Mashamba West Mine, Sicomines copper-cobalt project, Mutshatsha, Lualaba, DR Congoi
| Regional Level Types | |
|---|---|
| Mashamba West Mine | Open-Cast Mine (Inactive) |
| Sicomines copper-cobalt project | Mine |
| Mutshatsha | Territory |
| Lualaba | Province |
| DR Congo | Country |
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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
10° 44' 26'' South , 25° 22' 32'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
Type:
Open-Cast Mine (Inactive) - last checked 2020
KΓΆppen climate type:
Nearest Settlements:
| Place | Population | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Kolwezi | 418,000 (2016) | 10.4km |
Mindat Locality ID:
4334
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:4334:5
GUID (UUID V4):
8ce7da3d-4516-4951-b67d-29555039314b
Other/historical names associated with this locality:
Katanga Copper Crescent; ZaΓ―re
Opencast mine started in 1978. The mine is called Mashamba West, since there is another open-cut working further east (Mashamba East mine). The latter is much less interesting from a mineralogical point of view.
The mine is known for outstanding cobalt-bearing calcite, cuprite, baryte, metatyuyamunite, carnotite, vesigniΓ©ite, kolwezite, spherocobaltite and malachite.
Now part of the Sicomines copper-cobalt project.
Notes on the mineral list:
β When the Kamoya South II Mine was still a secret location, many specimens of its carrollite crystals have been falsely attributed to this locality, as well as to the Kamfundwa mine and other places.
β The report of some uranium minerals at this location seems to be a mistake for the Musonoi Mine located to the North of this locality.
Select Mineral List Type
Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical ElementsCommodity List
This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.Mineral List
24 valid minerals. 8 erroneous literature entries.
Detailed Mineral List:
| β Baryte Formula: BaSO4 Description: Some nice vugs of barite have been recovered which contain beautiful, transparent yellow or honey-colored crystals 2.4 cm, associated with malachite, cuprite and/or cobaltoan calcite. Most of the yellow barite is opaque and butterscotch-yellow to caramel-brown in color. The crystals have a relatively simple prismatic habit, sometimes occurring in attractive color combinations. Some colorless and transparent crystals to less than 1 cm have been found on malachite. Of particular interest are the multiphase pseudomorphs after barite. Most of the barite of the Mashamba West mine has been replaced by bright green malachite covered by pale-blue, earthy chrysocolla. The pseudomorph specimens have a rosette-cluster shape consisting of 3 to 5 cm blades up to 1 cm thick. References: |
| β Brochantite Formula: Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| β Calcite Formula: CaCO3 Colour: white |
| βͺ Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite Formula: (Ca,Co)CO3 References: |
| βͺ Carnotite Formula: K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O References: |
| β Formula: CuCo2S4 Description: The source specimen for this report was most certainly from Kamoya South II mine. Because of a period of secrecy before the Kamoya locality was revealed, suppliers told customers that the locality for the new Carrollites was Kamfundwa or Mashamba West, but no carrollite has come from these localities to date. Up-coming article in MR By Gauthier, King, and Morgan explaining the issue. |
| β Chalcocite Formula: Cu2S References: |
| β Chrysocolla Formula: Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| β Conichalcite Formula: CaCu(AsO4)(OH) Habit: Very fine needles clustered together in urshin-like aggregates. Colour: Grassgreen Fluorescence: No Description: Analysed with EDS and Raman at the Belgian Natural History Museum by H. Goethals, curator of the mineral collection. References: |
| β Copper Formula: Cu References: |
| βͺ Cuprite Formula: Cu2O Colour: bright red References: |
| β Formula: Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O Description: Incorrectly attributed based on a mislabeled photograph |
| β Dioptase Formula: CuSiO3 · H2O References: |
| β Dolomite Formula: CaMg(CO3)2 References: |
| β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite Formula: (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| β Goethite Formula: Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) References: |
| β Heterogenite Formula: Co3+O(OH) |
| β Khorixasite Formula: (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) References: |
| βͺ Kolwezite Formula: CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 References: |
| βͺ Malachite Formula: Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 Habit: "primary" style crystals. References: |
| β Formula: Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O Description: Incorrectly attributed based on a mislabeled photograph |
| βͺ Metatyuyamunite Formula: Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O References: |
| β Formula: PbCu(VO4)(OH) References: |
| β Formula: (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) Description: This mineral used to be called duhamelite but turned out to be khorixasite. References: |
| β Neotocite ? Formula: (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O Description: Cobalt-bearing. No data. Probably should be labeled heterogenite until verified. |
| β Plancheite Formula: Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 · H2O |
| β Quartz Formula: SiO2 References: |
| β Formula: (UO2)CO3 Description: Incorrectly attributed based on a mislabeled photograph References: |
| β Formula: (UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O Description: Incorrectly attributed based on a mislabeled photograph References: |
| β Shattuckite Formula: Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 References: |
| βͺ Spherocobaltite Formula: CoCO3 References: |
