Volcano is a geological formation, a place where magma emerges to the surface. The release of magma is accompanied by the formation of lava, volcanic gases and pyroclastic flows. Separate sciences are responsible for the study of volcanoes - geomorphology and volcanology. It is customary to classify volcanoes by the type of building, by shape, by the method of eruption, and by other characteristics. But today we are not talking about a simple volcano ...
Today we want to tell you about the unusual volcano Dallol located in the desert Danakil in the north Ethiopia.
Coordinates:14.241667, 40.300000
Danakil Desert known not only for its famous volcano, but also for the world record of temperature. Average annual temperatures in the period 1960 - 1964 here did not fall below 34 degrees Celsius ... Recorded maximum so far remains unbeaten temperature record.
But tourists are attracted not by the hot climate, but by the local attraction - the amazing Dallol volcano, which is located at around 48 meters below sea level. The volcano is named after a small village of the same name located nearby.
So to whom or to what does Dallol volcano owe its uniqueness and variety of colors?
The answer is simple - of course, chemistry.
Complex chemical processes occurring underground, throw geothermal waters onto the surface of Dallol volcano, which is a complex mixture of many chemical elements. The main "dyes" here are ions of potassium salts, iron, manganese and sulfur.
Ions of salts and other chemical elements, appearing on the surface of the earth crystallize, and then completely freeze. This leads to the fact that the volcano is covered with many rock formations, often not exceeding 40 meters in height.
Additional "cosmicity" to Dallolu is provided by endless gas emissions, which create many fumarol (deposition of thin layers of salts).
The last eruption of Mount Dallol was recorded back in 1926. It was accompanied by a large explosion, which led to the appearance of a poisonous lake of violet-yellow color. The deceiving brilliance of the water attracts the inhabitants of the Danakil Desert, for whom the vapors of acidic liquid can be fatal.
For the excursion to end successfully safety precautions must be followed: use special closed shoes with thick soles, use special dense clothing, avoid getting vapors into the respiratory tract, avoid getting "colored water" on the skin.
From year to year, the surface of the potash formations around the crater increases by several thousand tons, which makes it possible mining salt in large volumes.
Once upon a time, there was even a railway along which British businessmen, using Chinese workers, planned to transport all products to the sea, from where they could be shipped to another continent.
But local residents did not like this option, and they made every effort to keep their attraction intact. The workers were expelled, and the businessmen left the territory of the volcano forever.
Today only a few representatives of the people can be found here. afar who are still looking for salt crystals, which they then cut into plates and bring them on camels to the nearest town Mekele for the purpose of selling. This allows them to earn at least some money to feed their families and keep livestock.
By the way, Dallol is one of the poorest settlements in all of Ethiopia.
Locals believe in the legend that the local Dallol volcano- this is the so-called "gate to hell". That is why they try to keep it safe from outsiders.
Landscapes Dallol volcano perfect for travel and new impressions, and also serve as a source for vivid and unforgettable photographs!
Dallol Volcano video (Ethiopia, Danakil Desert)
Dallol is the name of a dormant volcano, as well as a nearby abandoned village in Ethiopia. Dallol Volcano and its surroundings are known as the hottest place on Earth, because in the period from 1960 to 1966, an absolute record of the average annual temperature (+34 ºC) was set here. However, record temperatures aren't the only thing Dallol is famous for. The fact is that the local landscapes look alien due to potassium salts, manganese, iron, which are washed out to the surface by hot springs and paint it in almost all colors of the rainbow. Salts, once on the surface, quickly crystallize and freeze in bizarre shapes. Sometimes frozen salt pillars reach 40 meters in height.
Astronomers say that the surface of Io, the moon of Jupiter, looks about the same (Io is the most geologically active celestial body in the Solar System: ash and lava flows from more than 400 active volcanoes paint the surface of Io in various shades of yellow, white, red, black and green ).
Dallol volcano last erupted in 1926. Now in the crater of the volcano there is a lake located at an altitude of 48 meters below sea level (this is the lowest terrestrial volcano).
Dallol is one of the few places on the planet where potash deposits come straight to the surface. It was estimated that in one spring more than a thousand tons of potassium salts were washed up to the surface with water. At the beginning of the 20th century, potash mining began in the area. At first, the delivery of the extracted salts was carried out by camels to the sea, but then a railway was built almost to the place of extraction. However, in 1929, the production ceased, tk. The USSR, Germany and the USA began to supply cheaper potash fertilizers to the world market. Since then, mining in this area has been repeatedly tried to resume, but to no avail. At present, the village of potash miners is abandoned; the remains of houses from the walls built from salt blocks, as well as old equipment and tools, are still preserved.
