Timing and geological setting of the world-class Sn, Nb-Ta and Li mineralization of Manono-Kitotolo (Katanga, Democratic Republic of Congo): current state of knowledge

The Central African Mesoproterozoic Kibara belt forms a metallogenic province that hosts a variety of granite-related mineralization rich in cassiterite, columbite-tantalite, wolframite/ ferberite, spodumene and beryl. Between 997 +/- 8 Ma and 966 +/- 21 Ma, granites intruded, associated with pegmatites and quartz veins, locally carrying Sn-Nb-Ta mineralization. \nDifferent highly evolved pegmatites intruded in the Manono-Kitotolo area. The emplacement of the pegmatite veins resulted in an intense alteration of the doleritic and metasedimentary host-rocks. After emplacement, the pegmatites developed a regular zonation during cooling that is affected by later metasomatic/hydrothermal alteration. Nb-Ta mineralization formed prior to metasomatic alteration and has been dated at 940 +/- 5.1 Ma, which is significantly younger than the age of pegmatites that have been dated at 973 13 Ma in Katanga. This is interpreted as resetting during (metasomatic) post-crystallization processes. The major part of cassiterite mineralization formed during metasomatic alteration, i.e. during the muscovitization. Muscovite associated with the cassiterite mineralization, in so-called "poches de greisen" has been dated at 923 +/- 8.3 Ma. This age is too young to reflect crystallisation during cooling of the granites and is interpreted as resetting during a Late Neoproterozoic event.