SOUTHERN AND EASTERN AFRICAN MINERAL CENTRE - SEAMIC

Introduction
About two-third of Mozambique, including the inland areas in the north are underlain by
igneous and metamorphic rocks of Archean to Neoproterozoic age. Phanerozoic terrains
are found south of the Zambezi valley and along the coastal belt in the northeast.
Archean and Paleoproterozoic terrains are an extension of the Zimbabwe Craton and its
supracrustal, but also include granitoids, gneisses and migmatites of the Barue Complex.
Two main orogenies are recognised, the Iumide belt (1800-1350 Ma) in the northwest and
the Ubiquitous Mozambique Belt (1100-850 Ma), with evidence of extensive migmatisation
and granitisation as well as various granitoids and supracrustals; together these terrains
constitute about 90% of the Precambrian rocks of
Mozambique. The Neoproterozoic Cycle (800-410
Ma) is marked by the the formation of the small platform
basins, as well as the influence of the Pan-African
(Katangan) orogeny in the northwest, and by the
emplacement of monzonites, syenites, granites and
pegmatites. Carboniferous to upper Jurassic rifting
associated with sedimentation and widespread igneous
activity led to numerous intercratonic Karroo basins,
followed by Post-Karroo continental deposits and volcanics,
as well as Meso-Cenozoic continental and
marine deposits, and a thick Plioctocine and
Quaternary cover.
Fig 1: Mineral and rock deposit map of Mozambique
Geological Mapping
MINERAL RESOURCE AND GEOLOGICAL
INFORMATION IN MOZAMBIQUE
BY NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF GEOLOGY OF MOZAMBIQUE
The economic mineral potential is largely untapped.
Gold has been produced from the Archean Manica
Greenstone Belt and various alluvial occurrences; large
BIF deposits are also known in this terrain. Numerous
pegmatite fields host important deposits of tantalumniobium,
rare earths and semi-precious stones. In
addition, heavy-mineral sands, graphite, flourite,
apatite, bauxite, dimension stone, various clays, sands,
refractory minerals, limestone, coal and natural gas
form the bulk of the mineral endowment of the country.
After national independence, the government of Mozambique launched an increased geological
study for mineral exploration and geological mapping in the country which resulted
in identification of several new mineral deposits. However, in 1983 when the civil war
intensified the geological mapping and mineral exploration fieldworks were forced to be
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