Geochronological, Geochemical and Sr-Nd-Hf Isotopic Studies of the Bongo-type Granitoids in the Paleoproterozoic Bole–Nangodi Greenstone Belt of Ghana, West Africa

This project is funded by the University of Ghana Research Fund and led by Prof. Patrick Sakyi. It involves the petrological, geochemical, geochronological and isotopic studies of the Bongo-type granitoids in the Paleoproterozoic (Birimian) Bole-Nangodi belt in northern Ghana. It is aimed at determining the petrogenesis of the granitoids and infer the tectonic setting in which the rocks were formed. It also seeks to test the hypothesis that the Bongo type granitoids represent late stage plutonism associated with subduction systems. This will enhance our understanding of the geodynamic evolution of Paleoproterozoic Birimian terrane of Ghana and the overall tectonic regime of the West African Craton.

The research implementation will follow an integrated approach of fieldwork, geochemical analyses and isotope-based dating techniques. Analyses to be conducted are whole-rock major and trace elements determination, mineral chemistry, Rb-Sr, Sm–Nd, Lu-Hf isotopic analyses, and zircon U-Pb dating of representative samples. The project also aims to train at least one (1) M.Phil student, whilst some undergraduate students will also benefit from it at various stages.

The research team is made up of geoscientists from the Department of Earth Science-University of Ghana, the Ghana Geological Survey Department, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, and the Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).