Mineralogy and paragenes is of the fluorite deposits in the Musgut-Kimwarer area, Kerio valley, Kenya

Abstract

The mineralogy and paragenesis of fluorite in the Musgut-Kimwarer are described. The fluorite deposits occur in various isolated areas. The fluorite deposits occur within the Basement rocks of the Mozambique Belt in the Kerio Valley. The mineral has been deposited from hydrothermal solutions emanating in tension fractures and along late minor faults. The fluorite bodies have largely replaced crystalline limestone and to a minor extent the fault-breccias. There are some fluorite bodies which have a hypogene origin. Four coloured varieties of fluorite have been found in the area, namely white, yellowish-bro.m, dark-grey and violet varieties. The paragenesis of the different varieties of fluorite consists of three stages of deposition which however, appear to have been continuous and gradual. The study of the paragenesis of the three stages is based on the apparent stratified form of the varieties of the fluorite bodies as observed in the field,the crystallization , 1P temperatures of the associated minerals, aLd complexity of crystaI forms in the different varieties of fluorite: white and yellowish-brown varieties were deposited first, followed by dark-grey one and lastly the violet variety. The crystallization temperature decreased with the sequence of deposition in the three stages.