Characterization of limestone deposits in the Mozambique belt of Kenya, a case study of Kajiado area

Abstract

The project focuses on the characterization of limestone deposits in Kajiado which lies on the Mozambique Mobile belt of Kenya. Limestone is fundamentally important for the economic development of any country. It has a very broad spectrum of industrial applications, ranging from iron and steel making through the construction, chemical, refractory, and glass industries to agricultural and environmental uses. The study area is Kajiado of Kajiado County in the Rift Valley province of Kenya. The area is approximately 1,200 square miles bound bylatitudes 10 30’ and 20 00’ South and longitudes 360 30’ East and 370 00’ East. The general physiography of the area can be divided into three units:-the hills and plains formed of basement system of rocks, the volcanic plateau and the Rift Valley. Kajiado area is generally hot and dry with vegetation distribution being controlled by moisture condition of the soil and the type of underlying rock. Rank grass and whistling thorn is noted to grow on the volcanic areas with thickets on the rocks of granitic composition. The geology of the area mainly comprises mainly the basement system of rocks which consists of crystalline limestone, quartzite, gneisses and granulites. Crystallinelimestone falls under the Turoka series of rocks together with the quartzite group. The series was named by (parkingson,1913). The results from the project include logs of the drill holes dug that indicate an alternating sequence of crystalline limestone with gneisses of different mineralogy. The chemistry of the various samples is discussed in the project. This involves the percentage chemical composition of the samples analyzed. The various uses of the Turoka limestone are determined. The limestone was found to be high in magnesia thus not recommended for limestone and mostly used as monumental and ornamental stone.