Journal article

Hydrogeochemistry of the Kasane Hot Spring, Botswana


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Author list: Boitumelo Tebuho Mukwati , Nata T. Tafesse *, Zibisani B Bagai , Laletsang K

Publication year: 2018

Volume number: 6

Issue number: 5

Start page: 135

End page: 140

Number of pages: 6

URL: https://www.hrpub.org/journals/article_info.php?aid=7521

Languages: English



The hydrogeochemistry of the Kasane hot spring in Kasane was conducted with the aim of knowing the hydrochemical nature of the spring. Kasane is situated in the most northern part of Botswana within the Chobe District. Sixteen water samples, forty-nine sediment samples and five rock samples were collected for analyses to achieve this objective. The water and sediment samples were analyzed for major cations, major anions and trace elements at the geochemistry laboratories of the University of Botswana and at the Department of Water Affairs. The physico-chemical parameters such as temperature of the water, pH, EC and TDS were measured in-situ. Petrographic analysis of the rock thin sections was also carried out to identify the mineralogical composition of the rocks of the study area. The geology of the area is generally Karoo volcanic. Thin sections analyses revealed that the rock is basalt made up of plagioclase, clinopyroxene and opaque minerals with othopyroxene and amphibole in trace amounts. In the analyzed water samples generally based on the mean values of the chemical parameters, the cations were in the order of abundance as and the anions were in the order of abundance as . In the analysed sediment samples the cations and anions are in the order of and , respectively. The spring and the groundwater from the pits north of the spring are slightly alkaline to alkaline, brackish to saline and hard to very hard whereas the groundwater west of the springs, river water and the sewage water are acidic to slightly alkaline (with the exception of sample W11, which is alkaline), fresh (with the exception of sample W12, which is brackish) and soft to hard. 75 % of the analyzed groundwater samples from the pits west of the hot spring show some similarities in the trend of concentration of the different constituents of the groundwater with the river water, suggesting that the groundwater is recent or derived from precipitation. The remaining 25 per cent of the groundwater samples from this part of the study area suggest that precipitation is not the sole source of groundwater and it could be derived from both precipitation and fluids of deep origin. The hot spring and the groundwater north of the hot springs are characterized by higher mineralization, and this could be attributed to the more supplement of the deep fluids that have deep origin. This implies that the source of the spring and the groundwater north of the hot spring have a regional origin. The hot spring water and all groundwater in the studied area are not recommended for drinking purposes.


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Last updated on 2022-29-11 at 11:35