CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

Igneous rock is one of three main rock types; it formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava or it forms when magma (molten
rock) cools and crystallizes, either at volcanoes on the surface of the Earth or while the melted rock is still inside the crust. This magma can be
derived from partial melts of preexisting rocks in either mantle or crust. Typically, the melting is caused by one or more of three processes: an
increase in temperature, a decrease in pressure or change in composition. All magma develops underground, in the lower crust or upper mantle,
because of the intense heat there. The source of that heat can be earth`s a creational heat and radioactive decay. The two main categories of
igneous rocks are extrusive and intrusive. Extrusive rocks are formed on the surface of the Earth from lava, which is magma that has emerged
from underground. Intrusive rocks are formed from magma that cools and solidifies within the crust of the planet. Igneous rocks can have many
different compositions, depending on the magma they cool from. They can also look different based on their cooling conditions. For example,
two rocks from identical magma can become either rhyolite or granite, depending on whether they cool quickly or slowly.

The geology of Ethiopia includes different types of rocks; igneous rock is a one of three main types of the rocks that Ethiopian geology
includes. This field work is conducted to mapping igneous terrain around the asayita area which is historical town in afar region. The rock units
we have been in this field were rhyolite(rhyolite type like vesicular rhyolite), volcanic ash, vesicular basalts, scoria and scoracies basalt. And we
conducted our field geology around seleme area up to serdo region (including logiya and its surrounding) for one day which was important and
we acquired more important concept about geodynamic evolution of rifting and volcanism specifically in east African rift system, tectonic and
structural setup and also types of rock that we have commonly in the region. During the field work we used different materials which are
appropriate to the field work like, base map, Gps, compass, note books, sample bag and geological hammer. There are different geological
structures in the study area such as; faults and this rock units area have their own economic important for constructions, cement and making
cosmetics.

1.1OBJETIVES

1.1.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE

The general objective of the study is mapping igneous terrain around Adama area.

1.1.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

 To identify different lithologies in the study area and with its description.

 To describe economic importance of the rock unit

 Identifying geological structures

 Identifying different volcanic land forms

 To correlate local geology with regional geology.

1.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE STUDY AREA

1.2.1 LOCATION
The study area is located in northeastern Ethiopia around Asiata. Aysaita (Afar: Aysaqiita), also known as Aussa (Awsa), is a town in
northeastern Ethiopia, and until 2007 served as the capital of the Afar Region of Ethiopia. Located in the Afambo woreda, part of the Region's
Administrative Zone 1, the town has a latitude and longitude of 11°34′N 41°26′E and an elevation of 300 metres (980 ft).As we mentioned above
this town is historical town, Asaita was briefly the capital of the Adal Sultanate and Imamate of Aussa as well as seat of the Aussa Sultanate, the
chief Afar monarchy, but is 50 kilometres south by unpaved road from Awash Asseb highway.

1.2.2 ACCESSIBILITY

The study area is accessed main asphalt road runs from samara to asiata town, study area is traversed by gravel road, asphalt road and a little
footpath.

1.2.3 PHYSIOGRAPHY

1.2.4 DRAINAGE PATTERN

1.3 MATERIALS AND METHODS

1.3.1 MATERIALS USED

The materials used during the field work are :

 Hammer: to break the sample, and also for scale.

 Color pencil: for drawing different lithological rock unites on map.

 Topographic map: to locate the traverse.

  Sample bag: to hold the samples.

 Note book: to recorded note.

 GPS used to locate geographic location of the study area.

 Plaster and parker: are used for label and write code of samples before leave exposure place.

1.3.2 METHODS

The methods that have been followed to achieve the above objectives are divided in to three main categories:-

 Pre field work; this is a preparation phase in which different equipment and field materials were collected. These materials include
topography map, GPS, Compass, hammer and etc. includes identifying objectives of the field work, formulating groups, checking and selecting
field materials, gathering information from people who have enough knowledge about field work. In addition to this, literature reviews about the
Main Ethiopian rift systems an afar depression are conducted.

 During field work; in this phase different field activities were conducted as following; road geology for one days, to know the general
information of geodynamic evolution, tectonic and structural setup, types of rock in region and total aim of the field. And also selecting traverse
line that helps to get different lithological units and geological structures along each traverse line, stations have been taken when the lithological
units were changed; new geological structure and landforms were found. At each station taking GPS reading, taking notes about the lithology,
landforms, geological structures and marking of samples.

 Post field work; after we were back from field work to campus; compiling map, writing report and present whatever has been done during
field.
 CHAPTER TWO

2. REGIONAL GEOLOGY

EAST AFRICAN MAGMATISM

.. Africa has a unique topographic character dominated by basins and plateaus, which in some cases, most notably in East Africa, are
associated with the development of rift basins. The topography is partly linked to upwelling in the mantle beneath the lithosphere. Magmatic
activity on the African continent was very limited between 130 and 30 Ma. Cenozoic volcanism on the continent started to become significant in
East Africa and in limited areas in north-central Africa, related to small volumes, dominantly basaltic mostly on volcano-capped swells (Fig 1A).
No volcanism occurs on the cratons.

The East African Rift System (EARS) (Fig 1B) is a more than 3000 km long system of depressions flanked by broad uplifted plateaus, the
Ethiopian and Kenya domes, separated by the low-lying Turkana Depression in northern Kenya.. A long record of volcanism in EARS provides
invaluable constraints on past and present processes, as well as the various depth levels of magma generation and storage. The magmatic
evolution of the EARS reveals consistent patterns in the distribution, volume, compositions and sources of volcanic products. The principal rift
sectors include the Ethiopian, Eastern and Western rift valleys. The Ethiopian and Kenyan branches of the rift are the site of substantially greater
volcanism than is observed at the Western rift.

Throughout Ethiopia, the Rift defines a single zone of extension and volcanic activity termed the Main Ethiopian Rift. South of Turkana, the
Rift is manifest in two branches, the Western Rift and Kenya Rift. Here, the presence of the old, cold and mechanically strong Tanzanian craton
diverts rifting to the surrounding mobile belts. By contrast, the lack of a cratonic core underlying the Ethiopian plateau allows extension to
propagate in a more uniform manner across the plateau. The Ethiopian and Kenya branches of the rift are the site of substantially greater
volcanism than is observed in the Western Rift. The eruptive style, chemistry and volume of volcanic products exposed along the three rifts vary
in an overall coherent fashion, allowing each rift to be discussed as a tectono-magmatic entity.

The East African Rift volcanics outcrop from the Afar depression to southern Tanzania, and span pre-rift, syn-rift and post-rift periods. The
earliest recorded volcanic activity in East Africa took place 40-45 Ma in the southernmost Ethiopia (i.e. northern Turkana depression). The
Turkana region has remained volcanically active since that time. The onset of flood basalt activity in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen occurred in
the late Oligocene. Most of the basalts and associated felsic rocks were emplaced over a period of ~1 million years at ~30 Ma. This Oligocene
flood basalt event is associated with the breakup of the Afro-Arabian shield, forming the Red Sea ~28 Ma.

