1.1.1.1.

Azougar n’Tilili: gold polymetallic ore discovered at the Cambrian

of the Bas-Draa inlier

(Maacha L., Zouhair M., Gamoum A., Soulaimani A.)

1.1.1.1.1. Localization:

The Azougar n’Tilili mineralized occurrences are in the border of the Bas Draa
Precambrian Inlier (Fig. 132). They are located 50 km ESE from the Tan-Tan city. The
mineralized structures are aligned along 28° 21’40’’ N middle latitude, and spread over a
band of approximately 1 km between longitudes 10°37'03"W and W10°36'33". It is accessed
by paved road from Tan-Tan to Lemseyied, which we leave to the left at lat. 28°20'18.83"N,
long. W10°55'7.91"W, ca. 7 km from the Tilamsoun. The newly paved road winds through
the Cambrian series to the NE for about 25 km before arriving near the site.

Figure 1 : Remote
sensing map of Bas Draa Boutonniere with location of Azougar N’Tilili gold
polymetallic deposit.

1.1.1.1.2. Geological setting:

The Bas-Draa inlier forms part of the southwestern Anti-Atlas belt, which is
dominated by Paleoproterozoic substratum composed of metamorphic rocks (Draa Group)
and cut by a several granitic massifs (Mechebbouk suite) ranging in age from 2028 ± 37 Ma
to 2037 ± 37 Ma (Hawkins et al., 2001a, b; O’Connor et al., 2010). The Cryogenian terranes
are poorly represented and confined to SW part of the buttonhole (Taarotihate Group),
whereas those of the Ouarzazate Group are broadly represented and form Jbel Guir in the NE
part of the buttonhole. The Taourgha granite outcrops in its center and dated to 575 ± 4 Ma
(Aït Malek et al., 1998).

The buttonhole is surrounded by Infracambrian and Cambrian peaks formed; firstly by

Adoudounian terranes (Taroudant Group), and secondly by Lower Cambrian formations
composed of the d’Igoudine and Amouslek limestones and schists?? (Limestones intercalated
with schist or schistosed rocks; or calcareous schists???), and finaly by the Asrir formation,
which the upper part is composed of the Middle Cambrian sandstones (Grès terminaux)
(Geyer & Landing, 1995 ; Landing et al., 2006). These formations, well developed south of
the buttonhole, are followed by the classical Middle Cambrian (internal Feija, Tabanit) and
Ordovician series (external Feija, Jebel Bani).

Contrary to the Iourirn Gold deposit (Tagragra d’Akka inlier), this new discovered
auriferous ore deposit from the western Anti-Atlas is situated, not in the ancient Precambrian
(P) terranes, but in the Lower Cambrian southern flank of the Bas-Draa inlier.

The Paleozoic lithostratigraphy (Adoudounian and Lower Cambrian) of the

mineralized area is very straightened and very tectonically thinned by the effect of the
Hercynian tectonics (Soulaimani et al., 1997; Michard et al., 2010). In fact (Indeed,), the Bas-
Draa, Ifni and Kerdous inliers belong to Anti-Atlas buttonholes group closest to frontal sheets
of the Moroccan Mauritanides.

The Bas-Draa basement forms a powerful tectonic slice pushed to the southeast and
bordered to the southwest by a strike-slip ramp, where the Hercynian schistosity is very
marked.

The stratigraphic thickness of the Paleozoic regional series is probably reached 8 km,
due to tectonic thickening, burying of the basement and from the lower part of the cover, if
not had to exceed 10-12 km during the Hercynian orogeny . This situation has allowed the
development of a low degree of metamorphism with temperatures around 300-350 ° C
(Bonhomme & Hassenforder, 1985; Sebti et al., 2009; Ruiz et al., 2010).

Gold and base metals sulphides are related to a large vein system with strike varying
from NS to NE (Fig. 133). All veins are in brittle tectonic style and mineralized with relative
various economic interests.

1.1.1.1.3. Economic Outlook

The exploration works to Azougar N’tilili are as follow:

 Alluvial geochemistry;
 Geophysical IP
  Rock Sampling: 1100 samples ;
 Geological Map of the central zone and geological survey sampled structures;
 86 core drills Polls totaling 10900m ;
 Laboratory tests for processing flow sheet
 Gallery (33m) and bulk sampling (1000kg);
 Resource Estimate by Data mine of the AZ1 , AZ13 and AZ6 veins ;
 Starting a pre -production with 2800 tons extract with 8,47g / t of gold,
66,2ppm silver 3.54 % of zinc and 3.19% of lead and 0.18% of copper.
 Topographic map of all the area.

Figure 2: Structural map of mineralized veins in Azougar Ntilili

Mineralization relates to a system of quartz veins occurring across Cambrian

sandstones and conglomerates and to a lesser degree of the Cambrian limestone bars dipping
50 to 70° to the SSW (Fig. 133).

