A test of petrological control in the development of bornhardts and koppies on the Matopos Batholith, Zimbabwe

Abstract This paper investigates the reasons for the presence of both domed inselbergs (bornhardts) and boulder inselbergs (koppies) on the Matopos Batholith, Zimbabwe. XRF and microprobe analyses of rock samples from 16 bornhardts and 24 koppies have shown no significant chemical or mineralogical differences which might indicate greater weathering resistance of the bornhardts. Many bornhardts are located on massive bodies of slowly‐cooled porphyritic granite which were emplaced at a relatively late stage in the evolution of the batholith. The surrounding rocks are less porphyritic and appear to have been foliated during deformation associated with emplacement of the later bodies. The entire batholith has been affected by post‐emplacement tectonism which has created three major fracture systems. The morphological differences between bornhardts and koppies in this area are therefore considered to reflect differences in jointing which arise both from the primary igneous emplacement process and from tectonic deformation.