Tantalum in Ethiopia
Tantalum in Ethiopia
Tantalum in Ethiopia
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INFORMATION ON THE MINING POTENTIAL OF ETHIOPIA<br />
MINERAL RESOURCES OF<br />
TANTALUM<br />
KEY MINERAL FOR GADGETS<br />
AND ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT<br />
MINERAL RESOURCES OF
MINERAL RESOURCES OF<br />
<strong>Tantalum</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
<strong>Tantalum</strong> is a strategic metal due<br />
to its use <strong>in</strong> one of the most widespread<br />
gadgets <strong>in</strong> modern society,<br />
the mobile phone. <strong>Tantalum</strong> is<br />
also used <strong>in</strong> other types of electronic<br />
equipment and is thus <strong>in</strong><br />
high demand. At present <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
supplies close to ten percent of<br />
the world consumption of tantalum<br />
and has a good potential for a<br />
considerable expansion of the<br />
production.<br />
The trade name for the most common<br />
tantalum-bear<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>eral<br />
is ‘coltan’ whereas the m<strong>in</strong>eralogical<br />
name is colum -<br />
botantalite or columbite.<br />
The Kenticha tantalum de -<br />
posit <strong>in</strong> Southern <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
has Ta/Nb ratios up to 3:1,<br />
which makes the deposit<br />
economically very important.<br />
The Kenticha tantalum-be ar<strong>in</strong>g<br />
pegmatites were first discovered dur<strong>in</strong>g<br />
a geological, 1:250 000 scale, mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
programme carried out by <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n<br />
geologists <strong>in</strong> close co-operation with<br />
Soviet geologists <strong>in</strong> 1980. A major mapp<strong>in</strong>g<br />
and evaluation programme f<strong>in</strong>anced<br />
by the Soviet Union was carried out from<br />
1981 to 1985. The purpose of the project<br />
was to determ<strong>in</strong>e the extent of the tantalum-bear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
rocks and to evaluate their<br />
commercial potential.<br />
The Kenticha pegmatites are situated<br />
<strong>in</strong> the Adola area with<strong>in</strong> the Pre cam -<br />
brian basement of southern <strong>Ethiopia</strong>,<br />
which is the southern part of the<br />
Arabian–Nubian Shield formed by accretion<br />
of ocean arc terranes. The Neo -<br />
proterozoic rocks can be divided <strong>in</strong>to<br />
two dist<strong>in</strong>ct lithologic units:<br />
2<br />
tt bb aa rr a a<br />
Shendi<br />
Omdurmân<br />
Khartoum<br />
Kassala<br />
Abu Gamel<br />
ERITREA<br />
Keren<br />
Sebderat<br />
Adi Ugri<br />
San‘a<br />
Y E M E N<br />
Dhamar<br />
Yarim<br />
Lawdar<br />
Irqah<br />
Ash Shihr<br />
Al Mukalla<br />
Wad Medánî<br />
Om Hajer<br />
Gedaref<br />
Adwa<br />
Melau<br />
Adigrat<br />
Mek’ele<br />
Shaqra<br />
Ahwar<br />
Caluula<br />
Socotra Socot S t r ra<br />
Abd-Al-Kuri<br />
Abd-Al- A Ku K ri r<br />
The Brothers<br />
Gallabat<br />
ETHIOPIAN<br />
HIOP N<br />
Caseyr e<br />
Kosti S<strong>in</strong>ga<br />
Dabat<br />
Sek’ot’a<br />
PLATEAU<br />
PL P A TE T A U<br />
Gonder Lalibela<br />
DJIBOUTI DJIB DJIBOUTI<br />
Bender Qaasim<br />
Qandala<br />
Renk<br />
Er Roseires<br />
NUBIAN<br />
N<br />
DESERT<br />
DESE E R T<br />
Dunkur Alefa Debre Tabor<br />
Dangila Mot’a<br />
Girshit’<br />
Talo T Ta T<br />
Debre Mark’os<br />
A<br />
Debre Birhan<br />
Biye K’obe<br />
Dire Dawa<br />
Gulf of<br />
Saylac<br />
Tadjou TTadjoura adjou adjo ra r<br />
Kar<strong>in</strong><br />
Berbera<br />
Bullaxaar<br />
Shiikh<br />
Hargeysa Burao<br />
Ceerigaabo<br />
