05/08/2026
Mineral Composition of the Walls of Kitum Cave, Mount Elgon National Park.
Kitum Cave, located in Mount Elgon National Park, Kenya, is renowned for its mineral-rich cave walls, which attract elephants and other wildlife.
The cave is formed primarily from volcanic rock known as phonolite. Over thousands of years, groundwater has dissolved and concentrated mineral salts within the rock, creating deposits that are rich in essential nutrients.
The principal minerals found in the cave walls include sodium (Na), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), and phosphorus (P). The deposits also contain carbonate, sulfate, chloride, nitrate, and phosphate salts. Among these, sodium is the most sought-after mineral because it is vital for nerve function, muscle activity, and maintaining fluid balance.
African elephants excavate the cave walls using their tusks to access these mineral-rich deposits. They then consume the loosened rock to supplement their diet with minerals that are often scarce in the vegetation they eat.
This remarkable behavior has continued for centuries and has contributed to the gradual enlargement of Kitum Cave, making it one of the world's most fascinating examples of geophagy. The deliberate consumption of earth or rock to obtain essential minerals.
