The third IGCP-450 conference and field workshop on Proterozoic sediment-hosted base metal deposits of western Gondwana, central Africa Copperbelt, Katanga, D.R. Congo

The third IGCP-450 conference and workshop was held at Lubumbashi（SE Congo）in July 2003，examining the sediment-hosted base metal deposits of the Congolese branch of the central Africa Copperbelt．Fifty-two geoscientists from thirteen countries joined the meeting，and 43 papers were delivered during the oral and poster sessions．The papers presented were mainly aimed at the general geology，metallogeny，lithostratigraphy，geochemistry，and tectonic evolution of the Katangan belt and other Neoproterozoic belts．The workshop covered the main Co-Cu-U and Zn-Pb-Cu deposits in this part of the belt．Discussion over the six days of the workshop focused on tectonism，ore genesis，and stratigraphy of the Katangan Supergroup．The genesis of the Roan Group breccias hosting Cu-Co mineralisation is still a matter of debate，as consensus has not reached between geoscientists working on the Katangan belt．Further studies on different aspects covering tectonism and mineralisation within the Katangan belt are still needed．