The MP2 Research Group Our Mineralogical Travels

"Rare Element Pegmatites of Madagascar" Field Course In June of 2001, The Group Co-Organized this Field Course with the Museum of Natural History, Milan (Italy), and the Geological Survey, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Madagascar. Over a 12 day period, we explored many geological locations around the island and even experienced an eclipse of the sun as a bonus.

	Stop #1 - Tritriva Lake Region In this area of Madagascar, migmatites and gneiss host a pink-granite stock, part of the large Granite du Vavavato pluton, outcropping north of Betafo. A large number of pegmatites of the Betafo region are hosted inside or close to the Vavavato granite. Along the road close to the Tritriva Lake we visited a large outcrop with a sub-horizontal large barren pegmatite. A number of recent volcanoes with mainly explosive activity are in the area. Here Karen and Jin Nizamoff are besieged by the locals who are famous for their handmade hats - a major local industry.
	Stop #2 - Tsaramanga Pegmatite The Tsaramanga (meaning "good-blue", because of the blue color of gemmy beryl) pegmatite, is hosted in coarse grained gabbro stock and is a primitive pegmatite with large quartz core of good rose color. Deep blue and exceptional emerald green colored, large beryl crystals occur together with columbite, euxenite and pyrochlore-group minerals. Southeast of this pegmatite, extensive outcropping of giant masses of rose quartz and extensive tourmalinization of the hosting quartzites occur.
	Stop #3 - Sahatany Region The pegmatites of Manjaka are largely exhausted. Most of the deposit, mainly in the largest kaolinized dikes, is worked with hundreds of dangerous pits, and the deposits are completely covered by dumps. Nevertheless, some discoveries always occur and some good specimens are produced. The rarest and best-known minerals that Manjaka produced are the yellow rhodizite crystals and the very rare behierite crystals. Skip, never wanting to give up, went looking anyway!
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Last Updated: August 22, 2006 Webmaster: Raymond Sprague: Created & Written April 4, 2003 For more E-Mail information & Inquiry: Dr. William Simmons URL: http://www.uno.edu/pegmatology/ Copyright - ©2006 Raymond Sprague - All Rights Reserved of layout, design & revisions Copyright - ©2006 MP2 Group- All Rights Reserved of Information, Name & Logo's