Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World

Setup during HiTech AlkCarb: an online database of alkaline rock and carbonatite occurrences

Machemba

stripes

Occurrence number: 
103-00-036
Country: 
Malawi
Region: 
Chilwa Province
Location: 
Longitude: 35.65, Latitude: -15.72
Carbonatite: 
No

Machemba Mountain is an oval area of Precambrian gneisses cut by an elongate plug of quartz syenite grading into granite. The rocks comprise perthite, quartz, a sodic amphibole which replaces aegirine-augite and is itself replaced by riebeckite, biotite and accessory magnetite, zircon and titanite.

References: 

GARSON, M.S. and WALSHAW, R.D. 1969. The geology of the Mlanje area. Bulletin, Geological Survey of Malawi, 21: 1-157.

Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith