History of Manono - Kitotolo

Decided to report up some info on the previous history of the Manono / Kitotolo area as researched by HC Poster @mineralised as it was just too good to get lost in the day a to day posts and interesting reading whilst we wait.  

So here it is once more for the newcomers  (some of the best historic research Ive come across on HC)
I will include links to the original posts where possible:-

https://hotcopper.com.au/threads/manono-kitolo-historical-compilation.3320496/#.WrsJ80xuKPx

History of Manono - Kitotolo​

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The following are selected translations from various papers done on the Manono Kitolo pegmatite along with some comments. The french text is translated with google translate with some basic improvements I made (I only understand very basic french). I will jump in with comments from time to time in italics, so remember anything in italics is my own comments, not from the authors.​

Please note that mineral exploration speculations in the DRC come with exciting geological upside but also associated political risks and you should do your own research, this is not investment advice.​

“Expertise Géologique, Etude Mineralurgique Préliminaire Et Approche Economique En Vue De L’Exploitation Eventuelle De La Pegmatite Dure De Manono”​

By J.P Bassot, M. Morio and M.X Leveque of the BRGM, Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minieres (Geological society of France), for the Government of Republic of Zaire, in the early 1980s.​

I found this to be a fantastic document because it contains a good overview of the resource potential. Much of Geomines historical studies were focused on either the feasibility of hard rock exploitation of Tin resources (no regard to lithium) or feasibility of exploitation of lithium in tailings via conversion to carbonate. ​

This paper is virtually the only place you can find someone qualified taking a good look at the spodumene in hard rock, which is what we are interested in.​

“At the request of the Zaire Government and within the framework of the technical assistance agreement between the Zaire State and the BRGM. J.P. BASSOT, geologist, and M. MORIO, mineralurgist, carried out an appraisal mission on the Manano deposit from 17 November to 1 December 1975​

The aims of this mission were to:​

- collecting information to update the knowledge on cassiterite pegmatite from Manono​

- take samples to study the distribution of various mineralizations​

- carry out a first ore sampling in order to carry out a preliminary mineral investigation​

In this report, after a brief history of the discovery of Manono pegmatite and its exploitation to the present day, the reader will find:​

A chapter devoted to the geology of the deposit where its main characteristics (geometry, grades, mineralogy, etc.) are recalled and specified. Assumptions are made about the shape and genesis of the deposit and some suggestions are made to improve the knowledge of pegmatite and its possible extensions.​

A chapter devoted to mineral processing, which presents the results of the preliminary studies carried out on two large batches taken, one in the "hard rocks" quarry, in the “quarry of the 6th”, As well as on three specimens (hard rocks, block and cuttings of the quarry of M'Pété)​

The results obtained make it possible to specify some basic data: contents of cassiterite and spodumene, mesh liberation of these minerals, work index of the ore.​

Naturally, all these conclusions will have to be confirmed by a detailed mineralurgical study, carried out on the basis of representative samples taken from favorable zones previously recognized by a survey.​

This geological and mineralurgical study has been supplemented by an economic experiment, which can not claim to draw any conclusions on the profitability of the exploitation of unaltered pegmatites; indeed, too great uncertainties exist As well as on economic data: cost of investments and operating costs in the context of North Shaba. This economic overview nevertheless confirms that the study of the exploitation of hard rocks deserves to be pursued and deepened.”​

At this stage I thought I will insert two detailed maps, one of the Kitolo pegmatite and one of the Manono pegmatite so that you understand the areas being referenced. ​

The “Hard Rocks” quarry which will be referenced many times is known as “Carriere Roche Dure” or “Carrier R.D” in the kitolo map. ​

Note that the legend of the Kitolo map shows a resource estimate for Carriere R.D of 11.3m3 + 14.2m3 + 10.8M3 = 36.3m3, times an SG of 2.8 (estimate) gives you about 101.64MT of ore in Carriere RD alone. Note that Carriere RD measured is just the criss-crossed area. ​

“Quarry of Mpete” is as labelled and is the small area marked with a 2. Spodumene rich tailings are the “Tailings Laverne Roche Dures”, which are just south of Roche Dures or “hard rocks”. ​

On the manono side the “quarry of the 6th” is the area marked as “Carriere VI”, “kahungwe” is to the west. In between the two bodies is the lakushi lake. These maps are from archives in belgium.​

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Back to the research paper, on the history of Manono:​

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