Analysis of Copper Deposits in Maragwa Location in Tharaka Nithi County – Kenya

Abstract

A primary obstacle to some developing countries like Kenya is the reliance on agriculture when they are endowed with bulk of some mineral resources like copper. The economies of some developed and developing countries are usually supported by the exploitation of these natural resources. In Kenya, few copper deposits have been identified but there is no established copper industry. In this study, new deposits from Maragwa location were investigated with the aim of determining their suitability for extraction. During sampling, Kamwathu and Maragwa sub-locations in Maragwa location in Tharaka Nithi County Kenya were identified. Five deposits from each sub location were identified. In each deposit, a pick mattock was used to dig and breaks the mineral rocks. About a kilogram of minerals was obtained at 30 cm deep, and another one at one meter depth. The samples were separately labelled as Level A and B. The samples were analysed using XRD and AAS for mineralogical and elemental composition respectively. The common copper mineral was chalcopyrite minerals with a mean mineral abundant of 5.12. The mean copper composition ranged between 1.76±0.19 and 8.42±1.35, with an average mean of 4.46±0.45 percent. The mean copper at level A and B was 4.47±0.7 and 4.44±06 percent. Copper minerals distributed uniformly with the depth. The deposits had chemical composition greater than the cut - off grade of 0.4 - 1.0 percent required for commercial extraction.