GOLD - FACT SHEET

The exploitation of placer gold in Ethiopia dates back at least 3,500 years and large quantities of gold have been produced to date. Mineral exploration began in the late 1890s by foreign companies. Mineral exploration for Gold started through the Adola Gold Exploration project in 1942 in collaboration with western countries.

Modern mineral exploration started in 1968 with the founding of the then Geological Survey of Ethiopia (GSE) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

Since the establishment of the Ethiopian Institute of Geological Survey (EIGS) in 1983 and later the Geological Survey of Ethiopia, various geological mapping and mineral exploration projects have been undertaken by the government, both on its own and with the assistance of donor organizations.

Current gold deposits of economic interest have been outlined in several localities of Ethiopia that belong to the Arabo-Nubian shield of the late Proterozoic age, developed as a result of Pan African tectonic-thermal orogeny.

TYPES
Most gold deposits and occurrences in Ethiopia are genetically related to the Orogenic type, though Skarn-related, Intrusive-related, Epithermal, and Volcanogenic Massive Sulfide (VMS) types are currently identified. 

LOCATION

Except for epithermal gold deposits, all the varieties that have been identified are found in Ethiopia’s greenstone belts.

Southern greenstone belt
• Hagere Mariam and Arero greenstone region:
• Moyale greenstone region:
• Adola-Kenticha belt: includes Lega-Dembi, Sakaro, Okote, Wollena, Kumudu, Megado-Serdo, Dawa-Di- gati, Bore, Abab River, Haranfama (northern Kenti- cha), and many others.

Western greenstone belt
• Gambella region
• Akobo Belt, Gambella Regional State
• Benishangul Gumuz
• Western Wollega
• The Tulu Kapi and Ankore area

Northern greenstone belt
• Terakimti, Adi Zeresenay, Zager, Asgede, Mia Koka, and Niraqque as well as the base metals of Tsehafi Emba and others are identified.

Rift Valley of Ethiopia
• Tendaho, in the Afar region of eastern Ethiopia.
• Rift system of Afar Region.
• Gedemsa caldera, near Adama town.
• Adola-Hgeremariam area:
• Gambella
• Western Wollega
• Benishangul-Gumuz.

ADOLA GOLD

In 1949 the first technologically advanced mechanized gold processing plant was introduced in Ethiopia by Adola Gold Development Enterprise and created over 6000 jobs. In 1978 Adola Mineral Evaluation and Development Project (AMEDP) was established under AGDE focused on exploration and geological survey of the region in a modern way supported by technology and industry experts. The AMEDP with over 200 employees produced the first detailed geological map of the Adola Region in which it discovered the Adola belt and identified forty primary gold sources, numerous new alluvial deposits and a range of other rate metals which are being produced to date in Ethiopia.

Notable success of Adola Gold
Introduced the first mechanized gold processing in Ethiopia. Mined and exported over 50 tons of Gold. Discovery of the Legadembi Primary Gold deposit, Adola belt and other rare metal deposits. 

Address

Bole Sub-city,  22 Mazoria
Behind Awararis Hotel
Addis Ababa - Ethiopia

Phone

Office : +251 11 869 9842

Online

info@ethiopianminerals.gov.et
www.ethiopianminerals.gov.et

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