The Ethiopian government granted the right to develop the Dallol mine to a British company in 2009, but the local Afar nomadic people, who claim Dallol as their own, in protest attacked Chinese workers who began building the railroad and the Dallol potash project was canceled. Afar collect crystals of salt from Dallol, then cut these crystals into plates, which are then delivered on camels for sale to the nearest city - Mekele.
Many people dream of personally admiring the amazing unearthly landscape of Dallol, but due to the lack of roads to this area, the flow of tourists is still insignificant. The journey from Mekele to Dallol takes one day by car, and this route is not always safe: there are cases of attacks on tourist cars by separatists from the Afar Revolutionary Democratic Front (ARDUF).
However, you can admire the multi-colored surface in a safer place - the village of Shamarel on the island of Mauritius, and in Turkish Pamukkale you can see beautiful snow-white salt terraces, which were formed in the same way as the Dallol surface - by washing out mineral salts onto the surface.
- Location: eastern Ethiopia, Danakil depression
- Height:-48 m
- Crater diameter: 1450 m
- Last major eruption: 1926 g.
- Average annual temperature:+34 ° C
Volcano formation
Dallol Volcano is located in Ethiopia, in its northeastern part, and is considered one of the most interesting places in the world. Its unearthly landscapes have been compared to those of Io, Jupiter's first and most active moon. Solidified lava, bizarre salt pillars and different colored sulfur lakes create a unique view of Dallol Crater.
Volcano formation
Scientists believe that this mountain is already more than 900 million years old, while the very process of its appearance in the depression is still a mystery. One of the versions assumes an internal eruption, when magma came out under the volcano itself, collapsing its walls, which created such an original shape of a crater with a neck of a high area.
Ethiopian Dallol Today
The last major eruption was recorded in 1926, but even now the volcano does not sleep, continuing its vigorous activity. It raises mineral salts to the surface of the crater lake:
- potash;
- iron;
- manganese.
They paint salt deposits in reddish, yellow, greenish colors, creating the amazing rainbow landscapes that can be seen in all photos of Dallol Volcano.
The salt itself, crystallizing on the surface, often forms pillars of different heights from 20 cm to several meters, which creates an inimitable architectural ensemble inside the crater.
Another local feature can be found in inland lakes - these are salt formations of a special form, most of all reminiscent of bird eggs with a thin shell.
Salt mining in Dallol
Previously, there was a settlement of the same name on the slopes, from which all people eventually left. Now the territory of Dallol volcano is uninhabited, only salt deposits are being developed here, which are constantly being updated. On the nearest to Black Mountain, about 1000 tons of salt is extracted annually, which is subsequently processed and used in the food industry. Local residents working in the salt mines cut it into large slabs, which are sent to factories in Mekela.
Hellish abyss
There is an opinion that the crater of Dallol volcano is the gates of Hell, described as early as the 1st century BC. BC NS. Enoch of Ethiopia in his book. It is about the upcoming end of the world, which will begin when the gates open and the whole world will be consumed by the fire that came out of them. He also mentions a tribe guarding the entrance to hell, which is distinguished by its harsh morals, which is very reminiscent of the Tribes who once lived here. The exact coordinates are not indicated in the book, but many scientists and researchers believe that Dallol is quite suitable for all descriptions of the place of the beginning of the future Apocalypse.
How to get to Dallol volcano in Ethiopia?
The volcano is located in the most remote part of the northern, in Afar, where there are no roads and other signs of civilization. The only route here from the nearest town of Mekele is the caravan route, along which the salt mined in the region is delivered by camels. It will take a whole day to ride the "ships of the desert" to the volcano.
Travelers to get to Dallol often choose full excursion programs in the north of the country, which start from the capital of Ethiopia. Depending on the program, tours take from 1 to 2 weeks. They include, in addition to the volcano, visits to the Danakil Desert, the Afrera Salt Lake, the homes of local Afar people, and more. etc. Such tours are convenient in that they fully provide travelers with everything they need, including accommodation and means of transportation, as well as security, water and food supplies for the entire duration of the tour. The trip takes place in powerful off-road vehicles that are not afraid of the sands. Average tour price is $ 4200.
