Mineral Resources Potential - Geothermal Resources

110 Mind Potential of Ethiopia
heavier than the liquid, they sink to form a cummulate layer at the
base of the intrusive. They are generally found within bad
portions of mafic-ultramafic layered intrusions of Archaean ageT
such as the Bushveld Complex in South Africa. Most of the world's
chromium ores were formed in this manner by the settling of
chromite.
Chromite, used mainly in chemid and metallurgical industries
(chrome fixtures, etc.), is the chief ore of chromium, but, is also
used as a refkctory material.
Chromite mcurrencess h Ethiopia
Occurrences of good quality chromite me found in Sidamo and
Wollega. The chromite occurrences in Sidamo are associated with
serpentinite rocks and we= found in Kenticha (Fig. 32), Metti-
Gola, hbicha Gudda, Dermidama and Molicha, In these localities,
the mineral occurs as lenticular bodia and pods with varying grain
size (medium to coarse grained). M&c and ultrstmafic bodies
hosting chromite are also found in Wollega. Among these
occurrences, the most significm is the Yubdo-Ddleti-Tdu Dimtu
belt where chmite-platinum mineralization is associated. The
detailed geology and potential economic significance of different
chromite occurrences have not been studied so far. Therefo~,
systematic exploration is required to assess the chromite potentid. 1 I
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