The lacustrine sequence consists of poorly abundant and these include compacted various coloured clays, silts, australopithicenes (Lucy (Dinknesh) and sands, tuffaceous sands and cinerites, family). interbedded with compact layers of limestone, sandstone and calcarious Akilul assefa and R.F Ball traced the flagstone (fig 4). The sequence is capped by bentonite bed between 1.8 and 2.5 m thick. conglomerates. Mammalian fossils are This bed is generally exposed only in a Table 2 Chemical composition of bentonites of afar and gidicho area cliff face and covered in most places by tens The lacustrine clays underlying the plain are of meters of overburden. exposed in river gullies and outliers. In ledi The reserve is estimated to be 925450m3 area 4 bentonite occurrence were identified, with average thickness of bentonite is 4.2 , surface area 647500m3 and the the volume Horizontally bedded grey clay with a of the overburden is found to be 925450m3. greasy luster contains interbeds of 1- 2 cm thickness containing Iron, magnesium and gypsum is located to 3.3 Ledi Bentonite Bentonite sediment were noted on both sides the south of ledi river. of addis ababa assab road 20km south of Extensive exposure of grey to desse junction with in 500m of Ledi river. brownish salty to sandy clay with The area is centered with geographic indistinct horizontal bedding. the coordinates of 1109'30'' N and40041'E (fig2). south of ledi river.
The lacustrine sequence consists of poorly compacted various coloured clays, silts, sands, tuffaceous sands and cinerites, interbedded with compact layers of limestone, sandstone and calcarious flagstone (fig 4). The sequence is capped by conglomerates. Mammalian fossils are abundant and these include australopithicenes (Lucy (Dinknesh) and family). Akilul assefa and R.F Ball traced the bentonite bed between 1.8 and 2.5 m thick. This bed is generally exposed only in a Table 2 Chemical composition of bentonites of afar and gidicho area cliff face and covered in most places by tens of meters of overburden. The reserve is estimated to be 925450m3 with average thickness of bentonite is 4.2 , surface area 647500m3 and the the volume of the overburden is found to be 925450m3. 3.3 Ledi Bentonite Bentonite sediment were noted on both sides of addis ababa assab road 20km south of desse junction with in 500m of Ledi river. The area is centered with geographic coordinates of 1109'30'' N and40041'E (fig2). The lacustrine clays underlying the plain are exposed in river gullies and outliers. In ledi area 4 bentonite occurrence were identified, Horizontally bedded grey clay with a greasy luster contains interbeds of 1- 2 cm thickness containing Iron, magnesium and gypsum is located to the south of ledi river. Extensive exposure of grey to brownish salty to sandy clay with indistinct horizontal bedding. the south of ledi river.
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