Tsehay Mewcha, Delanta Woreda, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia i
Regional Level Types
Tsehay Mewcha Town
Delanta Woreda District
North Wollo Zone Zone
Amhara Region Region
Ethiopia Country

Opal mining area located 14 km NNE from Wegeltena town center.

Numberless mines exploit the opal-bearing rhyolitic ignimbrite levels outcropping in the steep slopes of canyons that cut the sub-horizontal volcanic sequence of the 3,000 m high Abyssinian plateau.

Only locals have the permit to mine near Tsehay Mewcha.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

Mineral list contains entries from the region specified including sub-localities

ⓘ Opal

1 valid mineral.

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Opal

Formula: SiO₂ · nH₂O

References:

Schäfer, K. (2012) Feuer im Wasser: Die Vorkommen von neuartigem Edelopal in Äthiopien. Lapis 37:2, 13-16.

Gallery:

SiO₂ · nH₂Oⓘ Opal

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘ	Opal	4.DA.10	SiO₂ · nH₂O

List of minerals for each chemical element

H	Hydrogen
H	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O
O	Oxygen
O	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O
Si	Silicon
Si	ⓘ Opal	SiO₂ · nH₂O

Mindat Articles

Welo Ethiopia Opal by Jon Young

Localities in this Region

Ethiopia

Amhara Region
- North Wollo Zone
  - Delanta Woreda
    - Tsehay Mewcha
      - Mehal Yeheys Opal Mine
      - Wuls Zelhon Opal Mine

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

Africa

East African Rift System (EARS)Zone (Tectonic)

African PlateTectonic Plate

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References

etd.aau.edu.et (n.d.) http://etd.aau.edu.et/dspace/bitstream/123456789/3364/1/Mohammed%20Shikur.pdf

Schäfer, K. (2012) Feuer im Wasser: Die Vorkommen von neuartigem Edelopal in Äthiopien. Lapis 37:2, 17-22 [in German, with explanation of unusual behaviour during cutting and drying].

Boris Chauviré, Benjamin Rondeau, Anne Alexandre, Sarah Chamard-Bois, Carole La, Francesco Mazzero. (2019) Pedogenic origin of precious opals from Wegel Tena (Ethiopia): Evidence from trace elements and oxygen isotopes. Applied Geochemistry Vol. 101, pp 127-139. ISSN 0883-2927

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Tsehay Mewcha, Delanta Woreda, North Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, EthiopiaiRegional Level TypesTsehay MewchaTown Delanta WoredaDistrict North Wollo ZoneZone Amhara RegionRegion EthiopiaCountry function showexplain() { $("#locexplain").toggle(); if (typeof movemap === "function") movemap(); }