Local structural markers of the Batouri gold-bearing shear zone in Southeast Cameroon

The mining district of Batouri is located in the southeastern part of Cameroon and constitutes an integral part of the Adamaoua-Yadé domain of the Pan-African fold belt. This work aimed to highlight the structural and petrographic markers that characterize the auriferous shear zone. The investigations show that the rocks of the Batouri area suffered a ductile-brittle shear deformation in three directions (E-W, NE-SW, and NW-SE). These shear directions constitute the local extension of the Demza and the Balche shear zones of the Poli group, and the central Cameroon shear zone. Within these shear bands, the Sn schistosity and tension cracks present a sigmoidal geometry, which is justified by a variation in the direction and dip of the schistosity planes and veins. This shear zone displays a finite local extension (NNW-SSE) generated by an ENE-WSW compression. Intense shearing is observed within goldbearing monzogranites and syenogranites. The gold mineralization is controlled by three main vein directions (NNW-SSE, E-W and NE-SW), which are closely associated with silicification, sulfidation, and K-alteration of the host granitoids.