The Ntaka Hill Ni-Cu deposit in Tanzania lies within the Mozambique belt, a complex, long-lived Neoproterozoic suture zone that formed during the amalgamation of Gondwana. The deposit is hosted within the moderately deformed Ntaka Ultramafic Complex, which was emplaced at ~660 Ma, around 20 m.y. before the East African orogeny. Due to strain partitioning into amphibolites and metapyroxenites at the margins of the sills, magmatic cumulate textures are very well preserved. The Ntaka Hill mineralization is predominantly disseminated sulfides within orthopyroxenites and harzburgites. Sulfides show typical magmatic mineralogy and occur as isolated blebs and interstitial networks as well as in soft-walled segregation veins that form localized shoot-like high-grade zones.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Commodity List

This is a list of exploitable or exploited mineral commodities recorded at this locality.

ⓘ Nickel

Mineral List

12 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ 'Amphibole Supergroup'

Formula: AB₂C₅(T₈O₂₂)W₂

References:

Barnes, Stephen J., Mole, David R., Hornsey, Richard, Schoneveld, Louise E. (2019) Nickel-Copper Sulfide Mineralization in the Ntaka Hill Ultramafic Complex, Nachingwea Region, Tanzania. Economic Geology, 114 (6) 1135-1158 doi:10.5382/econgeo.4677

ⓘ 'Biotite'

Formula: K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂

References:

ⓘ Chalcopyrite

Formula: CuFeS₂

References:

ⓘ Chromite

Formula: Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄

References:

ⓘ Cummingtonite

Formula: ◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂

References:

ⓘ Galena

Formula: PbS

References:

ⓘ Graphite

Formula: C

References:

ⓘ Magnetite

Formula: Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄

References:

ⓘ 'Olivine Group'

Formula: M₂SiO₄

References:

ⓘ 'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'

References:

ⓘ Pentlandite

Formula: (Ni_xFe_y)_Σ9S₈

References:

ⓘ Pyrite

Formula: FeS₂

References:

ⓘ 'Pyroxene Group'

Formula: ADSi₂O₆

References:

ⓘ Pyrrhotite

Formula: Fe_1-xS

References:

ⓘ Sphalerite

Formula: ZnS

References:

ⓘ Violarite

Formula: Fe²⁺Ni³⁺₂S₄

References:

ⓘ Zircon

Formula: Zr(SiO₄)

References:

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 1 - Elements
ⓘ	Graphite	1.CB.05a	C
Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘ	Pentlandite	2.BB.15	(Ni_xFe_y)_Σ9S₈
ⓘ	Sphalerite	2.CB.05a	ZnS
ⓘ	Chalcopyrite	2.CB.10a	CuFeS₂
ⓘ	Pyrrhotite	2.CC.10	Fe_1-xS
ⓘ	Galena	2.CD.10	PbS
ⓘ	Violarite	2.DA.05	Fe²⁺Ni³⁺₂S₄
ⓘ	Pyrite	2.EB.05a	FeS₂
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Chromite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Cr³⁺₂O₄
ⓘ	Magnetite	4.BB.05	Fe²⁺Fe³⁺₂O₄
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘ	Zircon	9.AD.30	Zr(SiO₄)
ⓘ	Cummingtonite	9.DE.05	◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂
Unclassified
ⓘ	'Amphibole Supergroup'	-	AB₂C₅(T₈O₂₂)W₂
ⓘ	'Biotite'	-	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
ⓘ	'Pyroxene Group'	-	ADSi₂O₆
ⓘ	'Orthopyroxene Subgroup'	-
ⓘ	'Olivine Group'	-	M₂SiO₄

