Reconstruction of the hydrothermal history of the Cu–Ag vein-type mineralisation at Dikulushi, Kundelungu foreland, Katanga, D.R. Congo Stijn Dewaele a , Philippe Muchez a, ⁎ , Wouter Heijlen a,c , Amanda Boutwood b , Terry Lemmon b , Roger Tyler b a Geodynamics and Geofluids Research Group, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200C, 3001 Leuven, Belgium b Anvil Mining NL, Congo c Department of Earth Sciences, Leeds University, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds LS29JT, UK Received 27 July 2005; accepted 16 November 2005 Available online 10 March 2006 Abstract The Kundelungu foreland, north of the Lufilian arc in the Democratic Republic of Congo, contains a number of various vein- type and stratiform copper mineralisations. The geodynamic context and metallogenesis of these mineral occurrences remain enigmatic. Currently, the vein-type Cu–Ag ore deposit at Dikulushi is the most significant deposit in the region. Mineralisation at Dikulushi comprises two major styles: 1) a polysulphide assemblage (Zn–Pb–Fe–Cu–As) within brecciated rocks along an anticlinal closure; and 2) a vein-hosted Cu–Ag assemblage. Petrographic and fluid inclusion studies indicate that the early Zn– Pb–Fe–Cu–As assemblage formed from a high-salinity Ca–Na–Cl fluid of modest temperature (135–172 °C). The later, economically more significant vein-related Cu–Ag mineralisation formed from intermediate salinity, lower temperature (46– 82 °C) Na–Cl fluids. Weathering of the sulphide minerals resulted in a supergene enrichment with the formation of secondary Cu-minerals. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cu–Ag mineralisation; Democratic Republic of Congo; Kundelungu foreland; Fluid inclusions 1. Introduction The Kundelungu foreland in the SW of the Demo- cratic Republic of Congo (DRC) represents a triangular- shaped area to the north of the Lufilian arc. The Lufilian arc contains the “Copperbelt”, which extends from the DRC into Zambia. The “Copperbelt” forms one of the richest mineralised areas of the world, with pre- to syn- orogenic stratiform Cu–Co deposits and syn- to post- orogenic Zn–Cu–Ni–Pb–Ge–U deposits. A number of base-metal occurrences have been identified in the Kundelungu foreland, but their geodynamic context and metallogenesis remain enig- matic. However, in the “Copperbelt” (François, 1974), a distinction can be made between two main types of mineralisation, i.e. stratiform and vein-type deposits. This study focused on a vein-type deposit in the Kundelungu foreland, aimed to investigate its mineral Journal of Geochemical Exploration 89 (2006) 376 – 379 www.elsevier.com/locate/jgeoexp ⁎ Corresponding author. Fysico-chemische Geologie, K.U. Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200C, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium. Tel.: +32 16 327584; fax: +32 16 327981. E-mail address: philippe.muchez@geo.kuleuven.ac.be (P. Muchez). 0375-6742/$ - see front matter © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.gexplo.2005.11.010