b'The origin of the Bangui magnetic anomalyFeatureThe origin of Bangui magnetic anomaly - one of the largest magnetic anomalies in the world1992; Ravat etal. 2002; Hemant 2003; Hemant and Maus. 2005; Ouabego etal. 2013; Haggerty 2014). The mapping of such anomalies and their geodynamical implications may increase the appetite for mineral exploration in these areas.The Bangui Magnetic Anomaly (BMA) in Central Africa (Figure1) is one of the largest magnetic anomalies in the world, but it is still not particularly well known and its origin remains controversial. This anomaly was the subject of my PhD thesis submitted to the University of Douala, Cameroon, and Cyrille Donald Njiteusuccessfully defended in October 2021. The aims of my PhD Laboratory of Geosciences, Natural Resources and Environment,research were to (1) map lithospheric structures in the North-Department of Geosciences, University of Douala, CameroonCentral African region; (2) analyse the crustal architecture cyrillenjiteu@gmail.com and the mechanical behaviour of the BMA, (3) determine the geotectonic setting and crustal evolution in relation to the emplacement of a large-scale anomaly, and (4) establish Introduction relationships between mineral resources, the BMA and basement formations.Over the last five decades, the African continent has experienced a considerable increase in fundamental and applied geological and geophysical research. GeophysicalGeological settingresearch is of great interest for understanding crustal architecture and the mechanical behaviour of the lithosphere,The African continent was formed several billion years ago, and for exploration for mineral resources. The analysis offrom the formation of juvenile crust to the stabilisation ground, airborne and satellite geophysical data (gravity,of the Archean craton, passing through phases of crustal magnetic, electromagnetic, seismic and seismological) allowsremobilisations in the Proterozoic, the Pan-African accretion for the definition of various geo-tectonic environmentsfollowed by the Mesozoic break-up of the Gondwana including rift zones, Archean shields and cratons. Furthermore,supercontinent, and Cenozoic widespread volcanism, uplift knowledge of geological phenomena can be enhanced byand continental rifting (Figure 2). As a consequence, the African mapping of large-scale anomalies such as the Bangui magneticcontinent is an amalgamation of Precambrian cratons separated anomaly in Central Africa (Godivier etal. 1962; Benkova etal.by Paleo-Proterozoic mobile belts. It is surrounded by divergent 1973; Godivier etal. 1980; Dorbath etal. 1981; Regan and Marshplate boundaries, predefined during Mesozoic break-up of 1982; Ravat 1989; Kochemasov and Chuprov 1990; Girdler etal.Gondwana and the coeval opening of the Southern and Central Figure 1.The Bangui Magnetic Anomaly in Africa and its spatial relationships with structural domains (modified after Pin and Poidevin, 1987; Njiteu et al. 2021a). (1) Archean granulites; (2) undifferentiated Precambrian Formation; (3) Pan-African granulites; (4) sedimentary upper Precambrian foreland of Oubanguide; (5) post-African cover; (6) spatial extend of the BMA superimposed with some known gold, diamondsand titanium mineralisations, marked in yellow, red and orange symbols respectively. CAR: Central African Republic; CCSZ: Central Cameroon Shear Zone; SSZ: Sanaga Shear Zone.43 PREVIEW FEBRUARY 2022'