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    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and The Horn: Pangaea Split in To Gondwanaland Where

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    eyob astatke
    The document summarizes the geology of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It describes the major geological eras and events that have shaped the region's landscape over time, from the Precambrian era 4.5 billion years ago to the present Cenozoic era. Key events included the formation of crystalline basement rocks, periods of mountain building and erosion, shifting sea levels that resulted in deposition of sedimentary rocks, and the ongoing development of the East African Rift Valley system through volcanic and tectonic activity. The region exhibits geological features and rock formations representing each major era of Earth's history.

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    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and The Horn: Pangaea Split in To Gondwanaland Where

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    eyob astatke
    2K views3 pages
    The document summarizes the geology of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It describes the major geological eras and events that have shaped the region's landscape over time, from the Precambrian era 4.5 billion years ago to the present Cenozoic era. Key events included the formation of crystalline basement rocks, periods of mountain building and erosion, shifting sea levels that resulted in deposition of sedimentary rocks, and the ongoing development of the East African Rift Valley system through volcanic and tectonic activity. The region exhibits geological features and rock formations representing each major era of Earth's history.

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    The document summarizes the geology of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It describes the major geological eras and events that have shaped the region's landscape over time, from the Precambrian era 4.5 billion years ago to the present Cenozoic era. Key events included the formation of crystalline basement rocks, periods of mountain building and erosion, shifting sea levels that resulted in deposition of sedimentary rocks, and the ongoing development of the East African Rift Valley system through volcanic and tectonic activity. The region exhibits geological features and rock formations representing each major era of Earth's history.

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    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    2K views3 pages

    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and The Horn: Pangaea Split in To Gondwanaland Where

    Uploaded by

    eyob astatke
    The document summarizes the geology of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It describes the major geological eras and events that have shaped the region's landscape over time, from the Precambrian era 4.5 billion years ago to the present Cenozoic era. Key events included the formation of crystalline basement rocks, periods of mountain building and erosion, shifting sea levels that resulted in deposition of sedimentary rocks, and the ongoing development of the East African Rift Valley system through volcanic and tectonic activity. The region exhibits geological features and rock formations representing each major era of Earth's history.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and the Horn 2021

    CHAPTER TWO
    THE GEOLOGY OF ETHIOPIA AND THE
    HORN 2. The external (exogenesis) or geomorphic
    2.1. Introduction processes:

    Geology is an Earth science that studies  They include weathering, mass transfer,
    the evolution of the earth, the materials of erosion and deposition.
    which it is made of, and the processes  They act modifying, roughening and
    acting upon them. lowering them down.
    The earth’s continents were once bunched 2.3. The Geological Time Scale and Age Dating
    up together in to a single huge continent Techniques
    called Pangaea.
    Pangaea split in to Gondwanaland where  The geologic time scale (GTS) is a
    Africa is a part and Laurasia
    system of chronological dating that
    Australian Climatologist Alfred Wegener
    proposed the hypothesis that the classifies geological strata (stratigraphy)
    continents were once assembled together in time.
    as a supercontinent, called the Continental  The history is divided in to Eras. Each Era
    drift Theory. is divided into periods.
     The Earth is geological believed to have
    been formed approximately 4.5 billion
    Wegener‟s principal observations were:
    years ago
     Fit of the continents  Geological time divisions basically based on
     Match of mountain belts, rock types occurrence of significant geological events.
     Distribution of fossils likes:
     Paleoclimates:
     The relative position of land and sea
    2.2. The Geologic Processes: Endogenic and
     The kind of climate
    Exogenic Forces
     The kind of animal and plant life
     Geology studies how Earth's materials, Geological time scale involves four main units:
    structures, processes and organisms have
     Epoch: the smallest unit of time
    changed over time. These processes are
     Period: epochs are clumped together into
    divided into two major groups: internal
    larger units.
    and external processes
     Era: Periods are combined together and
    1. The internal processes (endogenic): make it.
     Eon: the largest period of geological
     volcanic activity time.
     Tectonic processes (faulting)
     Orogenesis processes (folding or Age Dating Techniques
    mountain building)
    There are two major techniques in age dating:
     Epeirogenesis (slow rising and sinking of
    the landmass). Relative dating

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    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and the Horn 2021

     It is putting events or objects in chronological  Orogenesis: intense folding (gigantic


