EGS - ASGMI DIRECTOR’S

JOINT WORKSHOP
October 2015

Geological Mapping of Angola

An example of knowledge share between
GeoSurveys of Europe and Africa

Teresa Ponce de Leão ‐ LNEG
 LNEG
National Laboratory
for Energy and
Geology

GEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
LEN LGM
Laboratory of Energy Laboratory of
Member of European Geology and Mining
Energy Research Alliance Member of the European
Geological Surveys

EERA EGS

>2.000 Profissionals equivalent
PLANAGEO – ANGOLA NATIONAL PLAN FOR GEOLOGY
Opportunity for the IBERIAN GeoSurveys

REPÚBLICA DE ANGOLA
COMISSÃO DE REESTRUTURAÇÃO E CAPACITAÇÃO DO
INSTITUTO GEOLÓGICO DE ANGOLA

• International tender launched in 2011

• Targeted by very specific objectives for the geological mapping of the whole
country
• Driven by realistic goals for the economy of geological resources
• Aero-geophysics surveying
• Geological mapping at 1/250k scale
• Geochemical mapping at 1/250k scale
• Geological mapping of areas of specific economic interest 1/100k scale
• Non-metallic resources mapping of restrict areas
• Partnership between LNEG and IGME and IMPULSO (private enterprise)

1/3 of the territory was attributed to

the Iberian Consortium
(SW and part of S regions)
BACKGROUND
Former Experience of LNEG in ANGOLA

20 years of cooperation with IGEO:

• Exceptional knowledge of Geology of

Angola
• Reworking of Geology of Angola for
application of new models of validity at
continental scale
• Mapping of key areas with specific
geological settings
• Impulo-Chongoroi (2001);
• Bibala (2006);
• Chibia (2013)
• IGEO staff capacity building
• Geology of SW Angola (monography
2013)
 PLANAGEO – started Jan 2014
… with a good knowledge of the Geology of Angola

4 GEOTECTONIC UNITS:
- Congo Craton (5 blocks)
- Block NE (Lunda)
- Block NW (Congo)
- Block Center-W
- Block Center-E (Cassinga)
- Block SW (Namibe)

- Mobile Belts
- Eburnean Cycle
- Pan-African/Brasilian cycle

- Sedimentary
Continental Basins
- Karoo
- Kalahari

- Perioceanic Basins
- Congo
- Kuanza
- Namibe
Main guidelines for geological surveying
of ancient terrains – a) CONGO CRATON
The 5 cratonic Blocs were amalgamated during
the Eburnean cycle (2 Gy) to form the
CONGO CRATON.
b) MOBILE OROGENIC BELTS
The history behind the Eburnenan cycle has to
be sought - isotope studies, tectonics and
petrology of the ancient tectono-thermic
complexes:
- Charnoquits of Dybaia (Lunda) – 2,82 Gy
- Quilombo granites and granitoids – 2,6 Gy
- Moxico and Lunda-S gneisses and migmatites – 2,8 Gy
- Idem of Cariango, Andulo and SW – 2,5 GY

Later, during the Pan-African/Brasilian

cycle (650 My) other orogenic belts were
accreted:
- Ocidental Congo
- Kahoko
- Katanga (Lufiliano)

All those events occurred before

the opening of the South Atlantic
Eburnean geodynamic model proposed for SW of Angola
Frontal collision between São Francisco and Congo blocks

… key for interpretation of the variety of Plutonic Rocks

Magmatic Arch

Recrystalized porphiritic Intermediate-mafic calco-

Quartz-Feldspar alkaline plutonism Upper crustal rocks

Acidic calco-alkaline Eburnean remobiolization of

plutonism crustal materials
PETROLOGIC RESEARCH

Ultramafic rocks (dunites and

gabro cumulates)

Mafic and intermediate acidic

rocks (of magmatic arch):
- Gabros, Diorites
- Mingling of acidic and
intermediate magmas
 Geology of the SW Angola re-interpreted
… THE EBURNEAN MODEL

• The cooperation between LNEG and

IGEO in previous years allowed the
definition and characterization of the
Eburnean Cycle:
• 1,8 – 1,9 Gy (isotope data)
• Dunites and other ultrabasic
rocks (petrology)
• Mingling of different calco-
alkaline magmas
• Interesting potential for
generating Cu, Pb, Zn, … Au
resources

• In the past those formations where

referred to as belonging to the
Gabro-Anortositic Complex, 500 My
younger.
SEDIMENTARY
CONTINENTAL BASINS
The Tectonic context

Collision between Patagonia and

Gondwana at the end of Paleozoic formed
continental basins and semi-grabens:
- Karoo – permo-jurassic

Later W-E distensive tectonics (coeval of

the Atlantic opening) was favorable to
the reactivation of former structures,
allowing the installation of kimberlites
and deposition of Kwango Group.

Distribution
of Karoo
Basins
THE PERIOCEANIC BASINS
These OCEANIC BASINS were formed during the opening of the
South Atlantic:

- Congo
- Kwanza
- Namibe

In upper Terciary (Neogenic)

continental sedimentary
processes developed to form
the Kalahari Group

Kalahari
PLANAGEO OPERATIONAL PLAN
… for Geological Mapping and field work
Starting point – ancient surveys and drawings from the colonial period

- Remote sensing techniques:

- Satellite images
- Treated Satellite images
(spectra)
PLANAGEO OPERATIONAL PLAN
… for Geological Mapping and field work
Starting point – ancient surveys and drawings from the colonial period

- Remote sensing techniques:

- Satellite images
- Treated Satellite images
(spectra)
- Aerogeophysisc
- Radiometry
- Magnetics

Preliminary maps with

“geological column”
harmonized for all Angola
territory

Establishment of tracks for

field work validation
PUNGO ANDONGO REGION – Pan African W-Congo Mobile Belt

Kingdom of the legendary Queen GINGA

A native warrior woman (1582-1663) that fought against slavery
Her royal title of NGOLA were used by Portuguese people to
refer that part of the country
TAZUA-CUANGO WATER FALLS – Pan African W-Congo Mobile Belt
IONA moutains SW – Kahoco Pan-African Mobile Belt
KUNENE RIVER and Kahoco Pan-African Mobile Belt outcrops
HEREROS – Himba Tribe (Angola Namibia border)
Matriarchal society where Women are the Leaders
Himba women in the Namibe Desert
Obrigada pela vossa 
atenção