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Where is it? -

The coldest lava on Earth can be found in the East African Rift, particularly at a volcano called Ol Doinyo Lengai in Tanzania. This unique volcano, which has an elevation of almost 10,000 feet (3,000 m), produces lava that erupts at much lower temperatures compared to other typical volcanoes.

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Tectonic plates -

The world beneath our feet is made up of nothing more than puzzle pieces, known as tectonic plates, which are always in motion. Ol Doinyo Lengai is located where the African and Somali plates meet. These two plates are actually pulling away from each other, which is why the East African Rift exists and why lava rises from underneath.

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Composition -

Ol Doinyo Lengai’s lava is cold because it is composed of a rare type of lava called natrocarbonatite, which is rich in sodium and potassium. Most other volcanoes are made up of silicon and oxygen (called silicate lava), which holds together far thicker and creates higher temperatures.

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Atypical volcano -

Interestingly, the lava at Ol Doinyo Lengai erupts at less than 1110°F (600°C), which is half the temperature of most other lavas. The last time the volcano erupted was in 2023.

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A red glow -

Due to the low temperature of the lava at Ol Doinyo Lengai, the lava doesn’t glow in the same way that typical lava would. During the day, the volcano’s crater appears dormant and the lava flows black and muddy, but the nighttime sees the crater glow a faint red.

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Global rarity -

Carbonatite lavas are exceedingly rare on the global scale. In fact, Ol Doinyo Lengai remains the only active volcano in the world that erupts with this type of cold lava.

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Appearance -

When the volcano erupts, the carbonatite lava appears black and flows like mud. While normal silicate lava flows at a rate of about 19 mph (30 km/h) and can easily be outpaced by a person, carbonatite lava flows much quicker and easily outpaces a human.

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Dust -

The relieving part about this volcano’s potential danger is that it really doesn’t erupt that often. And when it does, the colder lava rapidly cools and reacts with the humidity in the air, turning the lava white and disintegrating it into a fine powder that scatters across the surrounding hills.

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Preserved for eternity -

When the volcano has exploded in the past, the lava’s colder temperature cooled quickly and allowed many indigenous people to walk across the landscape. Footprints are now scattered around the mountain, preserved for eternity.

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Electronics -

The lava spewed by Ol Doingyo Lengai is actually incredibly rich in rare earth elements, which are essential components for modern electronics.

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Surroundings -

The landscape surrounding the volcano is truly a testament to the way in which the lava’s colder temperature shapes the land. Since the lava flows in mud-like patterns, it settles across the landscape and whitens into unique shapes that appear almost like cracks and rivers.

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Alien landscape -

The area surrounding the volcano isn’t the only place that is unique. The white ash that forms after the lava cools has created an incredibly alien landscape within the volcano itself. Indeed, multiple chimney-like lava towers can be seen inside, appearing like horns in the crater.

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Tall horns -

These lava towers rise considerably above the inside of the volcanic crater. The cold lava from beneath flows like mud out the top, pouring down the side and adding even more carbonatite to the existing structure.

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A scar -

Every time Ol Doinyo Lengai erupts, the resulting cold lava flow quickly cools within hours or days, staining the landscape with white ash. The formation can easily be seen from space, and appears like a scar on the planet’s surface.

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A fitting name -

The Maasai people, indigenous to the region, refer to Ol Doinyo Lengai as the "Mountain of God." They believe that the African god Engai escaped to the volcano after being struck by a hunter with an arrow.

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A different name -

Interestingly, the name given to the volcano by ancient Zulu tribes (another indigenous African group that migrated through the area) is the name that is predominantly used around the world: Ol Doinyo Lengai, which means "Bed of the God of Fire."

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Culture and religion -

Ol Doinyo Lengai holds deep cultural and religious significance for the Maasai people. They consider it a sacred mountain and incorporate it into their spiritual practices, even going so far as performing ceremonies and rituals to honor the volcano.

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Harmonious balance -

The local indigenous tribes exist in harmony with the mountain, and are also known to provide tour guides to foreigners who travel to the region. In fact, this is one of the major elements of the region’s tourism.

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Tourist attraction -

The unique cold lava of Ol Doinyo Lengai attracts tourists and researchers from around the world. Visitors are continuously fascinated by the unusual volcanic activity and the opportunity to witness lava that behaves differently from what is typically expected.

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Conservation -

In 2007, a major eruption at the volcano forced the evacuation of various nearby villages and caused the death of various wild animals. After the eruption, the indigenous people advocated for access restrictions to be implemented in order to preserve the mountain and protect human life.

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Importance of tourism -

But due to the heightened tourism that the volcano’s unique cold lava creates, the Tanzanian government has yet to make any commendations regarding potential access restrictions on the mountain.

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Survivor -

In the same year as the eruption, a local Maasai porter slipped and fell into the crater of the volcano, where the cold lava was flowing. He managed to climb out, but he was severely burned and ultimately hospitalized before recovering. His is the only known case of someone falling into lava and surviving.

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Environmental impact -

The presence of cold lava in the East African Rift impacts the local environment differently compared to hotter lavas. The unique chemical properties of carbonatite lava greatly help soil composition and vegetation in the surrounding area, favoring more nutrient-rich plants.

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Rich soil -

The communities that live near Ol Doinyo Lengai have adapted their meager agricultural practices to the presence of volcanic ash. In fact, the ash enriches the soil with minerals, enhancing the fertility of their crops.

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Livestock -

But despite the abundance of minerals in the soil thanks to the volcano’s ash, the local Maasai people are more pastoral, preferring to rear cattle over agricultural practices.

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Wildlife -

The volcano’s cold lava and ash also helps the local wildlife, particularly the flamingo population of nearby Lake Natron. Although inhalation of volcanic ash is hazardous, the ash’s minerals allow the lake’s algae to thrive, which is a crucial source of sustenance for the birds.

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Research -

Scientists are attempting to monitor and understand this unique mountain and landscape in the hopes of contributing to broader volcanic research. Perhaps the temperature and chemical composition of the lava can aid in some as-yet-unknown scientific advancements.

Sources: (Vulkane Net) (European Space Agency) (Guinness World Records) (IFLScience) (Wired)

See also: How to live near an active volcano

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