JIMMA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY AND
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Geography of Ethiopia and the Horn

(GeES1011)
By: Sintayehu Teka

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 UNIT TWO
2. THE GEOLOGY OF ETHIOPIA
AND THE HORN

03/04/2023 2
 THE GEOLOGY OF ETHIOPIA AND THE HORN
Definition
 Geology is the study of the Earth, the
materials of which it is made, the structure of
those materials, and the processes acting upon
them.
 Geology is an earth science that deals with the
evolution of the earth processes that shape the
earth’s surface.
 An important part of geology is the study of
how Earth's materials, structures,
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processes and organisms have changed over
time.
  It includes the study of organisms that have
inhabited our planet.
Much of Geology is concerned with events that,
 took place in the remote past when no one was
around to witness them and
 with features which are far beneath the earth’s
surface where no one can see them

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  Thus, a great deal of geological understanding must,
therefore, be obtained by inference, using clues
from what can be seen and what can be measured.
The clues to study about Geology includes:
 Geophysics (e.g., studying earthquake waves which
can penetrate deep beneath the Earth’s surface),
 Geochemistry (analysis of the detailed composition
of rocks which can give clues as to their origin) and,
 Geochronology (methods for finding the ages of
rocks, usually from the radioactive elements they
contain).
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 Continental Drift Theory:
 This theory was proposed by the German
Climatologist Alfred Wegener.
 About 200million years ago, all the present-day
continents bunched up/assembled and formed a single
huge continent called Pangaea, which was surrounded
by a single super waterbody called Panthalassa.

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  At the beginning of the Mesozoic era, the larger super
continent Pangaea was split into Gondwanaland and
Laurasia.
 Gondwanaland further fragmented into the southern
continents such as Africa, Australia, Antarctica, Indian
Subcontinent, Arabian peninsula, while Laurasia
fragmented into Europe, Asia and North America.

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8
 Wegener's principal observations/evidences were:
 Fit of the continents: The opposing coastlines of
continents often fit together.
 Match of mountain belts, rock types: If the
continents are reassembled as Pangaea, mountains in
West Africa, North America, Greenland, and Western
Europe match up.
 Distribution of fossils: The distribution of plants
and animal fossils on separate continents forms
definite linked patterns if the continents are
reassembled.
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  Paleoclimates: rocks formed 200 million years
ago in India, Australia, South America, and
southern Africa all exhibited evidence of
continental glaciations.
 Paleoclimates is the study of past climates

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 The Geologic Processes
Endogenic and Exogenic Forces
 Geology studies of how Earth's materials, structures,
processes and organisms have changed over time.
 These processes are divided into two major groups:
 Endogenous (internal) and
 Exogenous (external) processes

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 1. Endogenous (Internal) Processes include:
 Volcanic activity and all tectonic processes like
folding, faulting, rifting, warping & sinking.
• Orogenesis (mountain building) & epeirogenesis
(slow rising and sinking of the landmass)
• These geologic forces build up various landforms
such as mountains, plateaus, depressions, etc.

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 2. The exogenous (external) processes are
geomorphic processes concerned with the lowering
(smoothing) of the earth's surface.
 They are also called Gradational Processes; they
comprise degradation and aggradation – they
modify relief. These processes include:
• Weathering, mass transfer, erosion
denudation, peneplanation, and deposition.
 The landmass/landform of Ethiopia, as
elsewhere, is the result of the combined effect
of endogenous and exogenous processes.
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 The Geological Time Scale and Age Dating
Techniques
The geologic time scale is the “calendar” for events in
Earth’s history. It subdivides all time into named units
of abstract time called in descending order of duration -
eons, eras, periods, and epochs.
1. An epoch: smallest unit of time on the scale &
millions of years
2. Chronologically, epochs are clumped together into
larger units called periods
3. Periods are combined to make subdivisions called
Eras
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4. An eon is the largest period of geological time
  Each Era is divided into periods and each period is
divided into epochs. The eras are:
a) The Precambrian era
b) the Paleozoic Era
c) the Mesozoic Era and
d) the Cenozoic Era

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  The Eras are given names that indicate the kind of
life that existed in them. For instance,
 the Paleozoic Era (ancient life) is the age of
invertebrates,
 the Mesozoic Era (the middle life) is the age of reptiles
while
 the Cenozoic Era (recent life) is the age of mammals.

