Application Of Magnetic Survey In The Investigation Of Iron Ore Deposits And Shear Zone Delineation: Case Study Of Mutomo-Ikutha Area, SE Kenya

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Date
2015Author
Nyamai, CM,
Mathu E
Ichang'i, D
Waswa, Aaron K,
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The study area is bounded by longitudes 38
0
4’E to 38
0
20’E and latitudes 1
0
48’S
to
2
0
8’S in
South Kitui
within the Kitui County occupying about 100 Km
2
.
This area can be accessed from
Nairobi
-
Thika
-
Kitui ,Nairobi
–
Machakos
-
Kitui roads, or from Mombasa
–
Kibwezi
–
Ikutha
–
Mutomo road. Mineral deposits in Kenya occur in different geological settings, such a
s those
associated with Tertiary rocks (Turkana sapphire deposit). Most of the mineral deposits
like iron
ore
located within the
Neoproterozoic
Mozambique o
rogenic b
elt have not been properly
evaluated in geological and metallogenical context
. This work
intends to relate
, evaluate and
scientifically place the geological framework of iron deposits in Mutomo
–
Ikutha area of Kitui
County, Kenya to the specific events within the litho and tectonothermal evolution of the
Mozambique mobile Belt. A thorough inv
estigation of the major and minor geological structures
as well as metamorphism will be elucidated in the project area on their role in the formation of
iron deposits. The establishment and economic and scientific investigation of iron deposits in the
stud
y area for purposes of mining and wealth creation in the region is of great importance in this
research work.
The application of the research to exploration and development of artisanal
mining in Kenya will be successful in terms of prospecting at the regi
onal and scale, by
determining the l
ithological, geochemical and tectonic controls for the mineralization.
The Mozambique Belt has a long and complex history, marked by a succession of major
tectonothermal events. This belt runs from Egypt through, Sudan,
Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda,
Tanzania and ends in Mozambique. The methods to be used to achieve the aim of this research
will include;
geological, geochemical
and geophysical investigations
. Preliminary investigation
will be carried out using remote
sensed da
ta. Laboratory analysis
will include X
-
ray florescence,
X
-
ray defractomet
ry, and electron Microprobe
. The data obtained will be analyzed using Oasis
montaj software, Matlab and any other relevant software. The updated geological and structural
maps will be
compiled using Arc GIS software. This study is expected to provide
comprehensive understanding of the tec
to
nothermal scenario and its associated economic
mineralization in the Mozambique belt.
Citation
Waswa Aaron K, Nyamai CM, Mathu E, Ichang'i D. "Application of Magnetic Survey in the Investigation of Iron Ore Deposits and Shear Zone Delineation: Case Study of Mutomo-Ikutha Area, SE Kenya." International Journal of Geosciences,. 2015;6(7):729-740.Publisher
University of Nairobi