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Geology of The Suswa Region, Kenya
Geology of The Suswa Region, Kenya
Geology of The Suswa Region, Kenya
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1400
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North Kordjya
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S1
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Pumice
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Pl-mt
Mosiro Trachyte
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Pl-et
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Pl-lut
Limuru Trachyte
Akira Basalt
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Lolonito Basalt
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Barajai Trachyte
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P-Ma
Pliocene
Mau Tuffs
Miocene
Mlt
Lengitoto Trachyte
faults-large
City
rivers
Road-major
faults-small
Town
200m-contour
Road-minor
Village
Road-track
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Pleistocene (Gelasian)
STRUCTURE
The southern part of the area is cut by numerous "grid faults" that run roughly parallel to each other in a north/south fashion through
the center of the rift. These post-date the eruption of the Plateau Trachytes, but generally do not cut the Suswa volcanic pile.
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Rivers from the Mau Highlands are generally perennial, as is the Ewaso (Uaso) Ngiro river. The Kedong river is likely seasonal, and
the southeast section of this area has poor water supplies. Omenda (2007) reports that the water table in the rift floor is quite deep,
possibly over 300 m.
GEOTHERMAL PHENOMENA
Steam jets are associated with Suswa, and this area may have potential for geothermal energy production, as Omenda (2007)
suggests temperatures are in excess of 250C at depth. Biggs et al. (2009) recognized periodic inflation/deflation of several rift
volcanoes including Suswa, which is interpreted as the result of an active magmatic system. Elevated carbon dioxide soil gas and an
active fumarole are associated with Mt. Margaret, a small trachytic cone just to the east of this map (Clarke et al. 1990).
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Reference map showing the source maps and their geographic coverage
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30
Kilometers
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-1.5
36.5 E
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10
Limuru Pantellerite
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1200
1200
For area to South see: Geology of the Magadi Area, KGS Report 42, Digital version by A. Guth
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Suswa
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Tepesi Basalt
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S6
Tepesi Benmoreite
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ECONOMIC
DEPOSITS
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Guano
are found in lava-tunnels on Suswa, and the Munyu wa Gicheru deposits (1.65 - 1.96 Ma) on the eastern edge of
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the
Kedong
basin
(Trauth et al. 2007) have been quarried for diatomite (east of the map area).
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WATER RESOURCES
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S1
S6
S6
1800
For area to West see: Geology of the Narok Area, KGS Report 80
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S3
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DDDD Ashes
DDDD
DDDD Miocene Phonolites
DDDD Basement
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Sub-Plateau
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Mosiro Trachyte
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!
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Limuru Trachyte
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1800
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Magadi Trachyte
36.0 E
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For area to East see: Geology of the Nairobi Area, KGS Report 98, Digital version by A. Guth
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Pl-mt
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Mlt
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S6
Magadi Trachyte
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Pl-ab
SQv
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Mlt
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1600
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Limuru Trachyte and pantellerite (1.94 - 2.64 Ma): contains characteristically clustered groups of Kfeldspar phenocrysts, tends to form bouldery outcrops, and grades upwards into pantellerite (Baker and
Mitchell 1976). These were erupted as a series of conformable flows with reverse polarity, that overtopped
the escarpment to the east. A thickness of 400m is exposed in the eastern rift escarpments (Baker et al.
1988).
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E
E E
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Akira
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E E E
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MU-l
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Mlt
Ewaso Ngiro Trachyte (2-2.2 Ma): peraluminous trachyte with abundant phenocrysts up to 2 cm. This
trachyte was erupted as a single thick flow against the Lengitoto fault scarp which it locally overtopped.
This flow was previously mapped by Baker (1958) as "Orthophyre trachyte".
BASEMENT SYSTEM:
Metamorphic rocks are not exposed in this map area.
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Pl-mt
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Mosiro Trachyte (1.9 - 2.3 Ma): comenditic trachytes with radial feldspar clusters (glomeroporphyritic
texture). Similarities with the Limuru Trachytes in texture, age, and geochemistry, led Baker et al. (1988) to
correlate these formations.
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Gesumeti Trachyte
Longonot
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Lt-t
Pleistocene (Ionian)
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N. Kordjya Trachyte: (1.45-1.7 Ma) intercalated with upper members of the Kordjya Basalt and has
surface textures resembling the Ewaso Ngiro Trachyte. Has abundant phenocrysts up to 2 cm in size.
Previously mapped by Baker (1958) as Orthophyre Trachyte.
MSe-l
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Cinder cones
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Pleistocene (Calabrian)
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Ol Tepesi Basalts (1.4-1.65 Ma) and Benmoreites (1.42Ma): these two formations were distinguished by
Baker & Mitchell (1976) from the Ol Keju Nero and Singaraini basalts based on age. The benmoreite flow
is at least 150m thick and features distinctive tabular and rhombic feldspar phenocrysts in a granular
matrix.