Geological Time divisions differ from one another by:

o Relative position of land and sea
o Kind of climate
o The kind of animal and plant life
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  The Earth is believed to have been formed
approximately 4.5 billion years ago and
 the earliest forms of life were thought to have
originated approximately 3.5 billion years ago.
 The first major boundary is defined by what was
believed at the time to be the first appearance of
life on earth.

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  The span of time before life appeared was termed
as the Precambrian Era.
 To describe the geology and history of life on Earth,
scientists have developed the geological time scale.
 Geologic time, the extensive interval
of time occupied by the geologic history of Earth. 
 The geological time scale measures time on a scale
involving four main units such as epoch, period, era
and eon
 An epoch is the smallest unit of time on the scale.

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 Age Dating Techniques
 There are two techniques of knowing the age of rocks:
 Relative and absolute age dating.

A. Relative Dating
 Uses geological evidence to assign comparative ages of fossils
Two ways of relative dating
1. to look at any fossils the rock may contain (If any of the fossils
are unique to one of the geologic time periods, then the rock
was formed during that time period).
2. to use the "What is on top of the older rocks?"
Demerit: these two methods only give the relative age of rocks -
which one is younger, and which is older.

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 B. Absolute Dating
 Sometimes called numerical dating, to give rocks an
actual date, or date range, in number of years.
 Also known as radiometric techniques was
developed with discovery of radioactivity in 1896.
 Radioactive elements such as uranium (U) and
thorium (Th) decay naturally to form different
elements or isotopes of the same element.
 Every radioactive element has its own half-life.
 Two of the major techniques include (Carbon-14 &
Potassium-Argon technique)

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 Age Dating Techniques

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 Geological Processes and the Resulting
Landforms of Ethiopia and the Horn
• Since the time of our earth appeared as a planet in the
solar system (about 4.5 billion years ago), four major
geological eras have elapsed in which different
geological & biological events took place.
1. Precambrian era (4.5 billion-600 million years ago )
2. Paleozoic era (600-225 million years ago)

3. The Mesozoic era (225-70 million years ago)

4. Cenozoic Era (70 million years ago – present)
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 The Precambrian Era and major Geologic Processes
(4.5 billion - 600 million years ago)

• It is the oldest and longest geological era covering

5/6th of the earth’s geological time scale. It is
sometimes called era of darkness.
 Due to its remoteness in time and the absence of well-
preserved fossils, our knowledge of the events of the
era is is limited.
 The major geologic events of the Precambrian Era
includes:

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 a) Orogenesis (mountain forming processes) such as folding,
and faulting occurred. As a result, formation of Massive &
Huge Mountains whose orientation was from NE to SW
direction took place .

b) Intrusive igneous activity (Volcanism): on top of orogenic

processes, volcanic eruption or lava flow was a common
geological processes.
c) Long periods of denudation and formation of near-level
25 (Peneplained) rock surfaces.
(Between Orogenic Period and last Orogenesis)
 • This “leveled” surface was later (in the Mesozoic &
Cenozoic eras) covered by younger rock
formations & therefore, in most parts of Ethiopia,
rocks belonging to this era are found beneath all the
other rocks, forming the basement rocks.
 d) Formation of basement rocks: in most parts of
Ethiopia rocks belonging to this era formed the
foundation of all other rocks and called the
basement complex rocks.
 Since, they had been subjected to pressure and heat
from overlying weight, earth movements (folding,
orogenesis), and intrusive igneous activity; the
Original rocks (both Sedimentary and Igneous)
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were altered into Metamorphic Rocks of varying
stages of Metamorphism.
  The same process allowed Mineralization and
Crystallization rocks are also collectively
described as Crystalline rocks.
 The Precambrian rocks have been overlain by
recent rock formations but found exposed at the
following places .
 Northern Part: Western Lowlands and Northern and
Central Tigray.
 Western Ethiopia: Gambella, Benishangul-Gumuz
(Metekel and Asossa), Western Gojjam, Western
Wellega, Illuababora, and Abay Gorge.
 Southern Part: Guji, Southern Omo, and parts of
Southern Bale and Borena.
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 Eastern Part: Eastern Hararghe.
 The Paleozoic (600-225mill. Y.A.)
 The Era lasted for about 375 million years.
 Characterized by denudation and peneplanation .
 As a result of prolonged denudation , the huge and gigantic
mountain ranges of the Precambrian were reduced to a
“peneplained” or leveled surface.
 As a result, undulating plain with some residual features
(inselbergs) here and there were formed.
 The sediments of the era were transported southward and
eastward to form continental (in Africa) and marine
deposits, respectively.
 Because of the limited deposition within Ethiopia, rocks
belonging to this Era are rare in the country.

