Conference Proceedings
Iron Ore and Open Pit Operators Conference Proceeding 2026
Conference Proceedings
Iron Ore and Open Pit Operators Conference Proceeding 2026
Geological setting, structural evolution, and mineralisation of the Ouéléba Iron Ore Deposit, Simandou, Guinea – implications for Archean-Proterozoic crustal development and later supergene ore formation
The Simandou Range is a 110 km-long chain of hills located in south-eastern Republic of Guinea, stretching across the Nzérékoré and Kankan regions within the country’s forested Guinée Forestière zone. The range runs north–south and is known for its rugged, mountainous terrain. Its highest peak, Pic de Fon, rises to about 1656 m in the southern section. The Ouéléba deposit lies just north of the Pic de Fon deposit, with the two separated by approximately 4 km. The Simandou range comprises a strongly deformed supracrustal depositional sequence, and locally, of a stack of tectonic units, deformed predominantly during Euburian event (2.0 to 2.25 Ga; Cope et al, 2008), forming a narrow N–S to NE-elongated structural keel within the eastern Kenema–Man Domain. The preserved stratigraphy, although discontinuous, records deposition within a tectonically active basin and includes Archean basement, Footwall Schist, Footwall BIF, Siliciclastic, Phyllite and Itabirite units. These units have been affected by progressive, polyphase deformation dominated by transpressive, largely sinistral shear, resulting in complex folding, transposition of earlier fabrics, and widespread development of shear zones. Marked structural asymmetry, the local omission of stratigraphic units, and strong lateral facies variations, all observed across the Oueleba Deposit, reflect the combined influence of depositional controls and subsequent high strain deformation. Supergene mineralisation and weathering have further altered the succession, leading to extensive carapace development, bauxite and iron enrichment of itabirite (silica removal). Despite numerous geological investigations undertaken in the Simandou region, much of the previous work has focused on the Pic de Fon deposit. Consequently, several fundamental questions remain unresolved for Ouéléba deposit, which lies within the immediate mining area. Uncertainties persist regarding: (1) the detailed stratigraphy and geological architecture of Ouéléba, (2) the structural evolution and tectonic history, especially in the absence of geochronological constraints on deformation and mineralisation, and (3) the role and extent of supergene processes and weathering, for which no dedicated data sets currently exist. This paper aims to address these gaps by integrating new structural, stratigraphic and mineralogical observations to refine the geological framework and evolutionary history of the Ouéléba segment of the Simandou range, particularly related to late Cretaceous to recent time events.
Contributor(s):
M Zelic, A A Diragitch and M C Diallo
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- Published: 2026
- Pages: 18
- PDF Size: 1.919 Mb.
- Unique ID: P-05355-B9G9B8