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The Ait Dawd Cu-Ni vein deposit: new mineralogical insights to understand the mineralizing criteria of the western High Atlas district (Morocco)

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Abstract

The Ait Dawd Cu-Ni-Au vein deposit is hosted within the Cambrian-Ordovician formations of the Erdouz terranes from the western High Atlas (Morocco). These formations are folded during the Variscan orogeny and the schistosity is striking NNE to NE and strongly dipping to the east (40° to 70). Significant ore deposits in the region occur only within relatively small well-endowed mineral occurrences, likely to be controlled by the Permian Azegour granite and its rhyolitic to microdioritic dyke swarm. However, four distinct styles of mineralization are present in this area: the world-class Azegour Mo skarn deposit, the Amensif polymetallic carbonate-replacement deposit, the Talat n’Imjjad Cu-Au shear zone, and the Ait Dawd Cu-Ni-Au vein deposit. This latter was the subject of this study to explore its mineral paragenesis using petrographic observations, SEM, and EPMA investigations. The primary mineral assemblage is composed of chalcopyrite, pyrite, arsenopyrite, galena and sphalerite, tetrahedrite, freibergite, native gold, and native bismuth. Argento-pentlandite and cobaltite-gersdorffite series are intimately associated or enclosed within chalcopyrite. Native gold is free in a quartz gangue or associated with chalcopyrite. The secondary minerals are composed of malachite, azurite, covellite, anglesite, and iron oxides. The gangue minerals are consisting of quartz, calcite, dolomite, ankerite, and chlorite. The recognized hydrothermal alterations in the studied area are formed mainly by silicification, chloritization, sericitization, and carbonatation. The presence of disseminated cobaltite-gersdorffite and argento-pentlandite in this area is in favor of the magmatic source of the ore fluids responsible of the deposition of several mineralizations. Several pending questions should be emphasized on the genetic model and the role played by the Permian magmatism in the genesis and the mineral exploration of the entire mineralization within the western High Atlas mining district.

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Acknowledgments

This study is part of the HDR dissertation of the first author (S.I) which has been finalized at the Polydisciplinary Faculty of Ouarzazate. Thanks are due to Mr. Mohamed Ait Malek, Director of the Amenssif Manajim company for field and logistic support and his permission to study the Ait Dawd deposit. We thank also the technical experts in Reminex Research Center (Managem Group) and in the Centre d’Analyses et de Caractérisation (Cadi Ayyad University) for their generous contributions and assistances on the SEM works. Mr Michel Fialin from the Camparis center (Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France) is acknowledged for his valuable assistance during the EPMA investigations. The authors are also grateful to the editor and the two anonymous reviewers for their careful reading and suggestions, which significantly improved this contribution. Special thanks are also addressed to Pr. Francesca Micheletti (Associate Editor) and to Pr. Abdullah M. Al-Amri (Editor in-Chief) for their editorial works and handling of this research paper.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAG2M, Polydisciplinary Faculty of Ouarzazate, Ibn Zohr University, Avenue Moulay Ettahar Ben Abdulkarim, BP. 638, 45000, Ouarzazate, Morocco

    Said Ilmen & Abdel-ali Kharis

  2. Ecole Nationale de Technologie, Fkih Bensalah, Moulay Slimane University, Beni-Mellal, Morocco

    Bouchra Baidada

  3. Geoscience, Water and Environment Laboratory, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University in Rabat, Avenue Ibn Batouta, 10100, Rabat, Morocco

    Zaineb Hajjar & M’hamed El Janati

  4. Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences-Semlalia, Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco

    Abdelkhalek Alansari, Amal El Arbaoui & Mohamed Bhilisse

  5. Managem Group, Twin Center, Casablanca, Morocco

    Amine Bajddi & Mohammed El Azmi

  6. Department of Geology, Faculty of Sciences, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco

    Azizi Moussaid

  7. Zgounder - Aya Gold and Silver, Taliouine, Morocco

    Mohamed Bhilisse

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  1. Said Ilmen
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Correspondence to Said Ilmen.

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Ilmen, S., Baidada, B., Hajjar, Z. et al. The Ait Dawd Cu-Ni vein deposit: new mineralogical insights to understand the mineralizing criteria of the western High Atlas district (Morocco). Arab J Geosci 15, 1595 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-022-10868-y

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