Great Dyke
E648438
The Great Dyke is a major linear geological feature in Zimbabwe rich in mineral deposits, notably chromium and platinum group metals.
Observed surface forms (1)
| Surface form | Occurrences |
|---|---|
| Great Dyke geological formation | 1 |
Statements (45)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
geological formation
ⓘ
linear geological feature ⓘ mafic-ultramafic layered intrusion ⓘ |
| containsMineralDeposit |
chromite
ⓘ
chromium ⓘ copper ⓘ gold ⓘ nickel ⓘ palladium ⓘ platinum ⓘ platinum group metals ⓘ |
| continent | Africa ⓘ |
| country | Zimbabwe ⓘ |
| countryEconomyRole | key contributor to Zimbabwe’s mining sector ⓘ |
| discoveredBy | European geologists in the late 19th century ⓘ |
| economicImportance |
major source of chromium for Zimbabwe
ⓘ
major source of platinum group metals for Zimbabwe ⓘ |
| extendsFrom | near Mount Darwin in northern Zimbabwe ⓘ |
| extendsTo | near Zvishavane in southern Zimbabwe ⓘ |
| geologicalAge | Archaean ⓘ |
| geologicalSetting | Zimbabwe Craton NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| hostRockType |
mafic rocks
ⓘ
ultramafic rocks ⓘ |
| length | approximately 550 kilometres ⓘ |
| locatedIn | Zimbabwe NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| miningActivity |
chromite mining
ⓘ
nickel mining ⓘ platinum mining ⓘ |
| nameEtymology | named for its great size and dyke-like form ⓘ |
| orientation | north–south ⓘ |
| passesNear |
Gweru
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Harare NERFINISHED ⓘ Kadoma NERFINISHED ⓘ Kwekwe NERFINISHED ⓘ Zvishavane NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| rockComposition |
gabbro
ⓘ
pyroxenite ⓘ serpentinite ⓘ |
| significance |
one of the major PGM-bearing intrusions globally
ⓘ
one of the world’s largest known reserves of chromite ⓘ |
| structure | series of layered intrusions ⓘ |
| subdivision |
Darwendale Subchamber
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Musengezi Subchamber NERFINISHED ⓘ Sebakwe Subchamber NERFINISHED ⓘ Wedza Subchamber NERFINISHED ⓘ |
Referenced by (4)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.
subject surface form:
Midlands Province