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Evidence of adakitic signature in Pan-African basement rocks from the Mbengwi region (NW Cameroon): constraints from whole rock chemistry and Sr–Nd isotopes

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Abstract

Bulk rock geochemical characteristics and Sr–Nd isotopic data were used as a proxy to evidently ascertain the adakitic affinity or signature of the basement rock samples from the Mbengwi region, located within the Pan-African North Equatorial fold belt. In the present study, numerous granitoids display low MgO (<3.0 wt.%) and Mg# (mostly < 45), moderate to high Sr/Y (avg.: 23), moderate to high La/Yb (avg.: 62), high Zr/Sm (10.86–328.9; avg.: 43.8) high Na2O contents (2.2–5.5 wt.%) and 87Sr/86Sr ≤0.7045 in addition to high K2O/Na2O (avg.: 1.5) ratio, typical of adakites or adakite-like rocks. The samples referred to as adakite-like are assigned both as K-rich adakite and high-Si adakite (HSA), and consequently of crustal origin. The large variation of Sr/Y and La/Yb ratios, the range of their Rb/Sr ratio (0.27–0.53) in addition to the plots of bulk rocks Mg number, FeOT/MgO and MgO vs. SiO2 likewise evidence that they are mainly C-type adakitic rocks, and almost all derived from partial melt of lower thickened crust.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the constructive comments and criticisms of Prof. Jesús Solé Viñas and Dr Federico Lucci, which helped us to significantly improve this manuscript. We are also grateful to the editors for the diligent editorial handling of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Ore Mineral Processing, Institute for Geological and Mining Research, P.O. Box 4110, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Benoît Joseph Mbassa & Moïse Bessong

  2. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Douala, P.O. Box 24157, Douala, Cameroon

    Zénon Itiga

  3. Branch for Geophysical and Volcanological Research, Institute for Geological and Mining Research, P.O. Box 370, Buea, Cameroon

    Caroline Neh Ngwa & Mfomou Ntepe

  4. Higher Teacher Training College, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 47, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Emmanuel Njonfang

  5. Department of Earth Sciences, University of Yaoundé I, P.O. Box 812, Yaoundé, Cameroon

    Pierre Kamgang

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  1. Benoît Joseph Mbassa
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Correspondence to Benoît Joseph Mbassa.

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Mbassa, B.J., Itiga, Z., Ngwa, C.N. et al. Evidence of adakitic signature in Pan-African basement rocks from the Mbengwi region (NW Cameroon): constraints from whole rock chemistry and Sr–Nd isotopes. Arab J Geosci 14, 1196 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-07541-1

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