The earliest extension documented in the East African Rift System occurred in the Turkana area ~25 Ma. Volcanism and faulting propagated
from this region to both the north and south, forming the familiar structures of the modern rift branches. In southwestern Ethiopia a marked
episode of volcanism and extension occurred 18-19 Ma, and reached the central and northern portions of the Main Ethiopian Rift as the Afar
triple junction developed ~11 Ma. At the same time, magmatism and faulting moved progressively southward in both the Kenya and Western
Rifts, reaching central Tanzania by roughly 1 Ma.

The East African Rift System (EARS) (Fig 1B) is a more than 3000 km long system of depressions flanked by broad uplifted plateaus, the
Ethiopian and Kenya domes, separated by the low-lying Turkana Depression in northern Kenya.. A long record of volcanism in EARS provides
invaluable constraints on past and present processes, as well as the various depth levels of magma generation and storage. The magmatic
evolution of the EARS reveals consistent patterns in the distribution, volume, compositions and sources of volcanic products. The principal rift
sectors include the Ethiopian, Eastern and Western rift valleys. The Ethiopian and Kenyan branches of the rift are the site of substantially greater
volcanism than is observed at the Western rift.

Throughout Ethiopia, the Rift defines a single zone of extension and volcanic activity termed the Main Ethiopian Rift. South of Turkana, the Rift
is manifest in two branches, the Western Rift and Kenya Rift. Here, the presence of the old, cold and mechanically strong Tanzanian craton
diverts rifting to the surrounding mobile belts. By contrast, the lack of a cratonic core underlying the Ethiopian plateau allows extension to
propagate in a more uniform manner across the plateau. The Ethiopian and Kenya branches of the rift are the site of substantially greater
volcanism than is observed in the Western Rift. The eruptive style, chemistry and volume of volcanic products exposed along the three rifts vary
in an overall coherent fashion, allowing each rift to be discussed as a tectono-magmatic entity.

The East African Rift volcanics outcrop from the Afar depression to southern Tanzania, and span pre-rift, syn-rift and post-rift periods. The
earliest recorded volcanic activity in East Africa took place 40-45 Ma in the southernmost Ethiopia (i.e. northern Turkana depression). The
Turkana region has remained volcanically active since that time. The onset of flood basalt activity in Ethiopia, Eritrea and Yemen occurred in
the late Oligocene. Most of the basalts and associated felsic rocks were emplaced over a period of ~1 million years at ~30 Ma. This Oligocene
flood basalt event is associated with the breakup of the Afro-Arabian shield, forming the Red Sea ~28 Ma.

The earliest extension documented in the East African Rift System occurred in the Turkana area ~25 Ma. Volcanism and faulting propagated
from this region to both the north and south, forming the familiar structures of the modern rift branches. In southwestern Ethiopia a marked
episode of volcanism and extension occurred 18-19 Ma, and reached the central and northern portions of the Main Ethiopian Rift as the Afar
triple junction developed ~11 Ma. At the same time, magmatism and faulting moved progressively southward in both the Kenya and Western
Rifts, reaching central Tanzania by roughly 1 Ma.

Volcanism along the length of the Western rift (Fig 2A) is sporadic and limited in extent and volume and appears to be associated with
accommodation zones between adjacent rift basins. In this rift eruptive activity is restricted to four spatially distinct provinces along the rift axis.
From north to south these are: the Toro-Ankole region in western Uganda, the Virunga and Kivu provinces along the border of the Democratic
Republic of Congo with Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi, and the Rungwe volcanic field in southwestern Tanzania. These areas are characterized
generally by silica-undersaturated mafic volcanism, the products of which include ultrapotassic, hypersodic and carbonatitic compositions. The
magmatic provinces of the Western Rift are confined to accommodation zones formed by major basin-bounding faults.
The Kenya rift (Figs. 2B, 3) is associated with large volumes (>105 km3) of basaltic magma and evolved derivatives that have erupted
throughout the Neogene. The northern Kenya Rift comprises the Turkana, Huri Hills and Marsabit regions as well as the Quaternary central
volcanic complexes of Emuruangogolak, Namurunu, Silali, Paka and Korosi. Mafic lavas from these volcanoes are transitional-tholeiitic basalts;
the corresponding felsic lavas are dominantly trachytic in composition.

Volcanic complexes in central and southern Kenya (Fig 3) include the within-rift centers Menengai, Eburru, Naivasha, Longonot, Suswa and
Lenderut as well as the off-rift volcanic field at Chyulu Hills. The rift axis volcanoes are dominantly trachytic to pantelleritic with little to no
exposure of associated basalts. Where present, the basalts are dominantly transitional tholeiitic, although the Chyulu Hills lavas are markedly
silica-undersaturated and have high concentrations of P2O5. In addition to the differences in volumes of basaltic volcanism in the two rifts, there
are clear compositional differences between the volcanic products of the Western and Kenya rifts.

THE ETHIOPIAN VOLCANIC PROVINCE

Ethiopia forms part of a high relief region of the Earth termed the Arabo-Ethiopian swell. The large-scale physiography of Ethiopia may be
classified into: the Northwestern Plateau, the Southeastern Plateau, the Southwestern Plateau, the Ethiopian Rift Valley, the Afar Depression, the
Somali (Ogaden) Lowlands and the Western Lowlands. The average altitude of the plateaus on both sides of the rift is about 2500 m. Among the
lowland regions, the rift zone (Ethiopian Rift Valley and Afar Depression) constitutes the most important unit. The Afar Depression opens in a
funnel-like fashion as a northward continuation of the main Ethiopian rift valley.

In Ethiopia, Early Cenozoic volcanic rocks cover ~32% of the total surface area of the country while Late Cenozoic volcanic rocks cover about
~12% (Figure 4). Cenozoic magmatism has built a thick succession of volcanic rocks, typically 500-1500m thick over an area about 1,000 km
wide presently comprising the Northwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern uplifted plateaus and the Ethiopian and Afar rifts.
The Ethiopian Plateau flood volcanics (Traps)

Fissural basaltic lavas dominate the succession on the plateau areas but felsic volcanics are also present in considerable amounts. Superimposed
on the fissure-fed lavas locally thick sequences of basalt flows have been outpoured, during mid-Miocene, from low-angled shield volcanoes that
have built prominent land features such as the Simien, Choke-Mengistu, Guguftu, and Meghezez massifs. Basalt eruptions of minor volume have
also occurred on the plateau areas during Quaternary time, best exemplified by the Lake Tana fissure basalt field.

Distribution and dimension

The traps in Ethiopia presently cover an area of about 600,000 km2 (Figs.4 and 5), forming the high plateaus and resting either on flat-lying
Mesozic sedimentary rocks or on Precambrian basement. The Traps in Yemen are similar and synchronous with the Ethiopian Northern Traps.
The Southern Ethiopian traps are older and possibly not synchronous with the Northern Traps.

