The CAMASED-IAS conference titled sedimentology without Borders was held in Cameroon, in the south west region at the university of Buea on the 20^th to the 21^st of October 2023. This conference brought together 50 participants from different universities in Cameroon and 03 participant from a mining exploration company known as explorer 33 and 01 participant from Bostwana.

The big day

Fig. 1.  Photo of panel members, lecturers of other universities, their students and the HOD for the department of Geology, University of Buea.

Forty (40) abstracts were received from both non-IAS members and IAS members with 06 abstracts submitted by IAS sponsored post graduate students. The conference also had special lectures to help registered post graduate students and researcher who didn’t submit any abstracts but were willing to attend.

TFig. 2. Photo of panel members, taken down notes and jotting points during abstract presentations.

Special lectures on specific topics and their respective presenters were also done as seen below;

1. Clastic Sedimentary Rock provenance: Methodological tools and Application by Dr Bokanda Ekoko Eric, Department of Geology, University of Buea, IAS regional correspondent.

Geophysics applied to Basin analyses and Ground water prospection by Dr. Takang Lionel, Department of Geology and environmental Sciences, University of Bamenda

Alluvial mineral deposits: Geology, Geochemistry and Genesis by Dr. Mary ETUTU, department of Geology, University of Buea

Marine Carbonate Factories: Formation and Diagenesis by Dr. Ngong Rogers, HOD, Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Bamenda

Petroleum Geochemistry: Applications in exploration, reservoir management, and production Development strategies By Dr. Ndip Edwin, department of Geology, University of Buea

Critical minerals in mineral sand: The Cameroon story by Dr. Tasin Godlove BAFON, Explorer 33

Workshops were also carried out during breaks where both students and lecturers (participants) were drilled on rock and mineral identification and descriptions. This workshop was supported by the EXPLORER 33 mining company in collaboration with the Department of Geology students’ association known as AMGES (association of mining Geologist)

Fig. 2. Photo of panel members, taken down notes and jotting points during abstract presentations.

 The students sponsored by IAS to attend the CAMASED-IAS submitted and presented their abstracts under the following topics:

1. Trace and rare earth elements (REEs) geochemistry as a tool of sedimentary dynamic and paleoenvironmental reconstruction: a case study of Cretaceous Koum deposits (North Cameroon)
2. Provance, Paleoweathering and maturity of stream sediments in the Kribi campo Basin, SW, Cameroon.
3. Trace element geochemistry of organic black shales in the Kribi Campo sub-Basin, West Africa: Implication for depositional environment
4. Organic petrography of Black shales in the Kribi campo Basin; Implication for petroleum potential
5. Paleosalinity and hydrothermal characterisation of black shales in the Mamfe Basin, SW Cameroon.
6. Carbonate geochemistry and Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of clastic materials in the Mayo Rey Basin, North Cameroon.

Other interesting abstracts from link to the field of sedimentology presented in the conference includes:

-Basin-fill model, lithostratigraphic bounding surfaces and paleo depositional environments of Mundeck Formation in Yabassi, NE Douala sub-basin by Dr John Takem Eyong

– Depositional setting and enrichment mechanism of organic matter of the lower-middle cretaceous shales from kribi-campo sub-basin (south Cameroon) by Miss Ashukem Ethel Nkongho

– Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of Mangrove core sediments from the Tiko Estuary, SW Cameroon by Mr Chin Thiery Berinyuy

– Etude Palynologique Des Depots Sedimentaires De Miang – Sous Bassin De Douala by Miss Mbazoa Armelle Michele

At the beginning of the conference, the coordinator Dr Menkeng Eli throw highlights on the importance of being a students and full member of IAS. The benefits students gained from bein a member ranging from grants that can help them in their research highlighting the presence of the students who were sponsored by IAS for the conference and Mr Rexon Anyeku who worn the Mackenzie field work grant. 

The Regional correspondent Dr Bokanda on the closing remark highlighted the micro drilling machine donated the University of Yaoundé 1 in 2021 and the 10 optical microscopes donated to the University of Buea in 2023 by the IAS through the IAS institutional grant.