Ethiopia is known to the world as the museum of Ethnography. Archeology and Anthropology and a cradle of civilization of humankind. As a result the country has attracted the attention of the world’s intellectuals in various fields including in the areas of the geosciences.

To this effect, various rock samples of Ethiopian origin have been photographed and displayed on a stamp to be presented and distributed to all users including philatelists. In this issue, the Ethiopian Postal Service presents four types of stamps depicting granite slab samples with a brief highlight as follows:

There are abundant occurrences of granites in Ethiopia that possess a very good quality. Generally, they are sync to post tectonic in origin and occur in various parts of the country.

Sidamo (Meleka Rose) Granite

Meleka granite is located in Oromia Region, Negele Zone about 445 km from Addis Ababa along the Negele road. The Meleka granite body is light gray, to gray, weathered to pinkish in color, and shows exfoliation. It is coarse to medium grained, massive, equigranularity texture, dominantly quartzo feldespathic with minor mica (biotite). Quartz veins and veinlets are commonly found in the rock. From the results of petrographical analysis, petrophysical tests, investigation of jointing system and block size measurement, it can be concluded that Meleka granite is suitable for dimension and facing stone. The total reserve of Meleka granite body is calculated over 2,000,000 M³.

Wellega (Gutin Mahogany) Granite

Gutin Mahogany Granite is located in Easter Wellega Zone, Oromia Administrative Region. The town Gutin is about 70 km north of Nekemt. The granite concession area is 13.5 km north of the town of Gutin along the Nekemt-Bure road. The granite body at Gutin is light gray to white gray, medium grain size, containing conspicuously large pink feldspar. It has white gray plagioclase augens in the groundmass of relatively fine quartz plagioclase and iron oxide. biotie, hombiendes, quartz plagioclase arid iron The large feldspar grains are 5 by 3.5cm. The 9 body is foliated, sheared, and occasionally massive The results of petrographical analysis, petropny tests cutting-polishing properties, the jointing system block size measurement reveal that Gutin granite occurrence is considered to be suitable for dimension and facing stone. The total reserve of Gutin Mahogany Granite body is calculated over 2,000.000 meter cube

Harrar (Juparana) Granite

The Harrar Juparana Granite is located at 521 km east of Addis Ababa near the small town of Hamariesa. The commission area is 20 km north-west of Harrar town. The Juparana Granite is massive and medium graine The minerals that compose this granite are pink feldspar, glassy quartz and dark Magnesian mineral (brotite). The feldspars generally dominate in most places imparting pink color to the granite. The total reserve of Juparana Granite body is calculated over 11,853,209 M³.

Tigray (Semen Pink) Granite

Semen Pink Granite is found in Tigray Region around Shire at about 1100 km north of Addis Ababa. This Granite is light -red with small pink, white and brown dots. Semen Pink Granite is compact and Homogeneous. From the results of petrographical analysis and petrophysical tests, the semen Pink Granite is very suitable for dimension and facing stone, pavements, walkways and exterior wall cladding. It neither changes its color nor wears off easily. Total reserve of Semen Pink Granite body is calculated over 450.500 meter cube.