Petrology and geochemistry of Hama Koussou dolerite dyke swarms (North Cameroon, Central Africa)

What is it about?

The Pan African granitoid basement of Hama Koussou Cretaceous half basin in North Cameroun (Central Africa) is transected by near N-S, NE-SW and ENE-WSW giant doleritic dykes trending along the same Pan African directions. Hama Koussou dolerites are compliant with the regional distension that occurred after the Pan African basement consolidation prior to the development of West and Central African Rift System at Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous times. Studied lavas are composed of large clinopyroxene oïkocrysts, plagioclase and alkali feldspar laths and oxides phenocrysts exhibiting ophitic, sub-ophitic and intercertal textures. Microprobe chemical analyses carry out on the main mineral phases show that clinopyroxenes are diopside and augite, plagioclases are labradorite, andesine, oligoclase and albite and alkali feldspars are mainly sanidine with a few percent of orthoclase. ICP-MS and ICP-AES geochemical analyses of Hama Koussou lavas exhibit basalt, basaltic trachyandesite and trachyandesite compositions of continental tholeiite features. Tholeiite basalts of Hama Koussou are the results of high partial melting of E-MORB mantle source of spinel lherzolite composition, located at 65-55 km depth. More evolved tholeiite lavas of Hama Koussou basin are the products of tholeiite basalt differentiation trough assimilation and fractional crystallization coupled with fluids circulation.

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Why is it important?

dolerite, dyke swarm, continental tholeiite, Pan African, Hama Koussou, Cameroon, Central Africa

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