MINERALOGICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND GENESIS OF THE SEPIOLITE DEPOSITS AT POLATLI BASIN (ANKARA, TURKEY)

Karakaya M. C., KARAKAYA N., TEMEL A.

CLAYS AND CLAY MINERALS, vol.59, no.3, pp.286-314, 2011 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 59 Issue: 3
  • Publication Date: 2011
  • Doi Number: 10.1346/ccmn.2011.0590306
  • Journal Name: CLAYS AND CLAY MINERALS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.286-314
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: No

Abstract

The Middle-Upper Miocene-Pliocene sediments near Polatli contain commercial sepiolitic clay deposits. The sepiolite-rich Polatli basin sediments were studied to describe the sepiolitic clay deposits of the area and to assess the environments of formation using X-ray diffraction, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and chemical analysis. The Polatli basin is an elongated, rift-related graben trending NE-SW in central Turkey, filled with continental Late Miocene to Early Pliocene sediments. The sediments which comprise claystone, marl and limestone, dolostone, and evaporites are characteristic deposits of low-salinity, playa-lake depositional environments. These sepiolite-rich deposits include sepiolite, dolomite, and calcite, with minor amounts of palygorskite, quartz, moganite, amorphous silica (opal-CT), and feldspar.