The northwestern Ethiopian traps (Fig. 5) consist of a series of Oligo-Miocene fissure-fed basalts and subordinate felsic rocks (ash and coarse
fragmental materials) that are capped by Miocene shield volcanoes. The felsic rocks are interbedded with the flood basalts, particularly at upper
stratigraphic levels, and consist of sequences of rhyolitic and trachytic lavas and pyroclastic rocks. In southwestern Ethiopia extensive basaltic
extrusion occurred at the beginning of Tertiary. The basalt extrusions were interspersed with large accumulations of rhyolite and trachyte,
breccias, ignimbrite and related shallow intrusions. In the central and southeastern plateau margins these rocks are mainly basalt, trachyte,
ignimbrite, rhyolite, ash and pyroclastic deposits.

The surface area prior to erosion for the combined Ethiopian and Yemen traps has been estimated as 800,000 km2 . Thickness of the traps is
highly variable but most exposed sections are between 1 and 2 km thick. The total volume has been estimated to be at least 1.2x106 km3. It is
estimated that 1x 105 km3 of rocks were removed by erosion from the northwestern part of the Ethiopian plateau.
Timing and stratigraphy

Earliest volcanic activity is represented by a sequence of basalts in southern Ethiopia that erupted during the Eocene, between 35 and 45 ma ago.
These were followed by the eruption of the Ethiopian-Yemeni flood basalts, or traps, between 31 and 29 Ma ago that covered a large area of
present day Ethiopia, Eritrea and the southern Arabian peninsula with outliers occurring west and north into Sudan and east to the Somali border.
Timing of volcanism in northwestern Ethiopia and Yemen is now well established by combined geochronologic (40Ar/39Ar) and
magnetostratigraphic methods. These methods have given consistent ages that cluster around 30 Ma for the onset of voluminous volcanism.
Eruptions occurred in two pulses, beginning shortly before 30 Ma in reversed chron C11r and ending before 29 Ma in reversed chron C10r. The
duration has also been measured to be between 0.6 and 1 M yr.

Present day volumes exceed 250,000 km3 and estimates of the original volume are as high as 1x106 km3. The volume of volcanics emplaced
during the geologically short interval of time leads to an average magma eruption rate of 1.6 km3 per year is obtained. This flux has the required
order of magnitude for a major climatic impact. Associated acidic products, which amount up to 20% of the total volume of trap volcanics, are
efficient means of greatly enhancing the climatic impact. In fact the emplacement of the Ethiopian traps (30 Ma) coincides in time with a change
to a colder and drier global climate, a major continental ice-sheet advance in Antarctica, the largest Tertiary sea-level drop and significant
extinctions.

Subdivisions of the volcanic pile

Plateau basaltic formation (Ashange and Aiba basalt formations)

In the northwestern Traps, the volcanic pile consists of a basaltic succession overlain by a major rhyolitic formation. The basaltic pile is
made up of a lower sequence (commonly known as Ashange basalts) characterized by thin lava flows, (< 10 m) forming relatively smooth or less
steep topography. An upper basaltic sequence (commonly referred to as Aiba basalts) is composed of thicker flows (10-50 m) that
characteristically form steep cliffs. These are in turn overlain by the Alaji formation, which is a thick series of volcanics of acidic composition.
There is now convincing observational field evidence for minor folding and faulting within the flood basaltic pile (the basalt pile beneath the
Alaji in the Korem-Sekota-Lalibela region (north of the Woldia-Woreta road) and east of upper Tekezze river suggesting that deformation of the
flood basalts occurred during their emplacement.

Plateau silicic formation (Alaji Rhyolite Formation)

Basalts and ignimbrites form typical plateau topography, which is often extensively eroded and dissected by deep gorges. The minimum volume
estimated for the silicic volcanics of the northwestern plateau is in the order of 60,000 km3 (20% of the total flood volcanics). The thickness of
the plateau ignimbrites is extremely variable, ranging from 500 m in the north (Wegel Tena area), to ~700 m in the southwest (Jima area), and to
as low as 30 m in the Debre Birhan area (central plateau), close to the rift margin. Individual flow units vary in thickness from ~3 m to 15 m.
Several north-south trending microgranitic dykes crop out in the plateau, especially in the Woldia area.

Three regionally distinct Oligocene rhyolite units are recognized: (1) the Lima Limo rhyolites in the northwest plateau forming several beds
capping low-Ti basalt floods, (2) the Wegel Tena rhyolites in the east corresponding to very thick ignimbrites overlaying high-Ti flood basalts,
and (3) the Jima rhyolites located in the southwestern plateau overlaying high-Ti flood basalts. Miocene rhyolites are situated in the Molale-
Debre Birhan area close to the rift margin and overlay Miocene low-Ti flood basalts.

Shield Volcanics (Termaber Formation); Shield volcanoes are a conspicuous feature of the Ethiopian plateau, and distinguish this plateau
from other well-known examples such as the Deccan and Karoo. The basal diameters of the shields range from 50 to 100 km and the highest
point in Ethiopia, the 4533 m high peak of Ras Dashan, is the present summit of the eroded Simien shield. This peak extends almost 2000m
above the top of the flood basalts, which lies at about 2700m in the northern part of the plateau. If an additional 500 m is added to allow for
eroded material, a total height of about 3 km is estimated for this volcano. Although smaller in diameter, the summits of many of the other shield
volcanoes also exceed 4000m. Mt Choke has a basal diameter of over 100 km and it rises to 4052 m, some 1200 m above the surrounding flood
volcanics.

The flank of the Simien volcano has been reliably dated at 30.4 ± 0.3. Other shields, in contrast, are significantly younger. Choke and Uorra
shield volcanoes erupted around 22 Ma ago. Shield volcanoes farther to the south have ages between 20 and 13 Ma. Lava flows of the shield
volcanoes are thinner and less continuous than the flood basalts. They also are more porphyritic, containing abundant and often large
phenocrysts of plagioclase and olivine. Like the flood volcanics, the shield volcanoes are bimodal and contain sequences of alternating basalts,
rhyolitic and trachytic lava flows, tuffs and ignimbrites, particularly near their summits. The compositions of the mafic members of some of the
younger volcanoes (e.g. Mt Guna) are more variable and include nephelinites, phonolites and lavas with intermediate compositions.

The mafic volcanism that led to the construction of the basaltic plateaux was characterized by a "gradational mode of eruptive style from
platform building fissure eruptions towards rare shield-building eruptions". Associated with this change was a transition from a tholeiitic
character in the flood basalts to moderately of highly alkaline character in the shield volcanics.