Qardho<br />
Ras Xaafuun<br />
Xaafuun<br />
Bender Beyla<br />
Nek’emte<br />
Ankober<br />
Addis Abeba<br />
Mi’eso<br />
Harer<br />
Laascaanood<br />
Eyl<br />
Dembi Dolo<br />
Koma<br />
A Nazret<br />
Degeh Bur<br />
Gore<br />
Hosa’<strong>in</strong>a<br />
Asela ETHIOPIA<br />
ETH T O<br />
O g a d e n<br />
Abera<br />
Waka<br />
G<strong>in</strong>ir<br />
Goba<br />
Batu B<br />
Megalo<br />
irga Alem<br />
e<br />
Maji<br />
Kara<br />
Gidole<br />
Burji<br />
Negele egele<br />
K’elafo<br />
El K’oran ora SOMALIA<br />
SOMALIAA<br />
Hobyo<br />
Hamer Koke<br />
Yabelo YYabelo<br />
Beled Weyne<br />
Xuddur<br />
Buulobarde<br />
Luuq<br />
Nimule<br />
Moyale<br />
Baydhabo<br />
Jawhar<br />
Lodwar<br />
Gulu<br />
U G A N D A<br />
Chalbi C h a lbi<br />
Desert Dese r t<br />
Marsabit<br />
Wajir<br />
Balcad<br />
Afgooye<br />
Uarsciek UUarsciek<br />
Baardheere<br />
Qoryooley<br />
Muqdisho<br />
(Mogadishu)<br />
Marka<br />
I N D I A N O C E A N<br />
Elgon on o<br />
K E N Y A<br />
Baraawe<br />
Afmadow<br />
Jilib<br />
lib<br />
Nanyuki<br />
Giamame GGiamame<br />
Ba B<br />
Shendi<br />
Omdurmân d<br />
Khartoum K<br />
Kassala s<br />
Abu Gamel Ga<br />
Keren<br />
Sebderat<br />
Adi Ugri<br />
San‘a<br />
Dhamar<br />
Yarim Ya<br />
im<br />
Lawdar<br />
Irqah<br />
Ash Shihr<br />
Al Mukalla<br />
Wad Medánî ed<br />
Om m Hajer<br />
Gedaref<br />
Adwa<br />
Melau M<br />
Adigrat<br />
Mek’ele<br />
Shaqra<br />
Ahwar<br />
Caluula<br />
Gallabat ab<br />
Kosti S<strong>in</strong>ga<br />
Dabat<br />
Sek’ot’a<br />
PL P A TE T<br />
Gonder G e Lalibela<br />
Bender Qaasim<br />
Qandala<br />
Renk<br />
Er Roseiress<br />
Dunkur Alefa A<br />
Debre Tabor T<br />
Dangila gi Mot’a ot’a<br />
Girshit’<br />
Debre ebre b Mark’os Mark ark’o a<br />
Debre Birhan Bi Bir Biirh<br />
Biye K’obe<br />
Dire Dawa<br />
Saylac S<br />
Kar<strong>in</strong><br />
Berbera<br />
Bullaxaar<br />
Shiikh<br />
Hargeysa Burao<br />
Ceerigaabo<br />
Qardho<br />
Xaafuun<br />
Bender Beyla<br />
Nek’emte k’<br />
Ankober<br />
Addis Abeba<br />
Mi’eso<br />
Harer H<br />
Laascaanood<br />
Eyl<br />
Dembi Dolo<br />
Koma K<br />
A Nazre Nazret<br />
Degeh Bur<br />
Gore<br />
Hosa’<strong>in</strong>a os<br />
Asela<br />
Abera Aber<br />
G<strong>in</strong>ir nir<br />
Goba<br />
Megalo<br />
Maji<br />
Kara<br />
Burji<br />
Hamer Koke<br />
Beled Weyne<br />
Nimule<br />
Gulu<br />
Gilo Gilo<br />
y y aa bb AA Setit Setit<br />
CC HH OOO KKK E EE<br />
OO mm oo<br />
• Granite-gneiss complex<br />
• Ophiolitic fold and thrust belts<br />
The ophiolitic fold and thrust belts are<br />
composed of mafic and ultramafic volcanic<br />
rocks and metasediments. After<br />
several phases of deformation and<br />
metamorphism the units were <strong>in</strong>truded<br />
by a number of pegmatites among<br />
which the Kenticha pegmatite field<br />
stands out.<br />
The Kenticha pegmatite field<br />
Pegmatites are abundant throughout<br />
the southern part of Neoproterozoic<br />
rocks <strong>in</strong> the Adola area <strong>in</strong> southernmost<br />
Abay Abayy<br />
Mt. Mt M t. Kenya Ke K ny nya Embu<br />
m y<br />
Nairobi<br />
Kitui<br />
Kajiado<br />
Awash A w ash<br />
TT ana ana<br />
Dawa Daw a<br />
ww aa ss<br />
S S NN TTT MM R R AA MM HH AA NTS S N TT MM O O BB EE DD NN EE MM Garissa<br />
A U D O R A N G E<br />
A U D O R A N G E<br />
Ganale Ganale<br />
Wabi W abi Shebele Shebele<br />
JJ uu bb bb a a<br />
andeb andeb<br />
Kismaayo<br />
GG UU LL F F OO F F AA DD EE N N<br />
Webi Webi Shabeelle<br />
Shabeelle<br />
<strong>Ethiopia</strong> is located on the Horn of Africa border<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya.<br />
<strong>Ethiopia</strong>, but are especially abundant <strong>in</strong><br />
