Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World

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

Barsalinga

stripes

Occurrence number: 
085-00-036
Country: 
Kenya
Location: 
Longitude: 37.07, Latitude: 0.95
Carbonatite: 
No

In the extreme northwest of the Isiola area occur extensive phonolite flows, one of which extends some 20 kilometres southeastwards along a former river valley - the ‘Barsalinga tongue’ (Hackman et al., 1989, Fig. 13). A small area of these phonolites is found in the southwest of the Laisamis area (No. 085-00-027). They are considered to form part of the Rumuruti group of phonolites, that spread extensively over the Laikipia Plateau of the Baringo-Laikipia area (No. 085-00-032). There are at least two flows in the Barsalinga area the lower one being about 3 m thick and fine-grained. The upper flow is up to 20 m thick and is characterised by aligned alkali feldspar and nepheline phenocrysts which increase in size upwards, the former reaching a maximum length of about 5 cm and the latter 3 cm. The fine-grained phonolites contain katophorite in the groundmass while the coarse porphyritic ones have a groundmass of alkali feldspar, augite, aegirine-augite, magnetite and possible aenigmatite and katophorite.

References: 

HACKMAN, B.D., CHARSLEY, T.J., KAGASI, J., KEY, R.M., SIAMBI, W.S. and WILKINSON, A.F. 1989. Geology of the Isiolo area. Report, Mines and Geology Department, Nairobi, 103: 1-88.

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