Quaternary Plateau Basalts

This group of volcanics comprises all Quaternary alkaline basalts and trachytes emplaced on the northwestern and southeastern plateaus.
Although not dated, their relatively uneroded geomorphological features such as the prominent cinder cones and small collapse craters indicate
their recent age. Alkaline basalts and trachytic lavas prevail in the region south of Lake Tana while young trachyte and basalt flows are present
on the Batu and Sanete mountains in Bale region. The other younger analogous unit is the relatively fresh Tepi Basalts, produced by central type
eruption in southwestern Ethiopia with a Holocene age. Field evidence suggests a Pleistocene age to most of these rocks. The basalt flows are
characteristically alkaline and represent the final pulse of basaltic volcanism on the Ethiopian plateau.

Genesis and evolution

The southwest Ethiopian magmatic sub-province is characterized by episodic volcanism that becomes increasingly silica-undersaturated through
time, ranging from essentially tholeiitic compositions 40-35 Ma to nepheline-normative basalts since ~19 Ma. These features are similar to those
displayed by contemporaneous lavas from the Turkana region in northern Kenya, which is located immediately to the south.

Systematic study of the basaltic volcanic products in northwestern Ethiopia has revealed a remarkable petrological homogeneity over wide
areas and sections. The mineralogical and chemical compositions of the plateau basalts are relatively uniform. The majority is aphyric to
sparsely phyric, containing phenocrysts of plagioclase and clinopyroxene with or without olivine. A lower sequence of basalts (Ashange)
represents most primary compositions (MgO 5-9%) while an upper sequence (Aiba) evidences a history of more differentiation (MgO 2-6%).
Most of the flood basalts are classed as tholeiitic to transitional.

The basaltic rocks of the northwestern plateau have been divided into several types on the basis of their major and trace element and isotopic
compositions. Two major types of magma characterized by Low and High Titanium contents have been identified in these traps. The Low-Ti
magma group (LT) is found in the north-western half of the sub-province while the High-Ti magma group (HT) which includes picritic and
ankaramitic compositions, in addition to basalts, is restricted to the south-eastern half. However, the distribution of the low- and high-Ti rocks is
more complicated. The two major magma types have been related to spatial control of mantle sources. Distinctive petrological features of the
Ethiopian plateau are the transitional tholeiitic to alkaline magmatic character of the mafic lavas, in contrast with the tholeiitic character of most
continental flood basalts, and the high proportion of felsic pyroclastic rocks.

The geochemical signatures of these basalts, as shown by trace elements and radiogenic isotopes (Sr, Nd and Pb) (Fig. 6), indicate the
involvement of deep mantle plume in their genesis. High-Ti (HT) basalts were derived from a mantle component corresponding to the Afar
mantle plume while the Low-Ti basalts (LT) resulted from the melting of a more depleted mantle component. Multi-stage contamination
processes (AFC) involving both the lower and upper crust occurred during the differentiation of these lavas. Confirmation for lower mantle
origin of High-Ti (HT) basalts has been provided particularly by Helium isotopic data which is an excellent tracer of plumes originating from the
lower mantle: 3He/4He ratios up to 19.6 times atmospheric have been obtained. This value (R/Ra~ 19.6) is considerably greater than the value of
8, which is typical of most MORB. The high eruption and source temperatures and melting depths of the HT2 magmas suggest that these are the
earliest unambiguous manifestations of the Afar mantle plume. The large volumes associated with the Afar and Ethiopian rift, further implies
that mantle plumes have existed beneath this region for tens of millions of years.

Regarding the genesis of the Alaji rhyolites, trace element and isotopic data (Figs. 7 &8) indicate that they are genetically linked to the
associated trap basalts through fractional crystallization processes combined with small amounts of crustal contamination (AFC).

RIFT VOLCANICS (Afar and Ethiopian Rifts)

The Ethiopian Rift system is divided into three parts: the Afar Depression, the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) and Southern Ethiopia Rift. The Afar
and the Ethiopian rifts have been the site of volcanism since early Miocene with fissural and central style of eruptions. The dominant part of the
rift volcanics is Plio-Quaternary in age, older volcanics only limited to the rift margins. In Afar, basaltic lavas predominate over intermediate
and acid products, while a number of intrusive granites have also been emplaced during the early evolution of the rift. In the Main Ethiopian Rift
(MER), basic products are subordinate to evolved lavas and pyroclastics, which are dominated by massive eruptions of silicic ignimbrites from
caldera volcanoes.

Afar rift volcanism

Distribution, stratigraphy and timing

Afar rift is nearly entirely constructed from volcanic rocks, principally basaltic but with important quantities of acid and intermediate rocks
(Fig. 9). More recent volcanic products have covered the older phases of magmatic activity, which could only be deduced from exposures of the
rift escarpment. The stratigraphy and age of these sequences vary from one sector to another. Different researchers in different areas have used
different formational names. It is not, therefore simple to adopt and use a unique stratigraphic scheme.

Available information shows that volcanic activity in the region has been continuous from Early Oligocene to present time. The initiation
of rift volcanism in Afar is attributed to Lower Miocene and is marked by emplacement of transitional basalts and peralkaline granites and
rhyolites. Starting from about 15-14 Ma, volcanism was progressively confined to the rift zone, which comprises the marginal areas where the
oldest rift-related products are found. Rhyolites associated with minor quantities of basalt (14-10 Ma) are exposed along the margins of Afar and
the northern Main Ethiopian rift (MER). These rhyolites are more commonly referred to as Mabla Rhyolites. Equivalent names include Arba
Guracha Rhyolites, Fursa Rhyolites and the Main Silicic Formation. These rhyolites unconformably cover the Trap Series volcanics.

Starting from about 10 Ma, an important volcanic episode gave rise to different products in Afar and in the Ethiopian rift. In Afar basalts (with
minor quantities of rhyolites) were emplaced over a large area presently exposed on the rift floor adjacent to the margins. These basalts are
known as Dalha Series. In the MER, on the other hand, a thick sequence of felsic volcanics termed Nazret Group or Balchi Rhyolites were
emitted. These volcanics are not well developed north of the Afdem-Meteka line. This line may be considered as the structural separation
between the rift segments of Afar and MER. In Afar, north of this line, basaltic volcanism was intense in the interval between 8 and 6 Ma, while
in the MER, felsic volcanism continued until about 4 Ma. During the interval between 6.5 and 4.5 Ma, huge central and felsic volcanoes
developed at the margin of the southeastern plateau. These volcanoes include Afdem, Assebot, Mieso, Woldoy and Barat.

Volcanic formations, which actually constitute a greater part of the Afar rift floor and northern MER started to form about 5-4 Ma. In Afar, a
thick sequence of Pliocene basaltic volcanism associated with minor amounts of felsic products is referred to as the Afar Stratoid Series (ASS),
while in the MER felsic volcanism prevails together with minor extrusions of basaltic lava (Figure 9).

