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A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal

Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 1976.

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Other Authors: Snyman, C.P.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_US
Published: University of Pretoria 2025
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Snyman, C.P.
author_browse Snyman, C.P.
author_facet Snyman, C.P.
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 1976.
format Thesis
id oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/105258
institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language en_US
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:37:45.339Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2025
publishDateRange 2025
publishDateSort 2025
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
record_format dspace
source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/105258 A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal Snyman, C.P. Frick, C. Nel, David. Jacobus UCTD Petrochemical Spitskop Alkaline Transvaal Dissertation (MSc (Geology))--University of Pretoria, 1976. This study comprises a petrographical and mineralogical description of the rocks of the Spitskop Complex. Data on the chemical composition of the rock types, as well as on some of the minerals, are presented. The complex consists of a pyroxenite pipe near the perimeter of which is situated a composite ring-dyke of foyaite. Ijolite is present as dykes and sills in the pyroxenite, and the carbonatite occurs as a plug intrusive into the pyroxenite. The complex is surrounded by an aureole of umptekite, and xenoliths of gabbroic rocks and magnetitite are present within the complex. A plug and sill of latite inside the complex, as well as dykes and cone sheets of latite and trachyte in the country rocks, were encountered. Profiles of eight core boreholes, drilled to depths between 30 and 40 metres into the complex, are presented, together with thirty-two rock analyses, fifteen mineral analyses, and variation diagrams showing the chemistry of the clinopyroxenes. The borehole profiles indicate that the ijolite is intrusive into the pyroxenite in the form of sills and dykes. This feature is further confirmed by the nature of the outcrops to the west of the carbonatite. The foyaite is subdivided into porphyritic, hypidiomorphic, and trachytoidal textural varieties, and the ijolite into hypidiomorphic and porphyritic varieties. The chemical variation diagrams indicate that the clinopyroxenes of the alkaline rocks follow differentiation trends typical of alkaline complexes, whereas those of the theralites show trends similar to those usually found in layered intrusions. From the geochemistry, the following order of emplacement may be derived: pyroxenite – ijolite – foyaite, in cases where a low CO₂ pressure prevailed in the magma; and pyroxenite – ijolite – carbonatite, in cases of a high CO₂ pressure. The Upper Zone of the layered sequence of the Bushveld Complex is postulated as the source of the theralites, which are here interpreted as xenoliths within the Spitskop Alkaline Complex. A vertical displacement of not more than a few hundred metres is suggested. Geology MSc (Geology) Unrestricted Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences 2025-11-12T13:13:34Z 2025-11-12T13:13:34Z 2025-11 1976-10 Dissertation * http://hdl.handle.net/2263/105258 en_US © 2024 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle UCTD
Petrochemical
Spitskop
Alkaline
Transvaal
A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title_full A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title_fullStr A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title_full_unstemmed A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title_short A petrochemical investigation of the Spitskop Alkaline Complex, Eastern Transvaal
title_sort petrochemical investigation of the spitskop alkaline complex eastern transvaal
topic UCTD
Petrochemical
Spitskop
Alkaline
Transvaal
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/105258