Detailed mapping carried out along the Azougar n’Tilili deposit (Anonymous, 2005)
shows that mineralized quartz veins oriented N to NNE (Fig. 133) are developed essentially in
the upper part of limestone bars, which are intercalated with coarse sandstones and
conglomerates (Fig.134). Due to the rheological features of carbonates rocks, these quartz
veins have lesser thicknesses where occurring and they are prolonged to barren faults.
Figure 3: Cross-section of AZ6 and AZ1veins with intercepted grades of gold and base
metals.

The lateral extension of the mineralized veins reaches 300 m, depth of 50 to 200 m,
whereas the thickness is infra-metric but locally exceeds 4 m (Fig. 134 and 135). Currently,
more than 20 mineralized veins or indices are inventoried and which half has been the subject
of diamond drill holes.

A modeling Data Mine was made of the two structures and AZ6 AZ1 since they are
the best recognized by surveys to estimate the resources and potential they contain.

• The structure AZ1: The geological database of AZ1 structure consists of 24 cored
holes oriented perpendicular to the vein direction N20 °. The delineation of the mineralization
is made on cross sections using a cut-off grade of 0.2 g / t. The resource model has been
established based on drill holes data regardless of the data points of the surfaces in the
estimation of the grade. The average density measured at the ore pass is 2.8. Delimited
geological resources are estimated to 1 million tons at 2.4 g/t Au, 3.6% Zn, 2.2% Pb and 19
g/t Ag. The copper content does not exceed 0.2% Cu on average.

In order to be able to define the most suitable processing method for Azougagh N'tilili ore,
laboratory tests were performed using the following protocol :

 Characterization of the ore by studying mineralogical and metallurgical properties

(Tab. 28 and 29). These studies show that gold occurs in free texture, lead is in mixed
form of sulfides, sulfates and carbonates and zinc in form of silicates.
 Gravity concentration (of Jig and Falcon);
 Concentration by flotation;
 CIL cyanidation.
Figure 4: Longitudinal section of AZ1 vein showing morphological characters of the ore-
shoot and global resources.

The main conclusions are as follow:

 The Work index of the ore is 18.80 kwt / Sht

 performance of gravimetric concentration by Jig is limited, the recovery is around 31
% for gold, 43% for lead and 59 % for silver
 Concentration on Jig combined with flotation is a promising approach; recoveries are
respectively 95 for lead, 87% for silver and 90% for gold.
 Flotation alone displays interesting performances; recoveries are 89,96 %, 82,30 %
and 88,76 % for gold.
 CIL cyanidation shows encouraging performance with no evidence of refractory gold
(Tab. 29).
Figure 5: MEB images of ROM showing lead sulfide, sulfate and carbonates, zinc silicates
and carbonate and tri-arsenides of cobalt

Table 1: DFX analysis of the ore showing lead carbonates and zinc silicates

Ref. Code Compound Name Chemical Formula

01-075-8322 Quartz Si O2
01-076-2712 Calcite, syn Ca C O3
00-008-0449 Smithsonite Zn C O3
01-085-1088 Cerussite Pb C O3
01-089-4326 Hemimorphite, Zn4 (Si2 O7 ) ( O H )2 ( H2 O )

Table 2: Main results of cyanidation test.

Au (ppm) Recovery consumption

ROM ROM waste % NaCN (g/g Au)
9,49 0,86 90,93 650,22
Falcon concentrate 167,54 9,71 94,07 724,44
Flotation concentrate 25,36 2,24 91,05 2609,28

Flotation concentrate after

49,36 4,56 90,76 846,67
cyanidation

The challenge of the exploration in the area is rich 2 million tons at 5 g / t Au, Pb 5%,
5% Zn to be able to start a mining project of around 200kt per year. Perspectives to achieve
the target resource are: i) Delimitation of prospective known structures: AZ4, AZ3 , AZ18 ,
AZ15 , AZ53 , AZ56 , AZ10, ii) drilling lateral extensions of AZ1 structures , AZ13 and AZ6
( mineralization remains open towards the downstream in the Cambrian ) iii) drilling test on
anomalous structures highlighted by surface rock sampling such as AZ42 , AZ21 , AZ55 and
others, iv) Exploring the rest of the mining license with presence of several structures no yet
sampled and v) using the appropriate geophysics methods for extensions of the structures.
Positive correlation between gold and galena could support efficiency of Induced Polarization
vi) stream sediment geochemistry.