During Pleistocene and Holocene, a unique geological structure developed in Afar and MER. Volcanic activity started to concentrate in a narrow
axial belt, which extends from central Afar through southern Afar to the MER Since about 1Ma, volcanism in Afar has focused into discrete
magmatic segments known as axial and transversal volcanic ranges (interpreted as proto-oceanic plate boundaries) In northern and central Afar,
dominantly fissural basaltic volcanism, formed the Erta Ale and Tat Ali (which occupy the floor of the Afar depression) Manda Hararo, Manda
Inakir and Asal (in Djibouti) axial ranges. In southern Afar activity started with fissural basaltic volcanism and evolved to form the central
volcanoes of Dama’Ale, Gabilema, Yangudi, Abida (Amoissa) and Ayelu.

Documented historical eruptions in Afar include: Dubbi volcano, May 1861, Erta Ale lava lake overspill, 1968-1974 and Ardoukoba
fissure eruption, November 1978. In September 2005 a seismotectonic event started on the Dabbahu-Manda Hararo (DMH) rift zone in west-
central Afar partly manifested by volcanic eruptions. Between 2005 and 2010, six eruptions occurred in different locations: a small rhyolitic
eruption (2005) at Da’Ure locality and three dyke-fed basaltic fissure eruptions (2007, 2009 and 2010) have occurred at Karbahi locality on the
DMH magmatic rift segment. Further eruptions took place in 2008 at Alu-Dallafila, part of the Erta Ale volcanic range in northern Afar, and also
in 2011 at Nabro volcano in the Nabro Volcanic Range in eastern Afar. With the exception of the Nabro, all the eruptions occurred along the on-
land extension of the Red Sea rift system, which marks the axis of extension between Africa and Arabia.
Erta Ale ("smoking mountain" in the local Afar language) is one of the few volcanoes on the world that has an almost persistent lava lake. It is
an isolated basaltic shield volcano, 50 km wide, rising more than 600 m from below sea level in the barren Danakil depression. The volcano
contains an elliptical summit crater measuring 0.7 x 1.6 km with several steep-sided pit craters, one of them containing a lava lake. Another
larger 1.8 x 3.1 km wide depression (caldera), elongated parallel to the trend of the Erta Ale range is located to the SE of the summit and is
bounded by curvilinear fault scarps on the SE side. Fresh-looking basaltic lava flows from these fissures have poured into the caldera and locally
overflowed its rim. The summit caldera is renowned for one, or sometimes two long-term lava lakes that have been active since the early years
of the twentieth century, making it the oldest lava lake on the planet. Recent fissure eruptions have occurred on the northern flank of Erta Ale.

Erta Ale's last major eruption was in November 2008. During the nights of the 21st-22nd, and during the day of 22nd November, scientists
observed overspill flows roughly every two hours. By Feb 2010 the level of the lava lake in the southern pit had risen, filled and begun to
overspill. By Nov 2010, the southern sink had filled to the level of the western rim and begun to overspill into the main crater, suggesting that
the activity has been ongoing since Feb 2010.

Genesis and evolution

A large number of available major, trace element and radiogenic isotope data from Afar (Figs. 10, 11 & 12) show that basalts comprising the
thick pile of the Afar Stratoid Series are transitional to tholeiitic while Axial range volcanics are essentially transitional basalts, with the
occurrence of low-K varieties approaching Mid-Ocean Ridge Basalts (MORB) composition in few cases. In most of the volcanic units
fractionation occurred towards Fe-Ti rich intermediate rocks and more rarely to rhyolitic final products. Basalts from the Axial ranges exhibit
trace element characteristics comparable to depleted MORB. The most recent Afar lavas are characterised by 3He/4He ratios up to 17 times
atmospheric (R/Ra 17), and in that respect have much in common with plume-related OIB.

Various models of mantle evolution have been proposed to account for the available isotopic data of volcanic rocks and spinel lherzolite
nodules from the Afar area. The results suggest that melting of a heterogeneous mantle was involved during the rifting process, with sub-
continental mantle lithosphere sources tapped before, and depleted asthenospheric sources after the formation of the Afar rift. Afar magmas thus
resulted from mixing between three mantle reservoirs: an isotopically distinct Afar plume component, the lithospheric and asthenospheric
mantles. Isotopic data show the absence of signature from continental crust material.

With time, the influence of the lithosphere diminished as it was thinned consequent to continental break-up as Arabia drifted slowly away from
Africa, and the influence of the underlying Afar mantle plume increased. The genesis of silicic and intermediate volcanic rocks found in Afar is
best explained in terms of fractional crystallization of associated basaltic magmas at variable crustal depths (Fig. 13).

The Main Ethiopian Rift (MER)

The Ethiopian rift is the northern segment of the East African Rift system separating the South-eastern and Western Ethiopian plateaus . It
extends from Lake Abbe triple junction in the Afar, south-southwest to the Lake Turkana region. It is a large graben, about 800 km long and up
to 60-80 km wide, having a mean elevation of about 1600 m. The borders of the rift form flat shoulders about 2200 m high, on which volcanic
centres such as Chike, Chilalo and Kaka (which attain altitudes up to 4200 m) have been built.
Volcanic Stratigraphy and timing

In the Ethiopian rift, volcanic rocks cover a large area and have considerable thicknesses (Figs. 14 and 15). The volcanics consist essentially
of rhyolitic and trachytic ignimbrites and pumice and ash deposits with minor lava flows. These are associated with volumetrically subordinate
basaltic flows and recent scoria and cinder cones. Rocks of intermediate composition are rare, giving the rift magmatism a bimodal character.
The youngest acidic products appear to be associated with large central volcanoes having large summit calderas, such as Fantale, Kone,
Gedemsa, Shalla, Corbetti and Bede Gebabe while recent basalts are erupted from within-rift fissures adjacent to and distal from these central
volcanoes.

Early phases of volcanic and tectonic activity in the Ethiopian Rift are not well known, all evidence being covered underneath Pliocene-
Quaternary volcanic and sedimentary products. From studies on volcanic rocks at the rift margins, presumably related to the initiation of the rift,
it has been proposed that rifting started 14-13 Ma in the central sector and 11 Ma in the northern part. Other investigators have put forward
evidence that initiation of rifting probably dates back to early Miocene (~25 m.y.), contemporaneous with initiation of rifting in northern
Afarned in terms of fractional crystallization of associated basaltic magmas at variable crustal depths (Fig. 13).

In the Main Ethiopian Rift there are evidences of historical fissural and central volcanic activity. The most recent instance of fissural activity
dates from the early 1900’s in the area. The lava flows of the southwestern flanks of Fantale volcano are thought to be about 150 years old.
Scoriaceous basalt flows emitted from these fissures reached the shore of lake Beseka.

The stratigraphy and age of the rift volcanic sequences vary from one sector to another. Different researchers in different areas have used
different formational names. It is not, therefore simple to adopt and use a unique stratigraphic scheme. Here is presented a commonly-used
informal subdivision on the basis of stratigraphic relationships and radiometric ages.
1.Nazret Series

The name Nazret Series was given to a thick succession of welded ignimbrites with, pumice, ash and rhyolite flows and domes with rare
intercalations of basalts flows which occur in the MER, rift margins and adjacent plateaus. In the rift proper the Nazret series attains a thickness
of up to 200 to 250m and tends to thin out on the escarpments. Ignimbrites of the Nazret Series are considered to be products of eruptions mainly
from marginal centers in the rift. In composition the ignibrites are sub- alkaline rhyolites and trachytes with rare peralkaline varieties. An age
rang of 9 to 3 Ma has been given to the Nazret Series.

