Rare earth element and yttrium characteristics of carbonates within the sediment-hosted Luiswishi and Kamoto Cu-Co deposits, Katanga Copperbelt (Democratic Republic of Congo - DRC)

The Neoproterozoic Central African Copperbelt is a world-class metallogenic province characterized by sediment-hosted stratiform Cu-Co ore deposits and polymetallic vein-type deposits. Two main mineralization phases have been recognized in the Katanga Copperbelt (Democratic Republic of Congo). The first phase occurred during early to intermediate diagenesis and the second during deep burial and the Lufilian orogeny. The Rare Earth Element and Yttrium (REY) concentrations of gangue dolomites associated with the second mineralization phase at the Kamoto and Luiswishi ore deposits were determined and compared to those of their respective host rocks. Kamoto samples exhibit convex Upper Continental Crust-normalized patterns with a pronounced light BEE depletion without significant Eu anomalies and with positive La anomalies. The Luiswishi samples exhibit either progressively increasing REY patterns or ramp-shaped patterns with minor mid BEE-heavy BEE fractionation, accompanied by pronounced negative Ce and Eu anomalies. These differences suggest that a more intense metamorphic overprint at Luiswishi contributed to the differences with the Kamoto deposit