A combined central- and fissure-type phonolitic volcano in western Kenya

Abstract

The Nyamaji volcano is a small eruptive complex of late Miocene age associated with the nearby Usaki ijolite and Sokolo carbonatite intrusion of Homa Bay in the Kavirondo Rift valley of Kenya. It is probably a satellite volcano to the major volcanic structure of Kisingiri - Rangwa which lies 25 km to the west.

The Nyamaji volcanic complex is composed of agglomerates, breccias and tuffs erupted from a central vent, whilst at much the same time lavas were extruded from fissures which are now occupied by dykes. These two contemporaneous events gave rise to an interdigitated sequence of pyroclastic deposits and effusive lavas.

The pyroclastic rocks of Vulcanian origin cover an area at least 30 km² in extent, are poorly bedded, and usually are about 25 m (80ft.) thick though they often thin to zero over topographic highs in the pre-existing landscape. At Nyamaji itself, the Strombolian style pyroclastic pile exceeds 330 m (1100 ft.) in thickness over an area of 1 km², and this marks the position of the original central vent. The fragmental material in the pyroclastic rocks includes ijolite, phonolite, nephelinite, trachyte, carbonatite, granite, and feldspathic and aegirine-bearing fenites; the matrix is sometimes calcareous, sometimes feldspathic.

Nephelinitic lavas occur amongst the lowest lavas, but the lavas above are nearly all phonolitic. The oldest dykes are nephelinitic and are rare; the youngest dykes are phonolitic and are abundantly exposed. Both lavas and dykes contain xenoliths similar to those in the pyroclastic rocks. A series of volcanic plugs pierce the lavas. These plugs, mostly non-conduit type, average 200–500 m diameter, are mainly composed of glassy to very fine-grained phonolites, and show good flow structures. The plugs, especially those near the Ruri hills, tend to lie along N - S and E - W lines. The majority of the dykes also lie along these directions. The dominant structural directions within the nearby Usaki ijolite complex and the Wasaki carbonatite are also N - S and E - W, respectively. These directions are quite different from the axis of the Kavirondo rift valley which here is NE - SW, and from the strike of the Precambrian basement.

The Nyamaji volcanic structure differs from nearly all the other East African volcanoes by its dominant phonolitic petrochemistry.