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Alid volcanic center, Northern Red Sea Region, Eritreai
Regional Level Types
Alid volcanic center- not defined -
Northern Red Sea RegionRegion
EritreaCountry

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Latitude & Longitude (WGS84):
14° 52' 36'' North , 39° 54' 52'' East
Latitude & Longitude (decimal):
14.87694,39.91451
GeoHash:
G#: sfsksk2b7
GRN:
N10E28
Köppen climate type:
BSh : Hot semi-arid (steppe) climate
Mindat Locality ID:
131849
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:2:131849:7
GUID (UUID V4):
0


The Alid volcanic center is about 90 km south of Massawa, Eritrea's dominant port city. Alid is an elliptical, 5x7 km, 900-m-tall mountain with its long axis parallel to the direction of spreading of the surrounding Danakil Rift. Though the floor of the rift valley lies near sea level, the adjacent Precambrian highlands of the Eritrean Plateau and Danakil Horst reach 3000 m and 600 m respectively. Nearly all of the rifting and subsidence have occurred since the Oligocene and much of it near Alid has occurred within the last 1 million years (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/staff/jlowenstern/alid/Alidpage.html).

The volcanic center consists of marine sediments, pillow lavas and subaerial volcanic units that were uplifted up to 1 km or more by the intrusion of a pyroxene-bearing magma, which began around 35 ka. This uplift created a structural dome with dips that radiate away from the geographic center of the structure. Uplift caused deformation, landsliding and consequent collapse of the top of the edifice. Subsequently, the summit basin was further excavated when pyroxene rhyolite was erupted 23.5 ka as pumice fallout and pyroclastic flows that originally covered much of the mountain (http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/staff/jlowenstern/alid/Alidpage.html).

In the depressed summit region and northern flank of Alid, there is a fumarolic activity, with clay-alteration and sublimations of sulphates.

Select Mineral List Type

Standard Detailed Gallery Strunz Chemical Elements

Mineral List

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

16 valid minerals.

Rock Types Recorded

Note: data is currently VERY limited. Please bear with us while we work towards adding this information!

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

Select Rock List Type

Alphabetical List Tree Diagram

Detailed Mineral List:

ⓘ Albite
Formula: Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase
Formula: (Na,K)AlSi3O8
ⓘ Alunite
Formula: KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
ⓘ Annite
Formula: KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ 'Apatite'
Formula: Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
ⓘ Augite
Formula: (CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Description: Ferroaugite.
ⓘ 'Biotite'
Formula: K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ Calcite
Formula: CaCO3
ⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)
Formula: Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
ⓘ 'Chlorite Group'
Description: In miarolitic cavities.
ⓘ Diopside
Formula: CaMgSi2O6
Description: Ferrosalite.
ⓘ Fayalite
Formula: Fe2+2SiO4
Description: In pyroxene rhyolite lava of east flank of Alid Mountain.
ⓘ Fluorite
Formula: CaF2
ⓘ Hedenbergite
Formula: CaFe2+Si2O6
ⓘ Magnetite
Formula: Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘ Phlogopite
Formula: KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘ 'Pyroxene Group'
Formula: ADSi2O6
ⓘ Pyrrhotite
Formula: Fe1-xS
ⓘ Quartz
Formula: SiO2
ⓘ Sanidine
Formula: K(AlSi3O8)
ⓘ Zircon
Formula: Zr(SiO4)

Gallery:

List of minerals arranged by Strunz 10th Edition classification

Group 2 - Sulphides and Sulfosalts
ⓘPyrrhotite2.CC.10Fe1-xS
Group 3 - Halides
ⓘFluorite3.AB.25CaF2
Group 4 - Oxides and Hydroxides
ⓘMagnetite4.BB.05Fe2+Fe3+2O4
ⓘQuartz4.DA.05SiO2
Group 5 - Nitrates and Carbonates
ⓘCalcite5.AB.05CaCO3
Group 7 - Sulphates, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
ⓘAlunite7.BC.10KAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Group 9 - Silicates
ⓘFayalite9.AC.05Fe2+2SiO4
ⓘZircon9.AD.30Zr(SiO4)
ⓘChevkinite-(Ce)9.BE.70Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
ⓘAugite9.DA.15(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
ⓘDiopside9.DA.15CaMgSi2O6
ⓘHedenbergite9.DA.15CaFe2+Si2O6
ⓘAnnite9.EC.20KFe2+3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘPhlogopite9.EC.20KMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
ⓘSanidine9.FA.30K(AlSi3O8)
ⓘAlbite9.FA.35Na(AlSi3O8)
ⓘvar. Anorthoclase9.FA.35(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Unclassified
ⓘ'Biotite'-K(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
ⓘ'Chlorite Group'-
ⓘ'Pyroxene Group'-ADSi2O6
ⓘ'Apatite'-Ca5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)

