Geological Mapping Project for area G, Igayaza Parish, Isingiro District, South Western Uganda.

Abstract

The geological mapping exercise was carried out in Igayaza-Isingiro district, western Uganda which was 31 km south of Mbarara. The geological mapping project report is a comprehensive compilation of the introduction, goal, methodology, findings, interpretations, conclusions and recommendations from my geological mapping trip, which took place from 30th January to 7th February, 2022.

It includes a number of goals, ranging from collecting field data to analyzing and interpreting the results in order to improve students' abilities to obtain hands-on experience in geologic mapping project execution from field preparation to geological mapping.

The group (Group G) which I belonged to gathered data by traversing along the boundaries of several rock units such as quartzites, shales and sandstones as well as establishing stations that assisted in the construction of stereograms and density diagrams for various structures found.

The major structures in the area mapped included; beddings, faults, folds and joints all exhibiting two major trends; the Northwest-Southeast (NW-SE) trend which was similar to that of the regional folds and the Northeast-Southwest (NE-SW) direction similar to that of the cross folds.

A geological compass was used to orient ourselves and collected data by observing outcrops and measuring structures at several sites and a GPS was used to know the location readings in the mapped area.

The mineralogical composition of rock samples from the study area, as well as the metamorphism of our area, which was primarily regional and low-grade metamorphism, were availed through petrographic work. The area also had important minerals such as clay minerals and quartz which need to be further researched and developed in order to increase and strengthen Uganda's economic strength.

The rocks of Igayaza were found to be in the Karagwe-Ankolean system and that the K-A rocks were Precambrian in character due to the lack of fossils discovered during our mapping process.

The rocks were agriculturally beneficial because they enabled plant development due to highly mineralized feldspars break down to generate weathered sediments that collected in troughs between hills, supplying food for both domestic and commercial consumption.