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 The Mesozoic Era Geologic Processes (225 to 70
million years ago)
 It lasted for about 155 million years.
 It was an Era of epeirogenesis. Meaning, the Horn
countries and the Arabian landmass subjected to
alternate slow sinking and slow rising .
 At the same time, the land was tilted eastward and
therefore it was lower in the southeast and higher in
the northwest.
 The subsidence/sinking of the land mass of the Horn
and the Arabian peninsula began about 225 m.y. ago.

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  As the land sank slowly, the sea from the Indian
Ocean invaded the whole region starting from
Somalia and Ogden and the invasion resulted in the
deposition of different marine sediments over the
basement complex of the Pre-Cambrian eras during
different periods.
 As the shallow sea spread towards the land, sands were
deposited over the peneplained Precambrian rock
surface.
 As the depth of the sea increased, mud (shale),
gypsum and later lime were deposited.
 The latter is associated with the flourishing of marine
life and decaying and precipitating of their remains,
30 as the sea stayed long.
  Hence, Mesozoic rocks are considered to have the
greatest potential for oil and gas deposits.
 Through time, compression by the overlying rocks
and by cementing minerals, the sands and lime were
compacted to form sandstone and limestone layers,
respectively. These are known as the Adigrat
sandstone and Hintalo limestone layers.
 They are named after place names in Tigray where they
might have been first identified.

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 The Mesozoic era is divided into three Periods. These
are:
a) Triassic Period (225-180 m. y. a)
b) The Jurassic Period(180 -135 m.y. a)
c) Cretaceous Period (135m.y.a-70mya)
a)Triassic Period: As a result of sea transgression , the
deposition of the oldest marine sediment called
Adigrat Sandstone (formed from mud/shale, gypsum)
took place in Ethiopia over the peneplained Precambrian
basement brocks.
- Transgression of the sea continued up to Jurassic
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 b)Jurassic Period (180-135 million years ago)
 Sinking of the land was continued further
northwest and as a result, shallow sea holding
decayed of marine life spread landwards forming
the Hintalo limestone, the second oldest rocks,
over the layer of Adigirat sandstone.
 B/se of the deposition of marine life, Mesozoic
rocks are considered to have the greatest potential
for oil and gas deposits.
c) Cretaceous Period (135-70 million years ago)
• Land started slowly rising consequently the
regression of the sea began in the Upper Jurassic.
• Consequently, regression of the Indian ocean
began southeastwards.
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  The uppermost layer containing gypsum, shale &
sand called Upper Sandstone were overlaid the
Hintalo Limestone.
 By the end of the Mesozoic Era, when the land
emerged out of the sea, three major sedimentary
formations were laid and formed upon the
Precambrian rock surface.
 The formations are the Adigrat or lower sandstone,
Hintalo limestone and Upper Sandstone.

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  As a transitional formations, gypsum and shale
were inter-bedded above and below the Hintalo
limestone.
 The Mesozoic Sedimentary Rocks cover 25% of the
total land mass of the country.
 Due to the tilting of the landmass during the
transgression and regression of the sea, and due to
the direction of the invading and retreating sea, the
age and thickness of the Sandstone layers vary in
a Southeast - Northwest direction.
 The Adigrat Sandstone is older and thinner in the
southeast but progressively decreases in age and
increases in thickness in the northwestward.
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  The Upper sandstone, on the other hand, is
thicker and younger in the Southeast, but older
and thinner in the Northwest.

• The Mesozoic Era was an era of sedimentary rock

formation in Ethiopia and the Horn.
• The Mesozoic is also known for the predominance of
reptiles.

• Huge reptiles, such as dinosaurs, were dominant.

