MINERALIZATION AND STRUCTURE IN THE REPUBLIC OF YEMEN: AN OVERVIEW AND NEW CONTRIBUTION

Yemen has a longstanding reputation as a source of precious metal as well as non-mineralization in combination with fault system in the Republic of Yemen were prepared for the first time with reference to geologic map supplement with available data account, whenever possible.
Metallic mineral occurrences include gold, base metals (zinc, silver, copper and nickel). The main occurrences of gold are Mukalla area, central and northern shield as well as western Highland. There is potential for gold mineralization along the line of shear zones (NW& NE trends). The gold mineralization is hosted by Proterozoic mafic-intermediate metavolcanics and cal-alkaline granitic stocks. There are several occurrences of base metals in Yemen; zinc-lead- silver that are mostly hosted by upper portion of the Jurassic Amran Group (mainly  dolomitized limestone) of Jabali locality (main occurrence), they are structurally controlled providing strong evidence between major faults (mainly NW trend) and its mineralization. Copper and nickel metals are widespread in the Precambrian rocks of Yemen (Hammourh, Al-Baydah, Fadahah, Sadah and Hajjah areas). The mineralization is hosted by different lithologies vary in composition from schist, gneiss, amphibolite, felsic metavolcanics to volcano-sedimentary assemblages. Almost mineralized occurrences were emplaced during the Percambrian along NW fractures associated with major fault system of NW trend.
Iron and iron-titanium mineralization occurs in Sadah, Al-Baydah and Mukayras areas. They are hosted by metamorphosed volcano-sedimentary assemblages. Mineralized zones of magnetite, hematite, siderite, limonite, ilmenite and titanomagnetite are mostly connected with the faulting.
Tin-Tungsten mineralization forms hydrothermal veins hosting in volcano-sedimentary assemblages and post-orogenic granites locating in the northwestern and southern parts of Yemen. These mineralized veins are commonly with tectonically controlled preferred orientation.
Uranium and thorium mineralization has been found in the Cretaceous sandstone and Precambrian alkaline granites in the northwestern and southeastern parts of Yemen. On the other hand REEs mineralization is reported in the northwestern and southeastern parts of Yemen. It is hosted by linear and veinlets of carbonatites trending NE which are consistent with major trend of southern fault system.
The most potential resource of non-metallic minerals are rock salt, gypsum, natural zeolite, feldspar, fluorite, black sand and talc. They are widely distributed in all over Yemen, in particular, both Mesozoic and Cenozoic rocks. Fluorite and talc occur within hydrothermal veins and shear zones respectively associated with NW and ENE fault system.