مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Investigation of Heavy Mineral Content of Clastic Sediments in Sırçalık Vicinity (Acıpayam, Denizli)

Abstract :

Study area has involved Sırçalık location and surroundings near Pınarbaşı village in Acıpayam in Denizli. In the study area, allochtone rock units (Likya nappes), para allochtone and neootochtone rock units have exposed from bottom to top. Likya nappes, which have consisted of structural units developed in different ambient conditions, represented by Bodrum nappe, Marmaris Ophiolite nappe, Gülbahar nappe and Domuz Dağı nappe in the region. There have been Paraallochtone featured Late Paleocene aged Mamatlar Formation, Eocene aged Varsak yayla Formation, Başceşme Formation and Oligocene aged Acigöl grup above Likya nappes. In case there have been lacustrine Pliocene and Quaternary terrestrial formations at the top of stratigraphic sequence. These neootokton units have exposed over older rock units. The main topic of the study concern with heavy minerals (magnetite, chromite) in these covers units (Quaternary detritic rocks) which were situated at the top the stratigraphic sequence. The upper level of the cover unit forms clastic sedimentary units which consist of harzburgite, dunite, diabase, radiolarite, limestone and sandstone in block, gravel, sand and silt dimensions. These different dimensional particules are bounded by silt and clay cement in bottom of clastic sedimentary unit and the clastic materials are cemented by calcium carbonate cement towards the upper level of clastic sedimentary unit. The study results show that Sırçalık clastic sediments include 1-2 % magnetite and 0.73 % chromite minerals in average. The researched area does not contain any heavy minerals with sufficient quantities to be of economic importance.