the Kenticha pegmatite field where they<br />
occur <strong>in</strong> an area of about 2,500 km2 . The<br />
pegmatites are emplaced at or near a<br />
major NNE-SSW-trend<strong>in</strong>g shear zone.<br />
They range from barren feldspar-muscovite<br />
pegmatites to different types of<br />
rare-element pegmatites.<br />
The Ta bear<strong>in</strong>g pegmatite deposit <strong>in</strong><br />
Kenticha Field is exposed over a 2.5 km<br />
long and 40-70 m wide area. It occurs <strong>in</strong><br />
a package of steeply dipp<strong>in</strong>g serpent<strong>in</strong>ites<br />
and talc-tremolite schists. The<br />
thickness of the pegmatite varies. In<br />
locations where both hang<strong>in</strong>g and footwall<br />
contacts are exposed, thickness<br />
ranges from 40 m to 70 m.<br />
The upper part of the ore body is<br />
strongly weathered to a variety of clay<br />
m<strong>in</strong>erals. The tantalite occurs <strong>in</strong> gra<strong>in</strong> size<br />
from a few millimetres up to about 5 cm.<br />
Weather<strong>in</strong>g has affected the feldspars
and most of the lithium-bear<strong>in</strong>g m<strong>in</strong>e -<br />
rals, whereas the tantalite is unaffected<br />
by the weather<strong>in</strong>g. M<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g is so far conf<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
to the weathered part of the ore.<br />
The ore is simply dug out by a bulldozer,<br />
scooped up onto trucks and driven to a<br />
plant where the ore is mixed with water.<br />
Then the columbite concentrate is produced<br />
through a series of steps of<br />
screen<strong>in</strong>g, jigg<strong>in</strong>g and f<strong>in</strong>al treatment<br />
on shak<strong>in</strong>g tables. The recovery is ap -<br />
proximately 70 percent. The rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
30 percent is stored <strong>in</strong> a vast tail<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
pond for later use.<br />
The deeper part of the ore body is<br />
hard-rock, non-weathered pegmatite.<br />
This ore body has about the same tonnage<br />
as the weathered ore body, but has<br />
not yet been exploited.<br />
The Kenticha pegmatites display<br />
complex zon<strong>in</strong>g. Apart from columbite, a<br />
number of lithium m<strong>in</strong>erals such as lepidolite<br />
and spodumene are found. Fur -<br />
thermore small amounts of beryl and<br />
sulphides occur.<br />
<strong>Tantalum</strong> resource<br />
The Kenticha tantalum deposit is m<strong>in</strong>ed<br />
by the <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>eral Development<br />
Share Company (EMDSC).<br />
• The production is around 100 tonnes<br />
of Ta 2 O 5 per year<br />
• The primary un-weathered ore re -<br />
source is measured to ca. 17,000<br />
tonnes with a grade of 0.017% Ta O 2 5<br />
• The proved ore reserve of the weathered<br />
zone plus a m<strong>in</strong>or part of unweathered<br />
ore is ca. 4,700 tonnes with<br />
an average grade of 0.015% Ta O 2 5<br />
The Ta/Nb ratio varies considerably from<br />
1:1 and up to 3:1.<br />
Uranium contents<br />
Uranium is an abundant trace element <strong>in</strong><br />
part of the ore deposit. The f<strong>in</strong>al tantalite<br />
concentrates typically conta<strong>in</strong>s just above<br />
Lake<br />
Tana<br />
Addis Ababa<br />
0.5% uranium, well above the content<br />
which is acceptable to the European and<br />
North American markets.<br />
Additional commodities<br />
Ma<strong>in</strong> Ethipoian Rift<br />
High-grade Precambrian<br />
Undifferentiated gneisses<br />
and schists<br />
Low-grade Precambrian<br />
Metavolcano-sediments<br />
Metaultramafic-mafics<br />
