Preliminary assessment of groundwater Hydrogeochemistry in Kanye Area, SE Botswana

Abstract

A hydrogeochemistry study was conducted in Kanye region, located in south east of Botswana, to determine the main composition controlling mechanisms in the groundwater chemistry of the area. Groundwater samples were collected and analyzed. The samples were analyzed for major cations, anions and some trace elements such as As, Ba, Br, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. To determine the mechanism of salinization and water–rock interaction bivariate graph of the parameters Ca2+ + Mg2+ versus HCO3−+ SO42− was used. The groundwater is neutral to alkaline and fresh. The dominant cations in the groundwater are magnesium and calcium, and the dominant anions are bicarbonate and chloride. The prevailing hydrochemical facies is Mg-Ca-HCO3. The major composition controlling mechanisms in the groundwater chemistry of the area was identified as silicate weathering.