Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes ProCon History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture Money Videos
Katangan Complex
Table of Contents
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Related Questions
Read Next
Earth from space. Full-hemisphere views of the Earth showing Hurricane Linda at its peak approaching Baja California on 1997 September 11.
What Is Earth’s Velocity?
Thermonuclear hydrogen bomb, code-named MIKE, detonated in the Marshall Islands in the fall of 1952. Photo taken at a height of 12,000 feet, 50 miles from the detonation site. (Photo 6 of a series of 8) Atomic bomb explosion nuclear energy hydrogen energy
The Anthropocene Epoch: Adding Humans to the Chart of Geologic Time
Solar system illustration. (planets; sun)
Why Are Planets Round?
Remarkable new details of Pluto's largest moon Charon are revealed in this image from New Horizons' Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI), taken late on July 13, 2015 from a distance of 289,000 miles
Why Is Pluto No Longer a Planet?
Astronomical Observatory of the Mojon del Trigo. Long exposure using the star trail technique. Sierra Nevada National Park, in the province of Granada, Andalusia.
Is Earth Going to Change the Direction in Which It Rotates?
Discover
Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) (ad 50-54) the fifth Roman emperor (ad 54-68), stepson and heir of the emperor Claudius.
Did Nero Really Fiddle as Rome Burned?
A human Inuit skull in a stone chambered cairn in Ilulissat in Greenland. These ancient graves are pre christian and are at least 2000
14 Tough Questions Answered
Artist interpretation of a Space meteoroid impact. Meteor impact. Asteroid, End of the world, danger, destruction, dinosaur extinct, Judgement Day, Planet Earth, Doomsday Predictions, comet
10 Failed Doomsday Predictions
Rural Irish landscape, Sligo, Ireland.
Why Is Ireland Two Countries?
Close up of books. Stack of books, pile of books, literature, reading. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society
12 Novels Considered the “Greatest Book Ever Written”
Close-up of tobacco plants in Ontario, Canada. Tobacco, Nicotiana, cured leaves used after processing in various ways for smoking, snuffing, chewing, and extracting of nicotine.
7 of the World’s Deadliest Plants
Thanksgiving Celebration Traditional Dinner Setting Food Concept
Why Is Thanksgiving in the U.S. Celebrated on a Thursday?

Katangan Complex

geology
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://www.britannica.com/science/Katangan-Complex
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Written and fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
Related Topics:
Neoproterozoic Era
See all related content

Katangan Complex, major division of late Precambrian rocks (the Precambrian era began about 4.6 billion years ago and ended 542 million years ago) in central Africa, especially in Katanga province, Congo (Kinshasa). The Katangan Complex is a complicated array of diverse sedimentary and metamorphic rocks; Katangan rocks consist of shales, quartzites, limestones, sandstones, dolomites, and slates more than 7,000 m (23,000 feet) thick. The Katangan has been radiometrically dated at more than 620 million years in age. Katangan rocks are of tremendous economic importance; copper, cobalt, uranium, zinc, and other valuable minerals are abundant.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.