Precambrian<br />
Phanerozoic Intrusives<br />
Gabbro<br />
Diorite<br />
Granite-tonalite<br />
Palaeozoic Rocks<br />
Mesozoic Rocks<br />
Undifferentiated sediments<br />
Cenozoic Rocks<br />
Early-Mid Tertiary basalt<br />
Upper Tertiary-Quaternary - basalt<br />
Mid Tertiary-Quaternary - felsic rocks<br />
Early Tertiary sediment<br />
Tillites<br />
Upper Tertiary-Quaternary sediment<br />
Simplified geological map of <strong>Ethiopia</strong> with m<strong>in</strong>e symbol at Kenticha m<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
The pegmatites <strong>in</strong> the Adola area display<br />
a variety of m<strong>in</strong>erals of which the lithiumbear<strong>in</strong>g<br />
phases such as spodumene and<br />
Li-micas over time may be valuable byproducts.<br />
In the Kenticha pegmatites, certa<strong>in</strong><br />
parts of the coltan m<strong>in</strong>eralisation carry<br />
low levels of uranium. Uranium <strong>in</strong> coltan<br />
can be a problem or an asset depend<strong>in</strong>g<br />
on the level of uranium. In most parts of<br />
the Kenticha coltan, the uranium is<br />
above the critical level of 0.5%, as is the<br />
case of coltan mentioned above. This<br />
means that Europe will not allow import<br />
of this quality of coltan.<br />
Serpent<strong>in</strong>ite<br />
Quartz core<br />
Weathered<br />
ore body<br />
Weathered tantalum ore body (white) underly<strong>in</strong>g talc-tremolite schists and serpent<strong>in</strong>ites. The quartz<br />
core is stand<strong>in</strong>g out. Plant is seen on the left side of photo.<br />
Geology: Modified from Mengesha et al.(1996)<br />
Geological map of <strong>Ethiopia</strong>, second edition, 1:2,000,000<br />
3<br />
MINERAL RESOURCES OF
MINERAL RESOURCES OF<br />
The <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>eral Development Share<br />
Company now seeks partners to develop a<br />
plant to produce value added commodities<br />
(K Ta F ,K NbF ,Ta 0 ,Nb 0 ,etc.).<br />
2 7 2 7 2 5 2 5<br />
Potential for further tantalum<br />
deposits<br />
The Kenticha m<strong>in</strong>e is situated <strong>in</strong> the southern<br />
part of the Adola belt. Surround<strong>in</strong>g the m<strong>in</strong>e<br />
are numerous show<strong>in</strong>gs of coltan many of<br />
which are exploited by small-scale m<strong>in</strong>ers.<br />
Pegmatites with columbo tantalite show<strong>in</strong>gs<br />
have been traced along the regional shearzone<br />
system for more than 100 km towards<br />
north <strong>in</strong>dicat<strong>in</strong>g where more economic tantalite<br />
deposits may be found.<br />
Reports of coltan m<strong>in</strong>erals <strong>in</strong> placer deposits<br />
farther north towards the border to Somali -<br />
land, and the presence of several coltan m<strong>in</strong>e -<br />
ralisations across the border near Hergeisa,<br />
sub stantiate the assumption that there is a<br />
vast potential for f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g further commercial<br />
tantalum deposits <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong>. The small-scale<br />
m<strong>in</strong>ers around the Kenticha m<strong>in</strong>e do not sell<br />
their columbite concentrate to the local<br />
EMDSC m<strong>in</strong>e, but it is not known who buys the<br />
ore from those m<strong>in</strong>ers. It would clearly be an<br />
advantage for the small-scale m<strong>in</strong>ers and for<br />
Kenticha m<strong>in</strong>e if the m<strong>in</strong>ers sold their concentrate<br />
to the m<strong>in</strong>e.<br />
Shak<strong>in</strong>g tables produc<strong>in</strong>g tantalite concentrate.<br />
4<br />
Up-scal<strong>in</strong>g the Kenticha plant has advantages<br />