List of minerals for each chemical element

H	Hydrogen
H	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
H	ⓘ Cummingtonite	◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂
C	Carbon
C	ⓘ Graphite	C
O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Amphibole Supergroup	AB₂C₅(T₈O₂₂)W₂
O	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
O	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Cummingtonite	◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂
O	ⓘ Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe₂³⁺O₄
O	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
O	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
O	ⓘ Olivine Group	M₂SiO₄
F	Fluorine
F	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Mg	Magnesium
Mg	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Mg	ⓘ Cummingtonite	◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂
Al	Aluminium
Al	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Si	ⓘ Cummingtonite	◻Mg₂Mg₅(Si₈O₂₂)(OH)₂
Si	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
Si	ⓘ Pyroxene Group	ADSi₂O₆
Si	ⓘ Olivine Group	M₂SiO₄
S	Sulfur
S	ⓘ Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂
S	ⓘ Galena	PbS
S	ⓘ Pentlandite	(Ni_xFe_y)_Σ9S₈
S	ⓘ Pyrite	FeS₂
S	ⓘ Pyrrhotite	Fe_1-xS
S	ⓘ Sphalerite	ZnS
S	ⓘ Violarite	Fe²⁺Ni₂³⁺S₄
K	Potassium
K	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Ti	Titanium
Ti	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Cr	Chromium
Cr	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	Iron
Fe	ⓘ Biotite	K(Fe²⁺/Mg)₂(Al/Fe³⁺/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]₂Si₂O₁₀)(OH/F)₂
Fe	ⓘ Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂
Fe	ⓘ Chromite	Fe²⁺Cr₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Magnetite	Fe²⁺Fe₂³⁺O₄
Fe	ⓘ Pentlandite	(Ni_xFe_y)_Σ9S₈
Fe	ⓘ Pyrite	FeS₂
Fe	ⓘ Pyrrhotite	Fe_1-xS
Fe	ⓘ Violarite	Fe²⁺Ni₂³⁺S₄
Ni	Nickel
Ni	ⓘ Pentlandite	(Ni_xFe_y)_Σ9S₈
Ni	ⓘ Violarite	Fe²⁺Ni₂³⁺S₄
Cu	Copper
Cu	ⓘ Chalcopyrite	CuFeS₂
Zn	Zinc
Zn	ⓘ Sphalerite	ZnS
Zr	Zirconium
Zr	ⓘ Zircon	Zr(SiO₄)
Pb	Lead
Pb	ⓘ Galena	PbS

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

AfricaContinent

African Plate

Tanzanian Eastern GranulitesOrogenic Belt

Somali PlateTectonic Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

[1]Barnes, Stephen J., Mole, David R., Hornsey, Richard, Schoneveld, Louise E. (2019) Nickel-Copper Sulfide Mineralization in the Ntaka Hill Ultramafic Complex, Nachingwea Region, Tanzania. Economic Geology, 114 (6) 1135-1158 doi:10.5382/econgeo.4677

Quick NavTop Commodities Mineral List Rock Types Other Regions References

Mindat.org® is an outreach project of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Mindat® and mindat.org® are registered trademarks of the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
Copyright © mindat.org and the Hudson Institute of Mineralogy 1993-2026, except where stated. Most political location boundaries are © OpenStreetMap contributors. Mindat.org relies on the contributions of thousands of members and supporters. Founded in 2000 by Jolyon Ralph and Ida Chau.
Content on this site may not be used to train, fine-tune, or otherwise develop artificial intelligence or machine learning models without prior written permission - see our Terms & Conditions.
To cite: Ralph, J., Von Bargen, D., Martynov, P., Zhang, J., Que, X., Prabhu, A., Morrison, S. M., Li, W., Chen, W., & Ma, X. (2025). Mindat.org: The open access mineralogy database to accelerate data-intensive geoscience research. American Mineralogist, 110(6), 833–844. doi:10.2138/am-2024-9486.
Privacy Policy - Terms & Conditions - Contact Us / DMCA issues - Report a bug/vulnerability Current server date and time: October 19, 2026 11:30:30 Page updated: August 28, 2026 07:45:44

Go to top of page