In Cameroon, the Ngazi-Tina region belongs to the Adamawa-Yade domain of the Pan-African Central African Fold Belt (CAFB). It is composed of two petrographic types: quartz-monzonites (majority) and nepheline syenites. Two morphological types, prismatic and pyramidal, were recognized in the zircon grains samples. These zircon types display internal structures typical of magmatic zircons. Zircons separated from the Ngazi-Tina samples contain higher abundances of Hf (close to 8000 ppm) and moderate trace elements (Y, Th, U, Nb, Ta) and REE contents, suggesting a variable degree of magmatic evolution. The chondrite-normalized REE patterns of zircons are characterized by LREE depletion relative to HREE with positive Ce and negative Eu anomalies, typical of magmatic zircons. The high Hf content together with high Ce/Ce*, Th/U, Zr/Hf ratios suggest magma crystallization under variable oxidation and oxygen fugacity. The application of Ti-in-zircon thermometer reveals crystallization temperatures ranging from 678˚C to 811˚C and 658˚C to 768˚C for quartz monzonites and nepheline syenites respectively. These features indicate probably a partial melting of continental crust as the source of these zircons grains and emplacement in the magmatic-arc setting.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.