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Plateau/MagadiTrachyte: (0.8-1.4 Ma) peralkaline flood trachyte that is very prominent between Suswa
and Lake Natron in Tanzania. One of several expansive "flood trachytes" that cover the rift floor.
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Pl-mt
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Pleistocene (Upper)
Qvo
Reworked Ash
Scoria cones
Longonot
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S5
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Mosiro Basalt (0.6 Ma): transitional basalt with rare plagioclase phenocrysts up to 1.5cm length. Fissural
eruption from/near the Mosiro fault (Crossley and Knight 1981).
Volcanics
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Kedong Flood
Lt-ap
Kedong Lake
Lacustrine Sediments
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Ongata Naado
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Mau Ashes (est. 0.6 Ma): comendite pyroclastics that blanket a large portion of the western rift flank.
These ashes are particularly well exposed where the Ewaso Ngiro river cuts through the rift escarpments
(Crossley and Knight 1981).
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Volcanic Outwash,
Pl-ab
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Noolpopong
Maiella Pumice: trachyte and possible panterllerite pumice and ash fall deposits. Probably plinian eruption
products from centers of the Olkaria Complex to the north (Clarke et al. 1990).
Mosiro Basalt
Qvo
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Lt-ap
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Barajai Trachyte: (0.37-0.41 Ma) five aphyric trachyte flows distinguished from the Plateau Trachytes by
Baker et. al (1988) based on element ratios; otherwise they are indistinguishable in hand sample. May be
earliest eruptive products from Suswa. The mapped areas have been tentatively located around the
Barajai Gorge based on the written description of extent in Baker et. al (1988).
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Lt-ap
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Pl-ma
Lolonito Basalt (<0.45 Ma): vesicular basalt and trachybasalt, this is a possible earlier phase of the Akira
Basalt (Macdonald et al. 2008).
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Mau Ashes
Volcanic soils
Alluvial fan
1400
22
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Tandamara Trachyte: welded pyroclastics and some lavas (or rheomorphic ignmibrites) associated with
the local elevation highs of Tandamara (Olomoroj) and Lolkidongoe (Clarke et al. 1990). Geographically
associated with the Lolonito and Akira Basalts (Macdonald et al. 2008).
Basalt
Pl-ma
Qvs
Lt-a
Pl-ab
Pl-mp
Nairagiengare 2200
Ntulelei
Akira Basalt: benmoreite and mugearite lava flows with pyroclastic, scoria, and spatter cones (Clarke et al.
1990). Youngest cone is unvegetated and may only be a few hundred years old (Macdonald et al. 2008).
S6
Maiella Pumice
SQv
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220
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Kedong Valley Tuff (20-40 ka): trachytic ignimbrites and associated fall deposits created by caldera
formation at Longonot. There are at least 5 ignimbrite units, each with a red-brown weathered top. In
some regions the pyroclastic glass and pumice has been replaced by calcite (Clarke et al. 1990).
Kinangop Tuff
Lt-ap
Lt-ap
Akira Pumice (5-18 ka): trachytic pumice and ash beds created by plinian eruptions at Longonot.
Composed of 5 Members, both fall and surge deposits are recognized (Clarke et al. 1990).
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S8
Holocene-Upper Pleistocene
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Oloombokoshi
Longonot (0.2 - 400 ka): trachyte stratovolcano and associated deposits. Materials exposed in this map
section are comprised of the Longonot Ash Member (3.3 ka) and Lower Trachyte (5.6-3.3 ka). The
trachyte lavas were related to cone building, and the airfall tuffs were produced by summit crater formation
(Clarke et al. 1990).
S9
Tandamara Trachyte
36.5 E
For area to North see: Geology of the Naivasha Area, KGS Report 55 & report by Clarke et al. (1990)
-1.0
Suswa Volcanics
Pl-tat
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36.0 E
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Suswa (0.1 - 240 ka): trachyte & trachyphonolite shield volcano with some recent eruptive material still
unvegetated. The post-caldera lava cone Ol Doinyo Onyoke/Nyukie marks the overall summit at 2356m.
Mau Ash
Sediments
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PLEISTOCENE:
Kedong Flood (100 ka): sand and fine gravel that covers the Ol Tepesi plain to the south. Evidence for a
flood is given by Baker & Mitchell (1976), and the source was likely the sudden emptying of a lake that
filled the Kedong Basin in the map area.
MIOCENE
Lengitoto Trachyte: (5.0-6.9 Ma) peralkaline, comenditic, trachytes erupted onto the floor of the early rift
(Crossley & Knight 1981). Samples indicate normal magnetic polarity (Crossley 1979).
Legend
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GEOLOGIC HISTORY
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