| β Tyuyamunite Formula: Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| β Formula: Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O Description: No specimens known. |
| βͺ VΓ©signiΓ©ite Formula: BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 References: |
Gallery:
List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification
| Group 1 - Elements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| β | Copper | 1.AA.05 | Cu |
| Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts | |||
| β | Chalcocite | 2.BA.05 | Cu2S |
| β | Carrollite ? | 2.DA.05 | CuCo2S4 |
| Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides | |||
| β | Goethite | 4.00. | Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) |
| β | Cuprite | 4.AA.10 | Cu2O |
| β | Quartz | 4.DA.05 | SiO2 |
| β | Heterogenite | 4.FE.20 | Co3+O(OH) |
| β | Schoepite ? | 4.GA.05 | (UO2)8O2(OH)12 Β· 12H2O |
| β | Carnotite | 4.HB.05 | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 Β· 3H2O |
| β | Metatyuyamunite | 4.HB.25 | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 Β· 3H2O |
| β | Tyuyamunite | 4.HB.25 | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 Β· 5-8H2O |
| Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates | |||
| β | Spherocobaltite | 5.AB.05 | CoCO3 |
| β | Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite | 5.AB.05 | (Ca,Co)CO3 |
| β | 5.AB.05 | CaCO3 | |
| β | Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| β | var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | 5.AB.10 | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| β | Malachite | 5.BA.10 | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| β | Kolwezite | 5.BA.10 | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| β | Rutherfordine ? | 5.EB.05 | (UO2)CO3 |
| Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates | |||
| β | Baryte | 7.AD.35 | BaSO4 |
| β | Brochantite | 7.BB.25 | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| Group 8 - Phosphates, Arsenates and Vanadates | |||
| β | Conichalcite | 8.BH.35 | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| β | Mottramite ? | 8.BH.40 | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| β | var. Duhamelite ? | 8.BH.40 | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| β | Khorixasite | 8.BH.40 | (Bi0.67β»0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| β | VΓ©signiΓ©ite | 8.BH.45 | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| β | Metatorbernite ? | 8.EB.10 | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 Β· 8H2O |
| Group 9 - Silicates | |||
| β | Cuprosklodowskite ? | 9.AK.10 | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 Β· 6H2O |
| β | Uranophane ? | 9.AK.15 | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 Β· 5H2O |
| β | Dioptase | 9.CJ.30 | CuSiO3 Β· H2O |
| β | Plancheite | 9.DB.35 | Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 Β· H2O |
| β | Shattuckite | 9.DB.40 | Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 |
| β | Neotocite ? | 9.ED.20 | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 Β· H2O |
| β | Chrysocolla | 9.ED.20 | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 Β· nH2O, x < 1 |
List of minerals for each chemical element
| H | Hydrogen | |
|---|---|---|
| H | β Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| H | β Carnotite | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| H | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| H | β Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| H | β Cuprosklodowskite | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O |
| H | β Dioptase | CuSiO3 · H2O |
| H | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| H | β Goethite | Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) |
| H | β Heterogenite | Co3+O(OH) |
| H | β Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| H | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| H | β Metatorbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O |
| H | β Metatyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| H | β Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| H | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| H | β Plancheite | Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 · H2O |
| H | β Schoepite | (UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O |
| H | β Shattuckite | Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 |
| H | β Tyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| H | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| H | β VΓ©signiΓ©ite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| H | β Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| C | Carbon | |
| C | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| C | β Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite | (Ca,Co)CO3 |
| C | β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| C | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| C | β Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| C | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| C | β Rutherfordine | (UO2)CO3 |
| C | β Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 |
| O | Oxygen | |
| O | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
| O | β Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| O | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| O | β Carnotite | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| O | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| O | β Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite | (Ca,Co)CO3 |
| O | β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| O | β Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| O | β Cuprite | Cu2O |
| O | β Cuprosklodowskite | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O |
| O | β Dioptase | CuSiO3 · H2O |
| O | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| O | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| O | β Goethite | Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) |
