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- ItemThe Geology and Water Quality Study of The Mwakambiko Hill and Adjacent Areas,Mapatizya mining area,Kalomo District,Southern Province,Zambia(2015-10-05) Chanda, ChabalaThe area north of Kariba Minerals Ltd is underlain by igneous rocks (pegmatite and dolerite) and metasedimentary rock units that have been ascribed to the Basement Complex Supergroup and Muva Supergroup. The rock units ascribed to the Basement Complex Supergroup include gneiss and marble whilst schist belongs to the Muva Supergroup. It is not clearly known whether amphibolite is of sedimentary or igneous origin and thus it has not been ascribed to any formation but it has been placed in Muva Supergroup. There is strong evidence that the marble is of magmatic origin and this ideology is based on the fact that marble contains xenoliths of assimilated country rock. The lithologies have been metamorphosed to upper almandine amphibolite facies and equally show evidence of retrogressive metamorphism though the grade has not been determined due to lack of indicator minerals in analyzed thin sections. Mapatizya Mining area generally occurs in a region that receives rainfall of below 700mm. Most of the rivers and streams that drain the area are intermittent. The poor water retains of the rock formations and rapid drying up of streams is attributed to; (1) high degree of weathering that has affected the lithologies, (2) faster flows of water in streams due to the steepness and rugged nature of the terrain and (3) high degree of fracturing and jointing exhibited by some of the rock formations. The primary sedimentary porosity of the rock formations have been obliterated by two episodes of metamorphism that affected the lithologies hence groundwater movement is limited to secondary porosity defined by fractures, joints, lithological contact boundaries, foliation and fault planes. Water availability is generally poor but field observation has shown that there is high possibility that the area might have good underground water reserves. Water for both domestic and industrial use is sourced from; boreholes, wells, natural springs and stream bed wells. The chemistry of the sampled water shows predominance of Calcium cation and Bicarbonate anion showing that there is a marked interaction of underground water with marble; this suggests that marble is possibly the aquifer. Lack of proper sewage system (use of pit latrines), bad garbage disposal habits and bad choice of feeding and drinking areas for live stocks have been found to be the major contributing factors to both surface and underground water contamination. This rapid contamination of underground water with fecal matter points to the fact that the aquifer is unconfined with its water table rising very close to the surface. Siltation of the only existing dam (Mbiko) is the visible evidence of the careless solid waste management by the existing mines which in the long run will also add elevated quantities of dissolved and suspended solids in both surface and underground water.
- ItemThe Geology of Nyangwena River South, A Confluency of the Chongwe River, Chongwe District Lusaka Province, Lusaka(2015-09-11) Kashimu, DaviesThe Nyangwena River and its adjacent areas lies in Chongwe district in the Lusaka Province of Zambia. It is part of the Southern extension of the Irumide Belt. The study area is underlain by Mesoproterozoic Basement Complex which includes gneiss, amphibolites, quartzites and schist. The Neoproterozoic Katanga Supergroup uncomfortably overlies the Basement is mainly composed of schist. The tectonic history falls into three broad episode. The first deformation (DO resulted in recumbent folding and development of planar foliation (Si) which is defined in the gneisses and amphibolites.The first deformation was accompanied by a regional prograde metamorphism(Mi) defined by the mineral assemblage being hornblende-plagioclase-biotite-quartz-gamet-sphene. The second deformation phase (D2) resulted in steep, upright folds and thrusting in a North-West direction. In addition, the second deformatiom was accompanied by a prograde metamorphism followed by a retrograde metamorphism (M2) due to cooling and fluid circulation. The mineral assemblage associated with (M2) is typical of greenschist facies defined by chlorite-quartz-biotite-epidote-sphene-actinolite-iron oxide (opaque) as observed in the chlorite schist unit. The third deformation (D3) resulted in the development of open folds and thrusting in the North-East direcfion.
