000;
- Various specific studies relating to areas of special geological interest.
The following maps were produced from the airborne magnetometry and gamma spectro- metry campaign:
- Map of total magnetic field strength corrected for IGRF and reduced to the pole;
- Map of derivatives (1st and 2nd vertical derivatives of magnetic field strength);
- Horizontal gradient in Y of the magnetic field intensity reduced to the pole. The same was done for remote sensing. Terrain elevation model (DEM);
- Ternary radiometric map (K, U, Th);
- Total count radiometric map.
INFRASTRUCTURE AND SERVICES
The region is endowed with essential infrastructure and services for the development of mining projects, such as:
- The area can be accessed via National Road 120, which links the city of Huambo to the municiplity of Ecunha;
- The Port of Lobito and the Benguela Railway, which can be used during all stages of geological mining activities;
- The existence of laboratory services to support geological-mining activities, belonging to the Geological Institute of Angola, in Huíla Province;
- Electricity can be supplied from the connection to the National Electricity Transmission Network.
