Mineral Resources Potential - Geothermal Resources

,
Kaolinldepwits in Ethiopia
Refractory bond. clays and clays suitable for cement manufachuing
occur, in Gonder (Chelga) and Shewa (Koka). Alluvial clay
deposits for brick, tile, pottery and pipe industry occur in Shewa
(Addis Abah w), near Debre Zeit, Akaki, Kaliti and Suhlw
between Debre Sina and Debre khan, and Zega W&l, Ka&
(Bebeka), Adola (Kibre Mengist ma), Wollega milla), Hararghe
(Dire Dawa area), Abay River Valley and the Rift Valley Lake
Regions. The main sources of kaoIin for the ceramic industries are
the weatbering products of granites and pegmatites. Clay materials
for the manufacture of pigments occur in Gondar and Kaffa.
Ceramic clays are common in Ambo, Shewa, Harar arid Adola
(Bombowha or Bombweha). According to Mengistu and Fentaw
(2000), Kaolinite is the predomimt clay mineral of the
Kombolcha (Harar) and Bombowha (Adola) areas with quartz-
&Idspar and illite/muscovite occuring as subordinate minerals,
Alumina is generally above 35% in the Bornbowha kaolin with
,impurity elements such as iron (< 1%) and total alkali rind titanium
accounting for less than 3%. On the contrary, the Kombdcha
kaolin bears a relatively lower alumina (33.24%), and higher total
alkali and iron, averaging 2.54% and 2.63% respectively. Reserves
of kaolin at Bombowha are edhkd to over 0.5 Mt (EGS, 1989).
The Bombowha kaolin mining is supplying the main ceramic raw
materid to the oniy one ceramics factory of Ethiopia, known as
Tabor Ceramics Factory, located in Awassa, south Ethiopia.
Kaolin is an mential constituent of cups, saucers, plates, including
ather porcelain wares including porcelain electrical insulators, In
recent years, domestic output of kaolin and sulfuric acid has been
inhibiid by limited domestic demand: caustic soda, by import
competition and shortages of lime need& as raw material: and