Ethiopia. Dallol Ertale
Latitude 14.242 ° N 14 ° 14 "30" N / Longitude 40.30 ° E 40 ° 18 "0" E
Dallol volcano, which in the language of the local Afar tribe (located in the small village of Hamed-Ela) is called "a place of no return", or "place of entrance to hell", is located inDanakil Depression in northeastern Ethiopia, in the most remote areas with the highest average temperature and the lowest volcanic activity on the planet. Experts continue to disagree on whether Dallol should be considered a volcano or "just" an area of geothermal activity. During the last eruption of the Dallol volcano, there was a strong explosion of groundwater, which devastated the area and destroyed the mountain literally to the ground. The volcano includes Mount Dallol (which rises only 50-60 meters above the surrounding salt flats and has an approximate size of 1.5 x 3 kilometers) and a number of other surrounding features, such as the 1926 crater near Black Mountain at about 1 , 5 kilometers southwest. Black Mountain is a bluish-steel body of water surrounded by rusty red soil, located in the immediate vicinity of a massive rock with black lava. Although the stench is terrible and resembles fertilizer with pig dung. If you take off the oxygen mask (without which it is simply impossible to be here), a gag reflex immediately occurs. On the way to Hamed Ela there is another group of acid bubble pools. At first glance, they look like a huge yellowish-brown therapeutic pool, but in fact, they are poisonous.Dallol is located at least 1000 meters above a thick layer of quaternary vapor, including a large potash salt resource, the source of which will be discussed in more detail below. Mount Dallol is believed to have been formed by the eruption of basaltic magma. The circular depression near the center of Mount Dallol is believed to be a collapsed crater, although neither its age nor the exact process that led to it is known. The southwest flank of Mount Dallol contains impressive salt canyons formed by erosional processes. Sour waters pouring from the ground onto your feet and everything around you sometimes get quite smelly and pungent. Visitors to this unique geothermal source, though, will be rewarded with visual fireworks of color, shape and fantasy. Surrounded by a yellow-green sea, where sulfur floats like layers of ice, small islands of solid rock rise from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the entire volcano. It is interesting to know that expanding gases in magma can produce spectacular low viscosity lava fountains. You can also hire an English-speaking guide from Mekelle, which is half way from Berhale, who, among other things, organizes compulsory security in the form of police officers who will accompany travelers.
In 1926, a phreatic eruption formed a 30 meter wide crater, and this was the last significant event in the life of Mount Dallol. ... Currently, activity is taking place in the hot salt springs. The salts are washed out from the underlying layers and transported to the surface by geothermal hot water and crystallize quickly as the water evaporates. The characteristic white, yellow and red colors are the result of sulfur and potassium salts colored with various ions. Dallol terminology is often used to define even a large area, which can be confusing because there is mining in the area.
Danakil Depression is in what is actually the northern extension of the East African Rift Zone. It is in a rift created by gradual separationthe Danakil jut from the Ethiopian highlands. Since the area is 120 meters below sea level, it has been flooded several times, while the ongoing rifting process has allowed water to cross from the Red Sea. The area appears to have been separated from the Red Sea some 30,000 years ago when volcanic activity northward in the vicinity of Zula Bay again created a barrier to the sea's entry. After each flood, partial or complete evaporation of the sea water resulted in massive salt deposits. These deposits are highly layered because when large masses of salt water evaporate, sodium, calcium, magnesium and potassium carbonates, sulfates and chlorides precipitate, which occurs at various stages of the evaporation process. Basically, the deposits of natural potassium chloride are 15 to 40 meters thick.Potash deposits cannot be formed simply by the simple evaporation of seawater, but are believed to form as a result of the rise in hydrothermal brine solutions in the overlying seawater during evaporation. Geothermal / volcanic activity is indeed common in continental extended basins such as the Danakil Depression and further evidence of volcanic networks in the area that includes the active Erta Ale volcano. Even if the lava does not come to the surface, the volcano is quite active and dangerous. It is a wide basalt volcano that is about 50 kilometers in diameter and rises more than 600 meters above sea level. At its summit, the volcano forms an elliptical funnel (volcanic crater), about 1600 x 700 meters wide. According to scientists, the volcano has erupted 7 times over the past 125 years.
Primary ( those. Sedimentary) potash deposits in the Dallol area tend to occur with other fumes, and the entire area around Dallol is covered on the surface with alternating layers of rock salt and mud at depths of several meters. This "crust" is the result of periodic flooding of the area, sediment of enriched waters from nearby uplands and subsequent drying out. In the south of Dallol, the crust is cut into rectangular slabs and travels up into the highlands near an endless procession of camel caravans. These plates are later sold to Mekele for processing into table salt.
Mount Dallol is one of the few places where potash deposits are found on the surface. They are brought to the surface geothermally
heated underground water and can form large secondary deposits, because the water that carries them evaporates. It was once calculated that in the spring in the Black Mountain region, about 1000 tons of potassium chloride were brought to the surface in one year. Black Mountain consists of table salt, enriched with manganese.
The colorful springs on Mount Dallol derive their colors primarily from iron chloride and iron hydroxide (both white-greenish), iron chloride (tan), and iron oxide (brown). Active sources are usually white or yellow in color, while older inactive sources eventually become rust colored as a result of ongoing oxidation processes.There are also numerous areas of fumaroles on Mount Dallol.