• However, at the end of this era, two other significant

biological events occurred:
 the disappearance of the dinosaurs, and
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 the emergence of mammals, birds and flowering plants.
 The Cenozoic Era Geologic Processes (70million years
ago - Present)
 The Cenozoic Era is the most recent of the geologic
Eras.
 The tectonic and volcanic activities that took place in
this era have an important effect in the making of the
present-day landmass of Ethiopia and the Horn of
Africa.
 Very significant structural, climatic and biological
events have occurred in the Horn
 The land was subjected to three major geologic
events and other geologic processes of lesser
magnitude but still important.
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 These geologic events include:
a) Uplifting of the Arabo-Ethiopian landmass and
outpouring of huge quantity of lava;
b) Formation of the Rift Valley.
c) Quaternary volcanism and deposition.
a) Uplifting of the Arabo-Ethiopian landmass and the
outpouring of lava flood
 The uplifting of the whole of the Arabo-Ethiopian
landmass is a continuation of the slow rising that
began in the Upper Jurassic and the Cretaceous
Periods.
 This huge uplifting continued to the Paleocene and

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Oligocene epoch of the Tertiary period.
 The maximum uplifting which pushed the land up to
a maximum height of 2,000 meters above sea level
occurred in the Eocene epoch .
 The whole of the Arabo-Ethiopian landmass was
pushed up in blocks as one mass.
 The greatest uplift was in the North Central
Massif of Ethiopia.
 This immense uplifting also fractured the crust at
many places and huge quantity of lava came out
through these fractures.

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  The outpouring of this flood of lava spread widely and
extensively and covered a large part of the Mesozoic
Sedimentary Layer to form the Ethiopian Plateau
Surface and the Floor of the Present-day Rift Valley.
 At that time, the Rift Valley was not yet formed.
 The mass of lava was so immense, that it formed a
thick layer of volcanic rocks on the plateau, which is
mounted to more than 1,000 meters above sea level in
the North Central Highlands
 The flow of lava occurred through a hole known as
vents and lava which came out through the vent piled
up to form many and huge Volcanic Mountains
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towering the flat basaltic plateau.
  This volcanic material is known as Trappean lava
or Trap Series lava.
 Where it is not dissected by erosion, the Ethiopian
plateau had flat and nearly horizontal surface.
b) The Formation of the Rift Valley
 The formation of the Rift Valley is said to be
related with the theory of plate tectonics.
 According to the theory, the Rift Valley may be lying
on the Earth's crust below which lateral movement of
the crust in opposite directions producing
tensional forces that caused parallel fractures or
faults on the sides of the up-arched swell.
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43
 The Great East African Rift
Valley has about:
o 7,200 km from Asia to Africa
o 5,600 km in Africa
o 1,700 km in Eritrea and
Ethiopia

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  Great East African Rift Valley System

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  As the tension widened the fractures, the central
part of the landmass collapsed to form an extensive
structural depression known as the Rift Valley.
 The major faulting movement was probably begun in
the late Oligocene and Miocene Epochs of the
Cenozoic Era.
 This rifted the Red Sea Trough, which began to be
flooded from the north.
 The major rifting, affecting the whole African Rift
System, including the Ethiopian Rift Valley and the
Gulf of Aden took place in the Miocene Epoch.
 Rifting and faulting, however, continued all the
time throughout the Pliocene and even the
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Pleistocene Epochs.
  During Pliocene Epoch, the Afar depression
(including the Gulf of Zula) was down-faulted
allowing the Red Sea water to penetrate far inside.
 Reversed tilting and volcanic activity, later
(Pleistocene) blocked the connection and isolated
the extension of the sea, allowing much of the
water to evaporate.
 As a result, thick saline materials accumulated.
 During the same period, the area between the Danakil
Depression and the Red Sea was uplifted to form
the Afar Block Mountain

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 The Spatial Extent of the Rift Valley
 The Ethiopian Rift Valley is part of the Great
East African Rift System that extends from
Palestine-Jordan in the North to Malawi-
Mozambique in the South, for a distance of 7,200
kilometers.
 Of these, 5,600 kilometers is in Africa, and 1,700
kilometers is in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
 On land, the widest part of the Rift Valley is the Afar
Triangle (200-300 km).
 The Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the East
African Rift Valley System meet and form the
triangular depression of the Afar where the Kobar
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Sink lies about 125 meters below sea level.
  The formation of the Gulf of Aden and the
separation of the Arabian Peninsula from the Horn
of Africa also took place during the Tertiary
period.
 The Rift Valley region of Ethiopian is the most
unstable part of the country.
 There are numerous hot springs, fumaroles, active
volcanoes, geysers, and frequent earthquakes , which
witnesses the instability of the region.

