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Amphibolites with eclogite pods in the Makuti Group

Within the Makuti Group there are garnet-clinopyroxene-hornblende gneisses (amphibolites) that contain lenses of eclogite having igneous (corona-textured) and metamorphic (garnet-omphacite) textural associations (Broderick, 1980, 1982; Dirks and Sithole, 1999).  Dirks and Sithole (1999) found peak P-T conditions of metamorphism for the eclogites of c. 19 kb, 760 ± 25°C. The surrounding amphibolitic gneisses were metamorphosed under P-T conditions of 11 ± 1.5 kb, 730 ± 50°C.

Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Tue, 24/11/2015 - 08:03 | Last updated: Tue, 24/11/2015 - 08:05

Maliyami Formation Agglomerate

3.6km past the Gweru river bridge, coming from Kwekwe, look out for large boulders of agglomerate rocks on both sides of the tarred road.

Together with amygdaloidal and porphyritic andesitic lavas, phyllites and cherts, these agglomerates form the Maliyami Formation of the Bulawayan Supergroup which in the Gweru-Vungu Valleys area represents the larger portion of the greenstone belt.

Submitted by Houda Bouammar on Fri, 11/05/2018 - 09:59 | Last updated: Fri, 11/05/2018 - 09:59

Sentinel Ranch Dinosaur Fossils

The dinosaur Massospondylusis abundant in the Mpandi Formation. It is imbedded in calcareous fine-grained sandstone. Animal fossils are only found in the Mpandi formation in this area. The picture shows the hind-end of the dinosaur. The dinasour is thought to have been carnivorous and capable of running fast on its two large hind legs. The fore limbs were relatively short and the hands had a grasping thumb and three fingers

Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Wed, 01/10/2014 - 14:21 | Last updated: Wed, 15/10/2014 - 14:10

Victoria Falls

Our understanding of the geology of Victoria Falls and surroundings is underpinned by the meticulous studies and exceptional field observational skills of a remarkable group of geologists. Initial geological field investigations were carried out by AJC Molyneux and GW Lamplugh in the early 1900’s. HB Maufe (in 1938) made exceptionally detailed descriptions and prescient interpretations of the Kalahari beds exposed in railway cuttings just south of Victoria Falls Station. Seventy-five years later, these are arguably still the best available records of these enigmatic sediments.

Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Wed, 29/10/2014 - 11:31 | Last updated: Wed, 29/10/2014 - 11:34

Fumure Circular Feature

A 1.2km diameter circular structure was visited by the Geological Society in Ocotber 2008 to look for evidence of a meteorite impact.

No conclusive evidence was found.

See the attached document with photos of the various features of the structure.  Despite the confident tone of this document, this structure has not been confirmed as an impact site.

 

 

Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Wed, 29/10/2014 - 12:23 | Last updated: Thu, 12/11/2015 - 07:52

Makuti Group paragneisses

Makuti Group paragneisses, exposed within the Zambezi Escarpment.
 
Exposures of paragneisses of the Neoproterozoic Makuti Group which are flat-lying, but highly deformed and metamorphosed. Good examples of boudinage can be seen in quartzo-feldspathic psammitic bends intercalated with politic and semi-pelitic schists. Brecciated dolomitic marbles can be seen close to the escarpment fault. Munyanyiwa et al.
Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Tue, 24/11/2015 - 09:50 | Last updated: Tue, 24/11/2015 - 09:50

Domboshawa

The Chinamora Igneous Complex, some 1 500 sq km in extent, is an area of granitoid rocks north of Harare which is almost completely enveloped by ancient volcanic and metasedimentary rocks of the Harare-Shamva Greenstone Belt.  The clear distinction between these two terrains, as one drives north towards Domboshawa, is a change from heavy red-brown loams to pale yellow-grey sandy soils.  The plutonic complex is roughly elliptical in shape and it comprises a variety of gneisses, migmatites and granites of different age and composition.
Submitted by Andrew du Toit on Thu, 30/10/2014 - 15:03 | Last updated: Tue, 04/11/2014 - 10:52

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