A landscape from another world
The Danakil Depression in northern Ethiopia is one of the lowest and hottest places on Earth. Large parts of this geological depression lie more than 100 meters below sea level, and daytime temperatures regularly exceed 50°C (122°F). This region sits at the junction of three tectonic plates that are actively pulling apart, creating a surreal area of active volcanoes, vast salt flats, and bubbling hydrothermal fields.
The most striking area is Dallol, a volcanic crater known for its bright colors. Here, magma heats groundwater, which dissolves minerals like sulfur and iron salts as it pushes to the surface. This process creates highly acidic, toxic hot springs with a pH sometimes below 1. The resulting pools of yellow, green, and orange liquids, surrounded by salt-encrusted formations, make the area an analog for researchers studying the potential for life on Mars. Scientists have identified extremophile microbes living in these harsh conditions, shows how life might survive on other planets.
The White Gold trade
For centuries, the Afar people have practiced a form of salt mining here that has changed little over time. Using traditional hand tools like axes and long poles, miners work in the extreme heat to pry large slabs of salt from the baked earth. The salt crust, a remnant of an ancient inland sea that evaporated thousands of years ago, can be up to 1,000 meters thick in places.
The miners cut the salt into standardized rectangular blocks called amole. These slabs typically weigh between 4 and 8 kilograms. An experienced worker can cut hundreds of these blocks in a single day. These salt tiles were once so valuable they were used as a form of currency throughout Ethiopia until the early 20th century. The work is a cornerstone of the regional economy, with approximately 1.3 million tons of salt extracted annually by about 750 registered miners. The extracted salt is important for household use but also provides important minerals for livestock in a country with Africa's largest livestock population.
Once cut, the amole are loaded onto camels and donkeys for transport. This is the beginning of an ancient trade route that connects the lowlands with the markets in the Ethiopian highlands, such as Mekele. Caravans of up to 2,000 camels and 1,000 donkeys make the journey, which can take several days across the punishing terrain.