Kieshöhe carbonatite, ǃNamiǂNûs Constituency, ǁKaras Region, Namibiai

Regional Level Types
Kieshöhe carbonatite	Outcrop
ǃNamiǂNûs Constituency	Constituency
ǁKaras Region	Region
Namibia	Country

The Kieshöhe carbonatite forms a series of low hills about ~7 km southeast of the old Kieshöhe railroad siding. It intruded gneiss, quartzite and schist of the Mesoproterozoic Namaqua Metamorphic Complex. It is spatially associated with the Dicker Willem and Teufelskuppe carbonatites situated on the NNE-SSW striking Kudu lineament and its parallel faults. The Kieshöhe carbonatite consists of sills and ring dykes in a NE-SW striking outcrop measuring 1.3 km in length and 900 m in width. The carbonatites form three individual outcrops of stacked, shallow dipping ring dykes and associated dykes, with the majority having a common thickness of 1-7 metres. At least three different ring systems are distinguished, referred to as the Northeast, Central and Southwest pipes. The Northeast pipe isthe best exposed and consists of an asymmetric stack of ring dykes and associated dykes, withthe inferred long axis plunging steeply to the northwest. Individual ring dykes are typically between 2 and 5 metres thick, and are separated by a few to tens of metres ofpoorly exposed, weathered and oxidised basement rocks. Some of the ring dykes contain silicate rock xenoliths from the wall rocks. Theyare up to 1 m across. A 2 m wide carbonatiterich in xenoliths forms the outermost dyke on the northern edge of the Northeast pipe. The Central pipe consists of two, up to about 5 m thick, ring dykes that are separated by basement rocks which dip towards the east. The Southwest pipe consists of more densely spaced and thinner stacked ring dykes. They are surrounded by 5 to 20 metre (diameter) thick carbonatite breccia pipes and breccia dykes, as well as brecciated quartzite and silicified rocks.

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

References