| O | β Heterogenite | Co3+O(OH) |
| O | β Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| O | β Metatorbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O |
| O | β Metatyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| O | β Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| O | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| O | β Plancheite | Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 · H2O |
| O | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| O | β Rutherfordine | (UO2)CO3 |
| O | β Schoepite | (UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O |
| O | β Shattuckite | Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 |
| O | β Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 |
| O | β Tyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| O | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| O | β VΓ©signiΓ©ite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| O | β Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| Mg | Magnesium | |
| Mg | β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| Mg | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Mg | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| Al | Aluminium | |
| Al | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Si | Silicon | |
| Si | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Si | β Cuprosklodowskite | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O |
| Si | β Dioptase | CuSiO3 · H2O |
| Si | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| Si | β Plancheite | Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 · H2O |
| Si | β Quartz | SiO2 |
| Si | β Shattuckite | Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 |
| Si | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| P | Phosphorus | |
| P | β Metatorbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O |
| S | Sulfur | |
| S | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
| S | β Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| S | β Carrollite | CuCo2S4 |
| S | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| K | Potassium | |
| K | β Carnotite | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| Ca | Calcium | |
| Ca | β Calcite | CaCO3 |
| Ca | β Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite | (Ca,Co)CO3 |
| Ca | β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| Ca | β Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| Ca | β Dolomite | CaMg(CO3)2 |
| Ca | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| Ca | β Metatyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| Ca | β Tyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| Ca | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
| V | Vanadium | |
| V | β Carnotite | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| V | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| V | β Metatyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| V | β Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| V | β Tyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| V | β VΓ©signiΓ©ite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| V | β Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| Mn | Manganese | |
| Mn | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| Fe | Iron | |
| Fe | β Goethite | Ξ±-Fe3+O(OH) |
| Fe | β Neotocite | (Mn,Fe,Mg)SiO3 · H2O |
| Co | Cobalt | |
| Co | β Carrollite | CuCo2S4 |
| Co | β Calcite var. Cobalt-bearing Calcite | (Ca,Co)CO3 |
| Co | β Dolomite var. Cobalt-bearing Dolomite | (Ca,Mg,Co)CO3 |
| Co | β Heterogenite | Co3+O(OH) |
| Co | β Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Co | β Spherocobaltite | CoCO3 |
| Cu | Copper | |
| Cu | β Brochantite | Cu4(SO4)(OH)6 |
| Cu | β Carrollite | CuCo2S4 |
| Cu | β Chalcocite | Cu2S |
| Cu | β Chrysocolla | Cu2-xAlx(H2-xSi2O5)(OH)4 · nH2O, x < 1 |
| Cu | β Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| Cu | β Cuprite | Cu2O |
| Cu | β Cuprosklodowskite | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O |
| Cu | β Copper | Cu |
| Cu | β Dioptase | CuSiO3 · H2O |
| Cu | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| Cu | β Kolwezite | CuCo(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Cu | β Malachite | Cu2(CO3)(OH)2 |
| Cu | β Metatorbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O |
| Cu | β Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| Cu | β Plancheite | Cu8(Si8O22)(OH)4 · H2O |
| Cu | β Shattuckite | Cu5(Si2O6)2(OH)2 |
| Cu | β VΓ©signiΓ©ite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| Cu | β Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| As | Arsenic | |
| As | β Conichalcite | CaCu(AsO4)(OH) |
| Ba | Barium | |
| Ba | β Baryte | BaSO4 |
| Ba | β VΓ©signiΓ©ite | BaCu3(VO4)2(OH)2 |
| Pb | Lead | |
| Pb | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| Pb | β Mottramite | PbCu(VO4)(OH) |
| Bi | Bismuth | |
| Bi | β Mottramite var. Duhamelite | (Pb,Bi,Ca)Cu(VO4)(OH,O) |
| Bi | β Khorixasite | (Bi0.67◻0.33)Cu(VO4)(OH) |
| U | Uranium | |
| U | β Carnotite | K2(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| U | β Cuprosklodowskite | Cu(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 6H2O |
| U | β Metatorbernite | Cu(UO2)2(PO4)2 · 8H2O |
| U | β Metatyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 3H2O |
| U | β Rutherfordine | (UO2)CO3 |
| U | β Schoepite | (UO2)8O2(OH)12 · 12H2O |
| U | β Tyuyamunite | Ca(UO2)2(VO4)2 · 5-8H2O |
| U | β Uranophane | Ca(UO2)2(SiO3OH)2 · 5H2O |
Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality
African PlateTectonic Plate
Central AfricaRegion
DR Congo
- Haut-Katanga
- Katanga Copper CrescentMining Area
- ⭔KatangaProvince
- Lualaba
- Mutshatsha
- Kolwezi mining districtMining District
- Mutshatsha
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References
Mashamba West Mine, Sicomines copper-cobalt project, Mutshatsha, Lualaba, DR Congo