Review of the origin of breccias and their resource potential in the central Africa Copperbelt

•Genesis of breccias in the Central Africa Copperbelt is complex and often results of multiple superimposed tectonic processes during the fold-and-thrust Lufilian orogeny.•Lufilian orogeny caused the fracturation and brecciation in the Katanga Supergroup.•Breccias play a major role in the syn-orogenic ore-forming process of the world-class sediment-hosted Cu-Co.•Sedimentary breccia formed during the rifting stage of the Neoproterozoic Katanga basin.•Breccias related to glacio-volcanic, hydrofracturing, dissolution and collapse processes also occur.