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 The formation of the Rift Valley has the following
structural (physiographic) effects.
 It divides the Ethiopian Plateau into two.
 It separates the Arabian landmass from African
landmass.
 It causes the formation of the Dead Sea, Red Sea and
the Gulf of Aden troughs.
 It creates basins and fault depressions on which the
Rift Valley lakes are formed.
 Faulting and graben formation are not only
limited to the Rift Valley. For example, similar
tectonics activities have occurred in the Lake Tana
Basin.
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 c) Quaternary Period Volcanic Eruptions and
Deposition
They are recent volcanic activities that took place
after the formation of the Rift Valley.
This occurred in the Pliocene-Pleistocene Epochs.
This is a continuation of the tectonic and volcanic
processes that earlier affected the Rift Valley
formation.
 It occurred in the form of renewed
rifting/faulting and more volcanism.
This activity was generally limited to the floor of the
Rift Valley and the region south of Lake Tana,
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where the lava covers an area of more than 3,000km2
  Aden volcanic and recent faulting are more
extensively developed in the Afar region.
 The area is shattered by numerous faults and
subjected to extensive scoriaceous basalt
eruptions.
 The latter phenomenon is also widely manifested
in the main Ethiopian Rift, especially in its
Northern Section.
 Some of the eruptions have occurred in the last
few hundred years.
 Because of their recent occurrence, the Aden
volcanic have relatively well-preserved and
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visible morphological features.
  The basic volcanic features of the Aden series
include the following:
a)Numerous and freshly preserved active volcanic
cones, having explosive craters.
E.g Dubi, Erta Ale, Afrera etc.
 Of these, Erta Ale is the most active volcano in
Ethiopia.
b) Semi-dormant volcanic hills and mountains,
e.g., Fantale, Boseti-Gouda near Adama, Aletu
north of Lake Ziway, Chebbi north of Lake
Hawassa etc.

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 c) Recent extensive lava fields and lava sheets
d) Lava ridges
e) Thermal springs, fumaroles etc.

Quaternary Deposition
 During the Quaternary period of the Cenozoic
Era, the Earth experienced a marked climatic
change, where warmer and dry periods were
alternating with cooler and wet periods.
 This was the time of the last ‟Ice Age” in the
middle and high latitude areas and the time of the
of “Pluvial Rains” in Africa.
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 The
 heavy Pluvial Rains eroded the Ethiopian plateau,
and the eroded materials were deposited in the Rift
Valley Lakes Region.
The excessive rain resulted in:
 an excessive surface flow;
 rivers were many and large which carried a lot of
water and sediments.
 lake and marshy areas became numerous and deep.
 many lakes were enlarged and covered much area and
even merged.
 Forexample, Ziway-Langano-Shalla; Chamo-Abaya;
and lake Abe and the nearby smaller lakes and marsh
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basins formed huge lakes.
  After the Pluvial rains, the Earth's climate became
warmer and drier.
 Thus, it increased the rate of evaporation that
diminished the sizes of the lakes.

 Today, there are lacustrine deposits of continental

origin around many of the Ethiopian lakes, river
valleys and lowlands.
 According to the place and manner of deposition
and depositing agents these deposits are divided as
follow.
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 a) Lacustrine deposits: deposits on former lakebeds,
and swampy depressions.
b) Fluvial deposits: deposits on the banks of
rivers, flood plains both in plateau, foothills etc.
c) Glacio-fluvial deposits and erosional features:
these are occurred on high mountains, such as
Bale and Kaka Mountains.
d) Aeolian deposits: are windblown deposits.
e) Coastal and marine deposits: deposits on sea
invaded and sea-covered places.

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  The quaternary deposits are mainly found in:
 the Rift Valley (Afar and Lakes Region),
 Baro lowlands,
 southern Borena, and
 parts of northwestern lowlands.
 Generally, the Cenozoic rocks cover 50% of the land
mass of the country.
 These include Highland Tertiary volcanism (basalts),
Tertiary as well as Quaternary volcanic, and sediments
of the rift valley.

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 Rock and Mineral Resources of Ethiopia
 Occurrence and distribution of minerals resources
is highly tied with geologic events.
 The occurrence of metallic minerals in Ethiopia
is associated with the Precambrian rocks, i.e.
 Although not in sufficient concentration and extent, a
great variety of such minerals occur in the basement
rocks. These rocks contain most of the metallic
deposits known at present.
o The exploitation and search for mineral deposits in
Ethiopia has a history of > 2,000 years
o However, presently mineral production from Ethiopia
has been negligible by World standards.
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 Brief Facts and Current State of Main Minerals in
Ethiopia
 Geological surveys proved that Ethiopia has
abundant mineral resources of metals and precious
metals, coal, and industrial minerals.