- ItemThe Geology and Water Quality Study of The Mwakambiko Hill and Adjacent Areas,Mapatizya mining area,Kalomo District,Southern Province,Zambia(2015-09-11) Chanda, ChabalaThe area north of Kariba Minerals Ltd is underlain by igneous rocks (pegmatite and dolerite) and metasedimentary rock units that have been ascribed to the Basement Complex Supergroup and Muva Supergroup. The rock units ascribed to the Basement Complex Supergroup include gneiss and marble whilst schist belongs to the Muva Supergroup. It is not clearly known whether amphibolite is of sedimentary or igneous origin and thus it has not been ascribed to any formation but it has been placed in Muva Supergroup. There is strong evidence that the marble is of magmatic origin and this ideology is based on the fact that marble contains xenoliths of assimilated country rock.The lithologies have been metamorphosed to upper almandine amphibolite facies and equally show evidence of retrogressive metamorphism though the grade has not been determined due to lack of indicator minerals in analyzed thin sections.Mapatizya Mining area generally occurs in a region that receives rainfall of below 700mm. Most of the rivers and streams that drain the area are intermittent. The poor water retains of the rock formations and rapid drying up of streams is attributed to; (1) high degree of weathering that has affected the lithologies, (2) faster flows of water in streams due to the steepness and rugged nature of the terrain and (3) high degree of fracturing and jointing exhibited by some of the rock formations.The primary sedimentary porosity of the rock formations have been obliterated by two episodes of metamorphism that affected the lithologies hence groundwater movement is limited to secondary porosity defined by fractures, joints, lithological contact boundaries, foliation and fault planes.Water availability is generally poor but field observation has shown that there is high possibility that the area might have good underground water reserves. Water for both domestic and industrial use is sourced from; boreholes, wells, natural springs and stream bed wells.The chemistry of the sampled water shows predominance of Calcium cation and Bicarbonate anion showing that there is a marked interaction of underground water with marble; this suggests that marble is possibly the aquifer.Lack of proper sewage system (use of pit latrines), bad garbage disposal habits and bad choice of feeding and drinking areas for live stocks have been found to be the major contributing factors to both surface and underground water contamination. This rapid contamination of underground water with fecal matter points to the fact that the aquifer is unconfined with its water table rising very close to the surface.Siltation of the only existing dam (Mbiko) is the visible evidence of the careless solid waste management by the existing mines which in the long run will also add elevated quantities of dissolved and suspended solids in both surface and underground water.
- ItemComparison of LIX 984NC versus acorga M5774 for copper extraction process.(2015-09-07) Mwale, Adolph N.This report looks at the selection of the best extractant amongst the available options on the market. It particularly focuses on the comparison of the two extractant, Lix 984N and Acorga M5774. Mopani copper mines Nkana cobalt plant has a copper solvent extraction plant as one of the by processes to extract and produce copper in the quest to purify the pregnant solution into a cobalt concentrated solution. Therefore it is in the best interest of the company to minimise operation cost. Test works were carried out to come up with a very economical but effective extractant that will extract copper from the pregnant leach solution. Test works were done on a bench scale by comparing the two extractants at the same conditions to see which one extract more and which one has better economics if all factors are considered. Acorga M5774 is cheaper than Lix 984N in terms of price per kilogram. The test works have shown that Lix 984N easily extracts the copper from the pregnant leach solution but it is not easily striped by the spent electrolyte than Acorga M5774. Even though this is the case, Lix 984N has shown that on the overall, it is better than Acorga M5774 because it loses less copper to the tails and the economics are good.
- ItemDeportment of bismuth, nickel, lead, cobalt, gold and silver(2015-09-07) Malama, KenaniThe project was carried out to assess the distribution of impurities during the converting stage. The assays of these impurities are summarized into a mass/material balance to account for all elements of interest. These metals are bismuth, silver, gold, nickel, lead and cobalt and the balance were carried out over the converter. Samples were collected from various strategic points of streams such as at the matte settling furnace tap, converter mouth and under a ventilation discharge pipe. These were then taken to the laboratory for analysis. The results obtained showed that these metals occur in very small quantities although they might have some negative effect on the production of copper. These results were given in percentages. From the conclusion, it will be seen that the metals of interest are a very small fraction of the whole mass of materials in and out of the converter. Among the elements of interest it can be observed that cobalt occurs in larger amounts than others. Otherwise various amounts depend on the type of blend carried out on a particular blow. In particular, flue dust particles contain bismuth. Recommendation will be made that the next time the project is proposed it should be extended from the concentrate shed were blending occurs to the smelter section. Perhaps it can further be extended to the refinery section were effects are felt. The best way to control high levels of these impurities is to apply evaporative precipitation.