The occurrence and geochemistry of huntite from Neogene lacustrine sediments of the Yalvac-Yarikkaya Basin, Isparta, Turkey


Yavuz F., Kirikoglu M., Ozden G.

NEUES JAHRBUCH FUR MINERALOGIE-ABHANDLUNGEN, cilt.182, sa.2, ss.201-212, 2006 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

Özet

Huntite-magnesite assemblages were formed as a result of Neogene tectonic activity in a shallow lacustrine Yalvac-Yarikkaya basin in the Isparta Bend, southwestern Turkey. The study area hosts two sediment-hosted magnesite occurrences where extremely white huntite levels up to 2 meter-thick were formed intercalated with dolomite. The basement comprises dolomitic and ultrabasic rocks that were thought the primary source of magnesium-rich fori-nations. The huntite occurs both as massive form and void-fillings in dolomite. SEM studies show that the Yalvac huntite is composed of randomly oriented fine-grained platy crystals (< 6 mu m), which were seen in the form of face-to-face aggregates. The ICP-ES analyses indicate that the MgO contents of huntite range between 30.29 to 36.05 wt. % with an average of 32.70 wt.%. On the other hand, the CaO contents of huntites vary relatively in a wide range (9.57 to 18.82 wt.%) with an average of 13.84 wt.%. The Yalvac huntites are characterized by relatively high As (9.20-118.00 ppm), Sr (363.30-654.40 ppm), B (130-223 ppm), Li (16.30-33.50 ppm), Ba (71.15-148.00 ppm), and Zr (2.00-17.40 ppm) contents. It was designated that in a measured vertical lithological unit consisting of entirely dolomite, magnesite, huntite, and to a lesser extent calcite, the trace elements such as As, B, Li, Zr, Sb, and Co were preferentially concentrated within the huntite zones. The ICP-MS analyses point out that the amount of rare-earth elements in huntite is significantly low (Sigma REE = 0.34 to 4.19 ppm) and, in most cases, close to the detection limits. Huntites show marked negative Cc and Eu anomalies in chondrite-normalized REE patterns. Combined DTA and TGA curves of the Yalvac huntite show two characteristic endothermic peaks at 618.6 and 811.1 degrees C that resulted from the decompositions Of MgCO3 and CaCO3 components, respectively with a 40 % weight loss on heating 1200 degrees C. The Mg/Ca mole ratios of huntite range between 2.04 and 3.85 with an average of 2.77.