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 Gold
 Gold has been mined in Ethiopia for quite long
time, mainly from Benishangul-Gumuz (Metekel)
and Adola.
 Operating mines produce gold from primary sources in
such localities as Dermi-dama, Sakoro and Lega-
Dembi.
 Mechanized alluvial working is confined to the
state operated Gold field of Adola.
 Secondary Gold deposits are common in the
following localities:
 Adola, Murmur Basin, Shakiso, Awata Basin,
Dawa Basin, Ghenale Basin, Ujama Basin,
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Makanisa (Guba and Wombera), Kaffa.
 Platinum
 The Yubdo area in Wellega, is the only active
Ethiopian Platinum mine.
 Platinum occurrences have been reported from Delatti
in Wellega, and the valley of Demi-Denissa and
Bone Rivers as well as Tullu Mountain area in
Sidama.
Tantalum
 Significant deposit of tantalum and niobium is
found in southern Ethiopia.
 It occurs in Adola area where Kenticha Tantalum
mine with resources of more than 17,000 metric tons
of world class ore reserve is found.
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  The sedimentary and volcanic rock activities are also
resourceful.
 Extensive lignite deposits in Ethiopia are found in
Nedjo (Wellega), and in small amounts in Chilga
(Gonder).
Gemstones
 Gemstones, including amethyst, aquamarine,
emerald, garnet, opal, etc occur in many parts of
Ethiopia, mainly in Amhara and Oromia
Regional States.
 Quality Opal was first discovered by local people in
Wadla and Dalanta woredas, North Wello in
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Amhara Regional State.
 Potash
 A significant potash reserve is found in the Danakil
(Dallol Depression) of the Afar region.

Gypsum and Anhydrite

 A limited amount of gypsum is produced for domestic
consumption in Ethiopia, mainly for the cement
industry, but very large deposits are known to
occur in sedimentary formations of the Danakil
Depression, Ogaden, Shewa, Gojjam, Tigray, and
Hararghe.
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 Clay
 Ethiopia is endowed with different industrial clay
material.
 Alluvial clay deposits used for bricks and tile,
pottery and pipe industry occur in Adola, Abay
gorge, and the Rift Valley lakes region.
 Ceramic clay for the production of glasses,
plates, bricks is found at Ambo and Adola.
 Tabor ceramic industry in Hawassa gets most of its
raw materials from local sources.
Marble
 Crystalline limestone is widespread in the basement
rocks of Ethiopia.
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  Marble has been quarried in such localities as west of
Mekelle and south of Adwa in Tigray.
 In the east in Galetti, Soka, Ramis, Rochelle, Kumi
and other valleys of Chercher Mountain in West
Hararghe.
Construction stones
 Basalt, granite, limestone and sandstone are important
building stones.
 For the surfacing of roads and compaction, basalt,
scoria and other volcanic rocks are extensively
used.
 Mesozoic limestone is an important raw material
for cement and chalk production.
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  The earlier cement works at Dire Dawa and the
recent ones at Muger Valley, Abay gorge (Dejen),
Tigray (Messebo) are using similar raw materials
from these rock formations.

Mineral Potential Sites of Ethiopia

 According to the Ethiopian Geological Survey,
the geologic formations that host most mineral
potentials of Ethiopia includes three major
greenstone belts and other formations. These are:
1. The Western and South-western-greenstone
belt: they contain various minerals: primary
gold occurrences (Dul,Tulu-Kape,Oda-
Godere,Akobo, Baruda, Bekuji-Motish and Kalaj).
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  Yubdo Platinum,
 Base metals of Azali Akendeyu, Abetselo
 Benshagul-Gumuz - Marble,
 Akobo and Asosa - placer gold deposits and etc
The Southern greenstone belt:
 It is known as the Adola belt. The belt comprises
the primary gold deposits and occurrences of
Lega-dembi, Sakaro, Wellena, Kumudu, etc.

The Northern greenstone belt(Tigray):

 This belt comprises of the primary gold occurrences
of Terakemti, Adi-Zeresenay, and Nirague etc.
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