Graphite reconnaissance, Petauke, Eastern Province, Zambia, June 2023

Mitchell, C.J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5911-5668; Currie, D.. 2024 Graphite reconnaissance, Petauke, Eastern Province, Zambia, June 2023. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 39pp. (OR/23/038) (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

As a major producer of minerals, Zambia is keen to ensure that more of the economic benefits derived from exploitation of its indigenous mineral resources are retained in-country. Currently, Zambia produces coal, cobalt, copper, gemstones (mostly emeralds), gold, lead, manganese, nickel, silver, pyrites and zinc. In addition, there is production of construction materials (including sand and gravel, limestone for cement and lime, and clay for brick making) and industrial minerals such as dolostone for agricultural lime, and gypsum for cement, plaster and school chalk. There are also deposits of kaolin, silica sand and talc which are worked on a small-scale. A key objective of the Zambian Government is to develop a critical and battery raw material supply chain. As part of this there is renewed interest in the undeveloped critical raw material resources of Zambia which includes graphite, lithium, and rare earth elements. The BGS International Geoscience Research and Development (IGRD) project ‘Graphite in Africa’ is collaborating with the Zambian Geological Survey Department (GSD) and the Copperbelt University (CBU) to develop a reconnaissance exploration methodology to assess the graphite resources of Zambia. Graphite is known to occur in the Paleoproterozoic metasedimentary gneiss and schist that occurs in Central and Eastern Zambia. The Petauke District of Eastern Province was chosen as a focus for the current work as past studies indicated several deposits of flake graphite including those at Njoka, Nkonda and Mvuvye. Fieldwork was carried out in June 2023 by the BGS, GSD and CBU. The aim of the fieldwork was to refine a methodology for graphite reconnaissance exploration. Chief Mumbi of the Nsenga people in Petauke approved the fieldwork and provided logistical assistance via a local guide. The Provincial Government and Police Commissioner in Chipata were also officially notified. Past graphite studies were used to identify locations where graphite was known to occur. One issue of the studies from the 1950s and 1960s was the lack of precise geographical location data. To address this, the location map diagrams in the past studies were scanned and geolocated using Google Earth. This enabled the location of past sampling points to be identified. These formed the basis for the reconnaissance target list. The field team attempted to find the locations and take samples of graphite where it was present. Over three days of fieldwork in Petauke District, sites were visited at Mvuvye River, Kalobe, Dominico, Sichombwe-Changwe, and Nyakocha. The graphite samples collected included graphite-rich lateritic soil, graphite-rich saprolite, weathered graphitic gneiss, and graphitic gneiss. In addition, samples of pegmatitic granite were collected. Duplicate samples were taken for all the graphite sample sites with the first set retained in Zambia and the second set to be dispatched to BGS in the UK. The graphite reconnaissance fieldwork carried out in Zambia demonstrated that a collaborative approach to the planning of the fieldwork yielded results, with graphite mineralisation successfully identified and that engagement with the local community was culturally respectful. Overall, the reconnaissance fieldwork was successful and will contribute to prospectivity analysis being undertaken to better understand the graphite critical raw material potential of Zambia.

Item Type:	Publication - Report (Technical Report)
Funders/Sponsors:	British Geological Survey
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	The work formed part of the ‘Graphite in Africa’ research project which is part of the BGS International Geoscience Research and Development (IGRD) programme. This is funded by the BGS International NC programme ‘Geoscience to tackle Global Environmental Challenges’, NERC reference NE/X006255/1. This report is published by permission of the Director of the British Geological Survey. This item has been internally reviewed, but not externally peer-reviewed.
Additional Keywords:	Graphite; Critical Minerals; Critical Raw Materials; Zambia; IGRD; International Geoscience Research and Development
NORA Subject Terms:	Earth Sciences
Date made live:	28 May 2024 15:04 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/537482

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