2. Chilalo Formation

A group of Early Pliocene complex felsic volcanoes, which developed on both sides of the rift shoulders and margins of MER, were named as
the Chilalo Formation. This formation is dominated by trachytic central volcano complexes and comprises Chilalo, Badda, Kaka,Enqoulo on the
eastern margin of MER, and Gara Gumbi, Asebot, Afdem, Borate, Gara Adi and other smaller centers along the eastern rift margin of MER and
southern margins of the Afar rift. Along the western rift margin the central volcanoes Wechecha, Yerer, Furi, Gash Megel and their satellites
centers represent the latest pulse of such volcanism and are sometimes referred as Wachacha Formation. Lava flows of these central volcanoes
interfinger with the upper part of the Nazret Series. K/Ar ages on most of these volcanoes range from 8 to 4 Ma.

3. Bofa Basalts

Late Pliocene (4 to 1.6 Ma) flood basalt volcanism is widespread in the MER. The name Bofa Basalts was coined to all Pliocene rift floor
Basalts. The Bofa Basalts are well developed in the northern and centeral part of the MER forming a wedge between the Nazret Series and Dino
Formation and a lower age limit of 3.5Ma has been reported. The Bofa Basalt are flood basalts mostly aphyric, locally vesicular and fresh with
several flows separated by scoracious horizons. In most outcrops the Bofa Basalts have a thickness of about 80m, however, deep drilling for
geothermal steam at the Aluto-Langeno Geothermal prospect has shown that the Bofa Basalts or a contemporaneous basaltic unit attains a
thickness in excess of 500m in many of the wells. This attests for the presence of an important Pliocene flood basalt volcanism in the MER,
which is concealed by the Quaternary pyroclastic volcanic products and rift sediments.

Pliocene basalts in the Turkana Rift are named as the Mursi Basalts and have a K/Ar age of 4.2 Ma. The Mursi Basalts consist of a relatively
few, thin, columnar flows of basalt and in most sections have a total thickness of less than 100m.

4. Bishoftu Basalts

Pliocene-Pleistocene basalt flows associated with numerous well-preserved scoria cones found on the western margin of MER in the Bishoftu
(Debre Zeit) area, southeast of Addis Ababa are given the name Bishoftu Basalts. They have a lower age limit of 2 to 2.8 Ma.

5. Dino Formation

The Dino formation consists of green to gray ignimbrites and associated unwelded pyroclastic deposits with occasional intercalated lacustrine
beds and aphyric basalts. These volcanic units in most places overlie the Bofa Basalts and the Nazret Series iginimbrites and attain an overall
maximum thickness of 50m. At the Awash River gorge (within the National Park) the ignimbrites of the Dino Formation were dated to be 1.5
Ma old. It has been suggested that the pyroclastics of the formation have sources from partly eroded volcanoes found within the rift floor, such
as the Tinish Fantale. Some of these silicic centers were active since 1.6 Ma. It is also probable that part of the ignimbrites of the Dino
Formation were erupted from the earlier activities of the axial silicic centers of the Wonji Fault Belt.

6. Wonji Group Silicics

The Quaternary central volcanic complexes, which are situated along the axial zones of the MER (Wonji Fault Belt) and in southern Afar, have
produced peralkaline lavas and pyroclastics. On most of these volcanoes, recent activity is marked by obsidian flows, pumice deposits,
ignimbrite, tuff and ash deposits. Associated with these are scoriaceous basalt eruptions emanated from fractures and faults, which frequently cut
across the volcanoes themselves. The products of the volcanoes range from trachytes to peralkaline rhyolites (pantellerites and commendites). A
K/Ar age of 1.6 Ma has been obtained from Boset volcano.

7. Wonji Group Basalts

This unit includes all Pleistocene to Holocene fissural basalt volcanism in the MER, mainly concentrated along the Wonji Fault Belt. The
basalts generally display fresh flow morphologies and include lava flows, scoria cones and basaltic hyaloclastites. The eruptions are clearly
controlled by extensional tectonic features as manifested by chains of scoria cones aligned along fractures. Hyaloclastites, phreatic and
phreatomagmatic explosion craters are common in many of these areas. Most of the basalts of this unit are transitional-tholeiitic in nature. Other
basalt flows show moderately alkaline tendencies and in some localities contain ultramafic xenoliths.
Genesis and evolution

The volcanism directly connected with the main phases of rift opening in he MER is represented by a bimodal distribution of large amounts of
peralkaline rhyolites (which make up >75% of the eruptives) and minor basaltic products with transitional petrochemical affinity. Volcanic
products of Intermediate composition are very limited. Some Plio-Quaternary trachytic and phonolitic volcanoes (Yerer, Ziquala, Chilalo) occur
along the borders of the rift. The TAS diagram in Figure 16 illustrates the dominance of basaltic rocks and felsic products in the rift.

Investigations of the mantle source regions by combined trace element and isotopic data (Figs.17, 18, 19) for rift floor basalts have
documented the involvement of at least three components: depleted mantle (MORB), lithospheric mantle, and a deep mantle plume. With the
progression of rifting with time, depleted asthenospheric mantle became an important component, initially as an end member in mantle mixing,
and eventually as the dominant mantle reservoir in more attenuated areas and led to a more tholeiitic transitional basalt. The opening of the
Ethiopian rift is related to the uprise of the Kenya and Afar plumes that respectively generated the magmatism at different times in the southern
Ethiopian rift and in the MER-Afar area.

Huge volumes of silicic extrusive rocks (usually ignimbrites) are prominent in the Ethiopian rift. The origin of silicic rocks in the Ethiopian rift
is attributed to fractional crystallization of basaltic magmas within shallow crustal reservoirs and with limited crustal contamination (Figs. 18,
19, 20). Recently, a two stage model involving small degrees of partial melting of a basaltic lower crust (underplated basalts) to produce the least
differentiated silicic magmas which in turn undergo moderate degrees of fractional crystallization to generate the most evolved silicic rocks has
been proposed for the genesis of the Asela-Ziway pantellerites in the MER but has subsequently been criticized.
2.2 VOLCANITES HISTORY OF THE REGION