    order without using actual date or ages mountains)
     Estimate whether an object is younger or  Intrusive igneous activity: formation of
    older than other things found at the site. huge mountain ranges
     Relative dating does not offer specific dates, it
    simply allows to determine if one artifact, 2. The Paleozoic Era & Geologic events
    fossil, or stratigraphic layer is older than  600-225m years ago.
    another.  Denudation: gigantic mountains were
    subjected to intense and prolonged erosion.
     Peneplained: sediments of gigantic
    Absolute dating mountain were transported southward to
    form continental deposits (in Africa) and
     It is the process of finding a numeric age of
    eastward (marine deposits in Indian
    rocks or fossils using radiometric dating
    Ocean).
     Provide more specific origin dates and time
     In Ethiopia, rocks belonging to this Era are
    ranges, such as an age range in years.
    rare due to denudation.
     How specific these dates can be will depend
    on what method is used.
    3. The Mesozoic Era Geologic Processes
    The two major radiometric techniques are:
     225-70 million years ago.
     Carbon-14 Technique
     Alternatively & slows sinking and rising
     Potassium-Argon Technique
    (epeirogenesis)
    There are three period in Mesozoic era
    1. Carbon-14 Technique
    A. Triassic Period
     Used to date organic remains.
     Land sank from South East to North
     By measuring the carbon-14 in organic
    West led to sea transgression to land
    material, scientists can determine the date
    then form Adigrat Sand Stones (1st
    of death of the organic matter
    Deposition)
    B. Jurassic Period
    2. Potassium-Argon Technique
     The sea depth increase; formed Hintalo
     Allow much older samples to be dated.
    lime stones.
     Potassium is common in rocks and
    C. Cretaceous period
    minerals, allowing many samples
     The land up lift to South East direction
    of geochronological or archeological intere
    the sea was regression formed upper
    st to be dated.
    sand stone.
     Mesozoic sedimentary rocks cover 25%
    2.4. Geological Processes & Landforms of
    of the land mass of the country. Those
    Ethiopia and the Horn
    have the greatest potential for oil and
    1. The Precambrian Era & Geologic Processes gas deposits.
    4. The Cenozoic Era Geologic Processes
     4.5 billion - 600 million years ago.  70 million years ago – Present
     Covers 5/6th of the Earth’s history  The Cenozoic Era is the most recent
    The major geologic event of the Precambrian geologic Eras.
    Era  The tectonic and volcanic activities that
     Crystalline/basement rocks: were formed took place in this Era

    2|Page
    Chapter Two: The Geology of Ethiopia and the Horn 2021

    ridges and Thermal springs, fumaroles


    There are two periods in Cenozoic Era etc.
    A. Tertiary Period  Climate change and Quaternary
     Lava Flow (Volcano) and Mountain: deposition
    uplifting of the Arabo-Ethiopian landmass  Climate change brought pluvial rain
    and outpouring of lava flood with cooler and wet periods in Africa.
     Rift Valley was formed: The movement of  Most parts of Africa covered by Ice
    the crust in opposite directions producing Age.
    tensional forces that caused parallel  The heavy Pluvial Rains eroded the
    fractures or faults known as Rift Valley Ethiopian plateau and the eroded
     Afar Triangle: widest part of the Rift materials were deposited in the Rift
    Valley (200-300 km). The Red Sea, the Valley lakes.
    Gulf of Aden, and the East African  Lastly, the Pluvial Rains replaced by
    System meet at the triangular depression dry climate and evaporation that led to
    of the Afar. extinct of great lakes and life from Rift
     Kobar Sink: lies about 125 meters below Valley.
    sea level. 2.5. Rock and Mineral Resources of Ethiopia
     metallic minerals in Ethiopia is associated
    The Spatial Extent of the Rift Valley with the Precambrian
    The Ethiopian Rift Valley is part of the 2.5.1. Brief Facts and Current State of Main
    Great East African Rift system and the most Minerals in Ethiopia
    unstable part of the country (numerous hot  Geological surveys proved that Ethiopia has
    springs, fumorales, active volcanoes, abundant mineral resources of metals and
    geysers, and frequent earthquakes) precious metals, coal, and industrial minerals.
    From Palestine-Jordan up to Malawi- Gold: Metekel, Adola, Sakoro, Lega-dembi,
    Shakiso, Akobo, Wondo, Borena, Sherkole,
    Mozambique 7,200 kms.
    Didessa
    5,600 kms in Africa and 1,700 kms in
    Platinum: Yubdo and Delatti in Wellega, Tullu
    Eritrea and Ethiopia. Mountain area in Sidama etc
    Tantalum: Adola , Kenticha, Nedjo (Wellega),
    B. Quaternary Period Chilga (Gonder), Ankober, Sululta, Muger, Aletu
     Quaternary Volcanic Eruptions /Aden , Debrelibanos, Didessa, Wuchalle, Chuliga,
    series include: Borkena etc.
     Recent volcanic activities after the Gemstones: (including amethyst, aquamarine,
    formation of the Rift Valley. Limited to emerald, garnet, opal, peridot, sapphire, and
    the floor of the Rift Valley. tourmaline). Wadla and Dalanta, woredas in
    Oromia and North Wello in Amhara
     Dubi, Erta Ale, Afrera etc. Of these,
    Potash: Danakil (Dallol Depression)
    Erta Ale
    Gypsum and Anhydrite: Ogaden, Shewa,
     Volcanic hills and mountains, some of
    Gojjam, Tigray, and Hararghe
    which are semi-dormant (Fantale, Clay: Adola, Abay, Hawassa
    Boseti-Gouda near Adama, Aletu north Marble: Mekelle, Adwa, Soka, Gonder,
    of Lake Ziway, Chebbi north of Lake Benishangul-Gumuz and Gojjam
    Hawassa etc.). Construction stones: Dire Dawa , Muger, Abay,
     Extensive lava fields and lava sheets: Messebo
    some of which are very recent Lava

    3|Page

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