Group Members

1. Abraham Asmamaw
2. Amanuel Alemayehu
3. Anwar Hussein
4. Asnake Mesfin
5. Ashenafi Ashebir
6. Azeb Tesfaye
7. Bizuayehu Tadele
8. Enkuzer Tadele
9. Habtamu Gulema
10. Henok Aragaw
Question: Assess the properties of the Cheffe Quarry site?

Rock properties inherently are a part of the exploration, design, construction and in service (post
construction) phases of the projects. In Cheffe Quarry site there are some rock masses which means that
rock masses are a mass of rock interrupted by discontinuities such as Joint & Bedding.

And also we have seen Intact rocks at the back site area of the quarry site which means that they have
not discontinuities. According to our observation we have visualized the majority rock in that area is
igneous rocks.

Igneous rocks is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic. And
it is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava.

Now lets see some typical Igneous rocks found in Cheffe Quarry site with their properties.

1. Basalt
According to our observation we list out some basalt properties:

 Are fine-grained volcanic rocks

 Are dense in their weight
 Are appear as Dark color physically
 They mainly consists of plagioclase & Pyroxene
 The weathered part of the rock is brown in color
2. Red Scoria
Scoria is vesicular and dark colored igneous rock that have or have not contain any crystals.  It is
typically dark color, such as dark brown, black or purplish red. Most scoria is basaltic or andesitic in
composition. But in our site observation we mostly saw the reddish type of scoria which we call it
Red Scoria. Now lets list out some properties of Red Scoria according to our observation.

 It has the appearance of vesicular lava

 It is relatively low density due to its vesicles, but it is not as light as pumice
 Based on their texture they contains abundant large gas cavities
 It is red or dark red in their colour
 They are rapid & extrusive in their cooling rate
 vesicular like pumice, but denser and darker with larger vesicles
 its mineral composition related with Predominantly Glass
 3. Pumice
Pumice is also one type of rock from the our observation & it is a volcanic rock that consists of highly
vesicular rough textural rock glass. And lets see its properties:
 It is white to light-gray in their color
 It has a low density due to its numerous air-filled pores. For this reason, it can easily float in
water
 Its texture contains abundant small gas cavities
 It is rapid and extrusive in their cooling rate
 Its vesicular texture is a result of gas trapped in the melt at time of solidification
 Although pumice is mainly composed of glass, small crystals of various minerals occur.

According to our observation in Cheffe Quarry site, lets see the comparisons between Pumice and
Scoria :
Scoria is a mafic volcanic glass. It is an extremely vesicular basaltic lava with very small
vesicles. Pumice is a felsic volcanic glass. It is rock foam with so much air in its structure that it
often floats on water. Close examination of fresh pumice shows its glassy nature. Older,
weathered pumice looses its glassy appearance (volcanic glass rapidly breaks down when
exposed to water), but it is still lightweight and feels abrasive against the skin.
Scoria differs from pumice, another vesicular volcanic rock, in having larger vesicles and thicker
vesicle walls, and hence is denser. The difference is probably the result of lower magma
viscosity, allowing rapid volatile diffusion, bubble growth, coalescence, and bursting.