Concomitant with the first phases of rifting in the Afro/ Arabian plate, a period of a prolific volcanic activity took place predominantly during the
Oligocene in the Horn of Africa and southern Arabia which were at that time connected. These volcanic rocks, mainly represented by basalts and
traditionally referred to as the trap succession, have estimated to have covered an area in Ethiopia not less than 750,000 km2 before erosion, with
a total volume of ca. 350,000 km3 (Mohr 1983) .Their great areal extension and volume are due to the exceptional supply of mantle material
connected with hot plumes (Schilling 1973; White and McKenzie 1989). According to Hofmann et al. (1997), the basalt activity was
concentrated in the very short time of one million years around 30 Ma, and this rapid outpouring of a huge volume of volcanic rocks has been
regarded as a possible cause of climatic deterioration and ensuing mass extinction on a global scale (Courtillot et al. 1988; White and McKenzie
1989; Rochette et al. 1998). The volcanic succession rests above a peneplained surface (Blanford 1869; the pre-trappean peneplanation of Mohr
1962; PS 4 in Fig. 2.6), marked by laterites, particularly well developed in Eritrea and Tigray (Dainelli and Marinelli 1912; Merla and Minucci
1938) and in southwestern Ethiopia (Davidson and Rex 1980). The laterites are also present in similar contexts in Yemen (Baker et al. 1996) and
western Arabia (Overstreet et al. 1997). This extensive pedogenesis is indicative of a long period of morphological stability of the peneplained
surface marked by low elevation, little or no vertical deformations, and sediment starvation. The laterization was active until at least 40 Ma
(Ar/Ar age, Andrews Deller 2006) and can be related to the Early Eocene climatic optimum.

The volcanic rocks that cover most of Ethiopia have been subdivided into five major provinces on the basis of their lithological development, type of activity,
frequency of volcanic centers, and age of effusion (Abbate and Sagri 1980): (1) volcanites of the northern plateau; (2) volcanites of the southern plateau; (3)
volcanites of the Somali plateau; (4) Afar volcanites; and (5) Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) volcanites. The first three groups (Merla et al. 1979) comprise the
major part of the Ethiopian volcanites (Fig. 2.10). They have collectively been referred to as “Traps” (Blanford 1870; Kazmin 1973), a general term from an
old Swedish word meaning stairs (Fig. 2.11). Fine-grained stratoid fissural Paleogene basalts represent the greater portion of these volcanites. The Afar and
the MER volcanites, filling two megastructures related to Neogene continental fragmentation, have a more limited extension (Fig. 2.10) and were referred to
as Aden Series (Blanford 1870; Mohr 1962).
2.3 The Afar Volcanites

The Afar region is a quasi-triangularly shaped depressed area at the intersection of the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and the Main Ethiopian Rift
(MER). Due to its 25-millionyear-long story of rifting and incipient oceanization, volcanic rocks cover wide areas of the Afar depression (Fig.
2.10). According to Barberi et al. (1975), the Afar volcanites can be assigned to a first stage of continental rifting which lasted about twenty
million years, starting from 25 Ma, and a later stage which commenced 4 Ma during which the oceanic floor in the central portion of Afar began
to develop. The older volcanites of the first stage include the Adolei Basalts, Mabla Rhyolites, and Dalha Basalts (Barberi al. 1975). They are
more than 1,000 m thick and cover a time rangefrom26to6Ma.Associatedwiththemarealkalineand peralkaline granites aged 25–22 Ma linked to
an early phase ofcontinentalbreakup.Themostextensivevolcanicsequence connected with the second stage is the Plio-Pleistocene Afar Stratoid
Series which covers about two-thirds of the Afar depression. This consists of transitional basalts, about 1,500 m thick and lies unconformably on
the Dalha Basalts after a phase of magmatic quiescence. Intercalated in the top of and above the Afar Stratoid Series are the transversal volcanics
and marginal rhyolitic centers (e.g., Dubbi, Ado Ale. The axial volcanic ranges of Quaternary age are a typical morphological feature of the Afar
depression fromwhichtheyriseprominentlyupto1,500m.Thenorthern range (Erta Ale) parallels the Afar axis with a NNW trend; to the south, the
volcanic ranges shift gradually to WNW. They consistoffissure eruptions and shield volcanoes with basaltic flows and alkaline to peralkaline
silicic rocks. Many of them have been active in historical times, and the Erta Ale volcano exhibits a spectacular lava lake.

2.5.5 The Main Ethiopian Rift Volcanites

The Main Ethiopian Rift (MER) is a NNE–SSW to N–Strending trough 80 km wide in its central portion and 1,000 km long (Fig. 2.14). It
separates the southern Ethiopian plateau to the west from the Somali plateau to the east. Northward, the MER progressively widens out into the
complex Afar triple junction, while at its southern end, a 200–300-km tectonically disturbed area (Gofa basin and range, Baker et al. 1972)
marks the transition to the Kenyan Gregory Rift in the Turkana depression. The volcanic history of the MER has been dealt with in numerous
papers which often take into account limited sectors of the rift. This has resulted in a proliferation of volcanic units with significant problems of
correlation among the northern, central, and southern sectors. The MER volcanic stratigraphy was summarized by Corti (2009). He envisages a
lower basalt unit with trachybasalts and subordinate silicic flows from 11 to 8 Ma old followed by a widespread ignimbrite cover (e.g., Nazaret
Group) ranging in age from 7 Ma in the northern sector to 2 Ma to the south and up to 700 m thick. Most of the ignimbrite layers are believed to
have formed by catastrophic eruptions related to the collapse of large calderas, such as the 3.5-Maold Munesa caldera now buried beneath the
Ziway–Shala lakes (Fig. 2.13). These two units, common to the whole MER, are followed by Late Pliocene basalts with pyroclastics fed by
calderas which are limited to the northern and central sectors. The subsequent Quaternary volcanic unit, which outcrops throughout the MER, is
the Wonji Group associated with the oblique Wonji fault belt (Mohr 1962). It includes basalt flows and scoria cones, and large silicic central
volcanoes with calderas. These edifices and calderas rise up to 700 m above the plain (e.g., Bora Bericho, Alutu, Gademotta, Fig. 2.13), and
some of them experienced phreatomagmatic activity and historical flows. They are referred to as en-echelon arranged magmatic segments
connected to the Wonji fault belt (see later). Off-axis magmatism is mainly concentrated on the Somali plateau with huge shield volcanoes of
basaltic and trachytic composition and Mio-Pliocene age (Chillalo, Badda, Chike, Kecha, Figs. 2.13 and 2.16). Some of them exceed 4,000 m in
elevation and have a base of 30–40 km diameter rising from the plateau level for 1,000–1,500 m. Glacial cirques and massive moraines occur at
an altitude of about 4,000 m, indicating that these high mountains were glaciated during the Late Quaternary (Grove et al. 1975).
2.3 LOCAL GEOLOGY

2.3.1 INTRODUCTION

In the study area there are many lithologies exposed, each of these lithologies has its own characteristics features and structures. The
colors, textures composition are very importance to describe each rock units. The lithology’s that are exposed in the study area are:-

 Rhyolite

□ Vesicular rhyolite

□ Aphanetic basalt

□ Vesicular basalt.