1.1.1.1.4. Ore mineralogy:

The mineral paragenesis is made up of sulfides, sulfo-arsenides, native gold and

supergene minerals (Fig. 137 to 138). Sulfides are represented by sphalerite, galena,
chalcopyrite and pyrite .They show microcrystalline textures when they are concentrated to
the footwall of the quartz veins or in the host-rocks. The skutterudite is the most abundant
mineral of sulfo-arsenides phase. Gold is present as native form and 90% of gold grains are
free. It occurs as inclusions in galena and sphalerite or along microfractures in the quartz.
Gold is undoubtedly associated with sulfides which extending in the host-rocks. With regards
to the silver, any silver mineral have been identified. Probably, silver is correlated with galena
that can be the main source of silver content.

The paragentic sequence is started by gold which is often followed by sulfo-arsenides

and late sulfides. Supergene alteration is composed of smithsonite (ZnCO 3), hemimorphite
(Zn4(Si2O7)(OH)2 (H2O), cerusite (PbCO3), covellite, malachite and rare azurite. Iron oxides
are represented by hematite and goethite and they care considered as an indicator of gold
scavengers. Gangue minerals are predominated by quartz that shows two main generations; (i)
an early white brecciated quartz with iron oxides which are associated with gold, and (ii) a
late white milky quartz which is sterile. The ankerite and rare calcite represent the main
carbonate minerals. In our knowledges, chlorite is the main hydrothermal mineral observed.

On the basis of the textural relationship, mineralization occurs in various forms:

massive, or stockwerk in early quartz veins.

Furthermore, chemical analyzes show that in addition to the metals mentioned above,
the mineralized structures are enriched in cobalt and germanium. This later being common to
the Azougar n’Tilili type deposits and it usually associated with sphalerite.
Figure 6 : (A): Metallographic Image of AZ 21a drill mineralization. chalcopyrite (in yellow)
as inclusions in sphalerite chalcopyrite shows disease texture. (B) : metallographic Image of
AZ 21a drill mineralized intercept. It shows galena inclusions (in white) in small disparate
crystals and small aligned grains of chalcopyrite 2 (yellow) in this case crystals scattered
throughout the matrix. (C) Metallographic Image of AZ 23 drill mineralized intercept. It
shows the equal-granular nature between sphalerite and galena. Chalcopyrite is in an
interstitial position (D): metallographic Image showing the relationship between the early
sphalerite (white) and the residual chalcopyrite (dark gray).

Figure 7 : Photos of free gold in Azougar deposit.

 1.1.1.1.5. Lead isotopic data:

Isotopic Ratio (Fig. 139):

 206Pb / 204Pb: 18,144
 207Pb / 204Pb: 15,541
 208pb /204Pb = 37.604
Age: Cambro - Ordovician as age of galena;

The low ratio 207Pb / 204Pb suggests a mantle of changing environment with little
crustal contamination (oceanic crust environment?, rear -Arc basin with mafic magmatism. As
preliminairy hypothesis, lead isotopic data give galena Cambro - Ordovician age and
stipulates a telescoping early mineralizing event and another attributed the time Hercynian
metallogenic .

Figure 8:
Position isotope ratios 207Pb / 206Pb vs 204 Pb / 204 Pb of Azougar Ntillili deposit in
the isotope field of the Anti-Atlas. Stacey normal growth curves - Kramers (1975) and -
Zartman Doe (1979) have been shown.

1.1.1.1.6. Preliminary genetic interpretations:

The Azougar n’Tilili mineralization is mainly fault-controlled and related to brittle

deformation, often marked by for dextral N-S trending Faults and NNE to NE trending slots
in echelon. The textures described above stipulate deformation assisted by hydraulic
fracturing in a "crack- seal" system which is materialized by two quartz generations.
Hydrothermal circulations are documented by deposition of two quartz generations,
stockwerk system related to conglomerate levels, and development of chlorite in the vein
footwalls.

In conclusion, the Azougar n’Tilili mineralization is a hydrothermal vein deposit in

which the physico-chemical conditions of deposition are not yet known. The mineral
paragenesis described above, the presence of germanium, the shallow depths of veins and the
regional geological setting suggest a anorogenic epithermal type deposit. The discovery of
metamorphic minerals in drill cores suggests the presence of a heat source in deep.
Regionally, tectonic control on the mineralization is also evident. Indeed the Bas-Draa massif
is formed by an anticline raised by listric crustal fault (Fig. 3.5.5A). The forehead of the
basement slices punched Paleozoic series which formed its southeast borders (Soulaimani et
al. 1997). The disposal of echelon fold axes in the Cambro-Ordovician series shows a dextral
strike-slip zone along this part of the front, whose orientation is similar to that of regional
compression. To this regional deformation is superimposed NE trending compression known
elsewhere in the Anti-Atlas and which is responsible for the N-S dextral accidents movement
and NNE to NE opening slots associated. The Azougar n’Tilili mineralization is probably
related to this deformational event. If the age of Iourirn gold deposit is still controversial (this
volume, Fig. 3.4), the Azougar n’Tilili gold deposit may have hercynian age.