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 S n 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 gold- bearing 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.