Fumaroles have a low temperature and are only visible when they emit a little gas. The proportion of sulfur dioxide appears to be quite low and the deposits formed are not crystalline sulfur, as in many areas where fumaroles are found. Formations similar to eggs, fumarole deposits can be observed from white to yellowish color. They seem to be made of thin layers of salt. Be careful while walking, as there may be small holes. You also need to know that the terrible desert heat intensifies the evaporation of gas and, in particular, after 10, everything becomes unbearable and dangerous without oxygen masks. Walking in the region is quite dangerous as the concentration of gas on the ground can become so high that kneeling down to take a better photo can lead to temporary loss of consciousness and suffocation.The salt canyons southwest of Mount Dalol are some of the most impressive geological features in the area. Salt pillars reaching heights of up to 40 meters have been found in these canyons and erosion has created elevated areas. The pillars are composed of hundreds of layers of slightly pinkish salt deposits separated by thin layers of gypsum-like material. The posts, covered with gypsum anhydrite and clay, are protected from rain erosion.
A few kilometers south of the mountain Dalol also has beautifully colored springs. They include a lake with a diameter of 40-50 meters, which contains yellow water. The surface looks bluish, but in places where waters rise to the surface, a yellow color becomes visible, giving an unusual color contrast. Several medium to small geysers are seen on islands in the lake or along its coastline. The landscape around these springs is red, presumably due to iron compounds.
Potash deposits have economic value as a component of fertilizers. The first mining attempts were made in 1906. Camels were first used as transport. In 1917, they began to build a railway and a terminal, to which trucks drove up. Then a deep-water port was built Massawa.
Today you can see the remains of mining infrastructure, workers' dwellings, walls that were built from salt blocks.
In 2007, an Indian coal company received a license to extract potash fertilizers.
In early 2011, heavy rains led to an increase in water entering the hydrothermal systemon Mount Dalol. The result was extensive filling of the area Central Depression in Dalol together with hydrothermal waters. The area covered by the active springs was also much larger than in normal years, and temperatures in many springs were unusually high with several areas of increased vaporization or severe degassing. Insignificant geyser activity could be observed in some places. In addition, one area had a large number of dark green hydrothermal deposits. The images below were taken at the end of January 2011.The beautiful hot springs in Dalol are attracting an increasing number of tourists, with many tour operators organizing tours to Danakil Depression to see the springs and the Danakil Depression volcano further south. Mount Dalol can currently be reached by 4x4 vehicle, within 1 day from Mekele and 2 days from the Addis-Djibouti main road. However, in 2007 and 2008 there were repeated attacks on tourist convoys by separatists from R Evolutionary Democratic Front ( ARDUF). Creation improved infrastructure gradually increases security, but even the current small but rapidly increasing tourist flow is causing visible damage to the fine structure in the geothermal area.
When you look around and see bright colorsreflected from the stones, various stone-shaped limestone structures built by nature and the calm relationship of hot springs with everything, you will feel as if you were on another planet.Location Map, Dallol Volcano, Ethiopia:
Dallol Volcano is one of the most unusual natural phenomena on our planet. Looking at its crater and the surrounding landscapes, it seems as if this territory came off the canvas of the artist, who embodied the space landscapes of the satellite Io in paints. In addition to its extraordinary beauty, the giant's area is known as one of the hottest regions on Earth. The average daily maximum temperature in this area reaches 41 ° C, and the average annual is about 35 ° C. What else is Dallol so special about? Its crater is one of the lowest subaerial volcanic openings and is located 48 meters below sea level.
Location: Danakil, Ethiopia
Height: - 48 m
Type: volcanic crater
Number of eruptions: 2 since 1926
The volcano is located in the Danakil Basin within the Ethiopian Afar Basin, where the Aden Ridge, the East African Rift and the Red Sea Rift intersect. During its formation, the basin experienced several floods, but the seawater quickly evaporated in a dry, hot climate. It is believed that in a few million years this region will be completely flooded and.
Much of Danakil is covered with salt marshes, basaltic lava flows, numerous shield volcanoes, and subaerial craters formed during phreatic (steam) explosions. One such eruption created Dallol Crater in 1926. Since then, the volcano was dormant, but in January 2011 it exploded again and was active for 4 days.
Dallol emerged from the intrusion of basaltic magma into the Miocene salt deposits, followed by hydrothermal activity. The current state of the volcano is characterized by numerous hot springs and occasional geysers. An oversaturated saline solution emerges from the hot springs and forms salt cones of white, yellow, brown, orange and green colors. Unusual colors are associated with the vital activity of halophilic algae, as well as with the fact that on the way to the surface, water passes through evaporite deposits, dissolving salts, potash and other minerals.
The beauty of Dallol's landscapes attracts many tourists, but the crater is dangerous to visit, as pools of acid water can be found under the thick crust of solidified salt. The harsh climate of Danakil and the remoteness of the volcano from civilization pose no less threat. There are many known cases of attacks on tourists, so excursions to Dallol are accompanied by armed guards. 