List of minerals for each chemical element

HHydrogen
Hⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Hⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Hⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Hⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
CCarbon
Cⓘ CalciteCaCO3
OOxygen
Oⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Oⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Oⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Oⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Oⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Oⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Oⓘ FayaliteFe22+SiO4
Oⓘ HedenbergiteCaFe2+Si2O6
Oⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Oⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Oⓘ QuartzSiO2
Oⓘ SanidineK(AlSi3O8)
Oⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
Oⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
Oⓘ Pyroxene GroupADSi2O6
Oⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
FFluorine
Fⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Fⓘ FluoriteCaF2
Fⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
NaSodium
Naⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Naⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase(Na,K)AlSi3O8
MgMagnesium
Mgⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Mgⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Mgⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Mgⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
AlAluminium
Alⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Alⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Alⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Alⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Alⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Alⓘ SanidineK(AlSi3O8)
SiSilicon
Siⓘ AlbiteNa(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Siⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Siⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Siⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Siⓘ FayaliteFe22+SiO4
Siⓘ HedenbergiteCaFe2+Si2O6
Siⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Siⓘ QuartzSiO2
Siⓘ SanidineK(AlSi3O8)
Siⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
Siⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
Siⓘ Pyroxene GroupADSi2O6
PPhosphorus
Pⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
SSulfur
Sⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Sⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
ClChlorine
Clⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
KPotassium
Kⓘ AluniteKAl3(SO4)2(OH)6
Kⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ Albite var. Anorthoclase(Na,K)AlSi3O8
Kⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Kⓘ PhlogopiteKMg3(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Kⓘ SanidineK(AlSi3O8)
CaCalcium
Caⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Caⓘ CalciteCaCO3
Caⓘ DiopsideCaMgSi2O6
Caⓘ FluoriteCaF2
Caⓘ HedenbergiteCaFe2+Si2O6
Caⓘ ApatiteCa5(PO4)3(Cl/F/OH)
TiTitanium
Tiⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Tiⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
FeIron
Feⓘ AnniteKFe32+(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
Feⓘ Augite(CaxMgyFez)(Mgy1Fez1)Si2O6
Feⓘ BiotiteK(Fe2+/Mg)2(Al/Fe3+/Mg/Ti)([Si/Al/Fe]2Si2O10)(OH/F)2
Feⓘ FayaliteFe22+SiO4
Feⓘ HedenbergiteCaFe2+Si2O6
Feⓘ MagnetiteFe2+Fe23+O4
Feⓘ PyrrhotiteFe1-xS
Feⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2
ZrZirconium
Zrⓘ ZirconZr(SiO4)
CeCerium
Ceⓘ Chevkinite-(Ce)Ce4(Ti,Fe2+,Fe3+)5O8(Si2O7)2

Localities in this Region

Eritrea

Other Regions, Features and Areas containing this locality

AfricaContinent
African PlateTectonic Plate
Arabian Plate

This page contains all mineral locality references listed on mindat.org. This does not claim to be a complete list. If you know of more minerals from this site, please register so you can add to our database. This locality information is for reference purposes only. You should never attempt to visit any sites listed in mindat.org without first ensuring that you have the permission of the land and/or mineral rights holders for access and that you are aware of all safety precautions necessary.

References

Marini, Angelo (1938) Il Vulcano Alìd Nella Colonia Eritrea. L'Universo, 19, 51-65 and 131-170, translated to English in USGS Open File Report # 98-218.
Barberi, F., Chedeville, E., Faure, H., Marinelli, G., Santacroce, R., Tazieff, H., & Varet, J. (1973). Geology of Northern Afar (Ethiopia). (with a geological map, scale 1:500000). Revue de Geographie Physique et de Geologie Dynamique, Paris, 15, 443-489.
Lowenstern, J. B., Clynne, M. A., & Bullen, T. D. (1997). Comagmatic A-type granophyre and rhyolite from the Alid volcanic center, Eritrea, northeast Africa. Journal of Petrology, 38(12), 1707-1721. doi.org/10.1093/petroj/38.12.1707
Woolley, A. R. (2001) Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World, Part 3: Africa - Alkaline Rocks and Carbonatites of the World. The Geological Society of London.p.71
volcanoes.usgs.gov (2006) http://volcanoes.usgs.gov/staff/jlowenstern/alid/Alidpage.html
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