□ porphyritic basalt

 Scoria

□ Scoriacies basalt

 Volcanic ash

2.3.2 RHYOLITE
 Rhyolite is a light-colored, Aphanetic texture extrusive igneous rock that typically contains quartz and feldspar minerals and that found in
northeastern and eastern part of study area called Gadaale(Borawali) as dome shape structure. This area is low slope and slightly elongated one.
This rock unit is exposed near hill side at gentle slope; its color is light grey in fresh and brownish in weathered. Its mode of formation is
extrusive and Aphanetic in texture. It is highly weathered and also its diagnostic property is flow banding nature and have highly tilted layer
resulted due to the fault but note that this structure is not associated with this igneous rock unit directly, with out the effect above mentioned.
This fault is typical fault that is parallel to tendaho rift. And also this rock unit has foliation like structure. In this area there is
morphological/weathering effect structure. This rock unit has composition of quartz and feldspar. It melts highly polymerized and form highly
viscous lavas. This rock unit is found associated with Obsidian.

2.3.3 Vesicular rhyolite

Rhyolite is a felsic extrusive rock. Due to the high silica content, rhyolite lava is very viscous. It flows slowly, like tooth paste squeezed out of a
tube, and tends to pile up and form lava domes. If rhyolite magma is gas rich it can erupt explosively, forming a frothy solidified magma called
vesicular rhyolite(a very lightweight, light-coloured, vesicular form of rhyolite).we observed this type of igneous rock in eastern part of the study
area near to borawali.

2.3.4 Aphanetic basalt

It is extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid solidification of volcanic melt. It found in the western part of our study area. It has grey fresh
color and dark grey weathered color. It is mainly characterized by aphanetic texture which is a fine-grained extrusive igneous rock and it is in
massive form. This fine-grained textures generally indicate magmas that rapidly cooled at or near the Earth's surface.

2.3.5 Vesicular basalt

It is extrusive igneous rock formed by the rapid solidification of volcanic melt. we observed this varieties of basalt in the north western part of
study area. It has grey fresh color and dark grey weathered color; it is composed of pyroxene, plagioclase and olivine minerals. It is mainly
characterized by vesicular texture which is small pores or cavities (vesicles) formed when volcanic gas that previously trapped is escaped into
the atmosphere during cooling magma or lava. The degree of weathering for this rock unit is from low to medium.

2.3.6 porphyritic basalt

This is also the varieties of basalt rock formed by the rapid solidification of volcanic melt having phenocrysts and an aphanitic groundmass . The
phenocrysts are plagioclase feldspar (whitish elongated flaky mineral) and olivine (fresh-grey mineral). Porphyritic basalt is characterized by
obvious crystals, usually of plagioclase, which is often white or tan in color. These crystals are typically interpreted as phases that formed before
eruption, where magma was being stored (a “Magma Chamber).This varieties of basalt is dark in color and have massive structure and also is
exposed by gentle slope. We observed this rock type in eastern part of the study area.

2.3.7 Scoria

This rock unit rocks is dominantly exposed in south western part of the study area; which has dark fresh color and reddish weathered color. This
rock unit is exposed at quarry site and cliff exposure. Its mode of formation is extrusive and it contains high volume of vesicles. The units
characterized by poorly welded, highly vesicular and low lithic fragments. It formed cone shaped structure.

2.3.8 Scoriacies basalt

2.4 GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

Geological structures are shapes and structures that formed due to the different tectonic forces (geologic processes).
2.4.1 FAULTS

Faults are the result of the geological process caused by extensional forces acting upon the rock, it is the fracture created from the relative
displacement between two blocks, most of the fault types that have recognized during field were normal fault; which is when one block move
down relative to the other. we observed this structure in north western, western and eastern part of the study area and also in our road geology
field area that covers from seleme to serdo.

2.4.2 VOLCANOES FEATURE

Volcanoes features: are a mountain or hill having a vent through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapour, and gas are erupted from the Earth’s
crust. In the study area, there are different types of land form, these are;

 Scoria cone and

 Lava Dome

2.4.3 Scoria cone

Scoria cone is a type of land form that is formed due to continuous flow of lava. It shows layering lava flow. This layering lava flow represents
the time of eruption and generation of magma. As soon as the molten materials come through the vent, it crystallizes fastly. It is found
southwestern part of our study area.

2.3.4 Lava dome

Lava dome is a small hill (mound) that will form when a lava pile up over volcano’s vent instead of moving away. Since the eruption of lava is
slow, due to high viscosity, the lava flow does not transport far away from the source and form dome shape. Most of the time, the side of a dome
will be steep and composed of silica rich lava. Itis found in the western and eastern part of the study area.

2.3.5 bandej

This type volcanic structure is volcanic structure that indicates lava flow. It is common in rhyolite rock in the study area.

CHAPTER THREE

3. CORRELATION AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

3.1 CORRELATION
3.2 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE

Igneous rocks which are exposed in study area have different economic importance. Most of the rock unit is used for construction application.
Among rock unit that observed in the study area are basalt, rhyolite and scoria.

√ Basalt is used for a wide variety of purposes. People use this rock unit especially for construction of house and for building of dams and
bridge. Vesicular basalt; basalt is mostly used in construction (e.g. as building blocks or in the ground works). It is most commonly crushed for
use as an aggregate in construction projects. Crushed basalt is used for road base, concrete aggregate, asphalt pavement aggregate, railroad
ballast, filter stone in drain fields, and may other purposes. is used in construction (e.g. as building blocks or in the groundwork), making
cobblestones (from columnar basalt) and in making statues. Heating and extruding basalt yields stone wool, said to be an excellent thermal
insulator.

√ Scoria has several useful characteristics that influence how it is used. It is somewhat porous, has a high surface area and strength for its weight,
and often has striking colours. Consequently, it is often used in landscaping and drainage works. It is also commonly used in gas barbecue grills.
Scoria can be used for high-temperature insulation. It is also used on oil well sites to limit mud problems resulting from heavy truck traffic.

√ People use rhyolite to manufacture stone tools, particularly scrapers, blades, and projectile points. It also

It also uses; - Decorative Aggregates, Homes, Hotels, Interior Decoration, Kitchens

-As Building Stone, As Facing Stone, Paving Stone, Office Buildings

- Arrowheads, As Dimension Stone, Building houses or walls,

- Construction Aggregate, Cutting Tool, for Road Aggregate, Knives

 - Artifacts

- Gemstone, Laboratory bench tops, Jewelry and rhyolite is sometimes used to produce crushed stone.

CHAPTER FOUR

4. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

4.1 CONCLUSION
The study area is located in located in northeastern Ethiopia around Asiata. geographically it is bounded between a latitude and longitude of
11°34′N 41°26′E and an elevation of 300 metres (980 ft). The weather condition of the study area varies in season. the lithologies that are
exposed in the study area are scoria, basalt and rhyolite. Geological structures are identified in the study area such as faults. The rock units that
are found in the study area different economic purposes like construction purpose, agricultural purposes etc. In general, the local geology is
correlated with the regional geology based on characteristics such as color, texture, mode of formation, composition, structure, exposure,
mineralogy and so on.