PETROGRAPHY OF THE MAGMATIC AND METAMORPHIC ROCKS OF THE WESTERN KORHOGO AREA (NORTHERN COTE DIVOIRE)

The study area, located northwest of Korhogo, covers the southern part of the Korhogo greenstone belt and the granitoids along the eastern margin of the belt. This study aims to contribute to improving the geological knowledge of the north-west of Korhogo. The petrographic data made it possible to identify volcanic rocks (basalts); plutonic rocks comprising gabbros, quartz diorites, granodiorites, two-mica granites, biotite granites and alkaline granites; hypovolcanic and vein rocks (microdiorites and pegmatites); and metamorphic rocks (migmatitic gneisses). These lithologies were affected by intense silicification, associated with secondary minerals such as carbonates, sericite, epidote and chlorite. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed the presence of pyrite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite, sphene, apatite, ilmenite and iron oxide. The presence of pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite could indicate the occurrence of gold mineralization in the study area.