What type of lava does Zaire's Nyiragongo have?
SiMan
Dear SiMan,
The lava at Nyiragongo is
a nephelinite. Nephelinite is a type of alkaline (high concentration of
alkali elements, Na and K) lava. It tends to be aphanitic (no crystals
visible to the unaided eye). With a microscope crystals of the following
minerals might be seen: nepheline, clinopyroxene, olivine, iron-titanium
oxides, feldspar and possibly leucite.
Thanks for a good question.
Steve Mattox, University of North Dakota
Sources of Information:
Best, M.G., 1982, Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology; W.H. Freeman Co.,
New York, 630 p.
Sahama, T.G., The main Nyiragongo cone; Musee Royal de L'Afrique Centrale
- Tervuren, Belgique Annales - Serie IN-8 - Sciences Geologiques - n 81,
1978.
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