and it is likely to take place when the lack<br />
of tantalum ore starts to show after the closure<br />
of the Australian m<strong>in</strong>es. The present production<br />
can, without major difficulties, be<br />
<strong>in</strong>creased and the large tail<strong>in</strong>gs dam host<strong>in</strong>g<br />
the rema<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g 30 percent of the columbite<br />
from the ore is a major asset.<br />
Seek<strong>in</strong>g partners for local<br />
process<strong>in</strong>g and trade<br />
Today the <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>eral Development<br />
Share Company (EMDSC) produces tantalite<br />
concentrate and sells the product on the <strong>in</strong>ternational<br />
market. The rather high uranium contents<br />
of some of the Kenticha ore pose a problem<br />
s<strong>in</strong>ce not all countries allow import of ore<br />
with so much uranium. This is of course not a<br />
favourable situation for neither the company<br />
nor <strong>Ethiopia</strong>.<br />
The <strong>Ethiopia</strong>n M<strong>in</strong>eral Development Share<br />
Company thus urgently seeks partners <strong>in</strong> metallurgy<br />
and m<strong>in</strong>eral process<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> order to<br />
upgrade their f<strong>in</strong>al product. The first step is to<br />
produce a uranium-free product which can be<br />
sold to the European and North American markets.<br />
The next step is to produce tantalum and<br />
niobium compounds such as K TaF and<br />
2 7<br />
K NbF , and the f<strong>in</strong>al step will be to produce<br />
2 7<br />
Ta O and Nb O powder. This will significantly<br />
2 5 2 5<br />
<strong>in</strong>crease the earn<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />
M<strong>in</strong>istry of M<strong>in</strong>es of <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
Dear Investors,<br />
We take this opportunity to welcome you<br />
to <strong>Ethiopia</strong>.<br />
We promise to make every possible effort<br />
to provide you with all required <strong>in</strong>formation<br />
on the m<strong>in</strong>eral sector <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong>.<br />
If you require <strong>in</strong>formation on the m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
law, licens<strong>in</strong>g conditions and the <strong>in</strong>vestment<br />
climate <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong>, please contact<br />
the M<strong>in</strong>eral Licens<strong>in</strong>g and Adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />
Department:<br />
M<strong>in</strong>istry of M<strong>in</strong>es<br />
M<strong>in</strong>eral Licens<strong>in</strong>g and Adm<strong>in</strong>istration<br />
Department<br />
P.O. Box 486<br />
Addis Ababa, <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
Tel. +251 11 6461214<br />
Fax +251 11 6463454<br />
Email: <strong>in</strong>formation@mome.gov.et<br />
www.mome.gov.et<br />
If you require <strong>in</strong>formation on the geology<br />
and m<strong>in</strong>eral opportunities <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong>,<br />
please contact the Geological Survey of<br />
<strong>Ethiopia</strong> (GSE):<br />
Geological Survey of <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
P.O. Box 2303<br />
Addis Ababa, <strong>Ethiopia</strong><br />
Tel. +251 6 463325<br />
Fax +251 6 463326<br />
Email: Survey@ethionet.et<br />
www.geology.gov.et<br />
We are look<strong>in</strong>g forward to your m<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>in</strong>vestment <strong>in</strong> <strong>Ethiopia</strong>.<br />
Prepared with assistance from GEUS.<br />
December 2010