The mineralogy and geochemistry of the Recent surface sediments of the Cilicia Basin, northeast Mediterranean
1978; Elsevier BV; Volume: 27; Issue: 1-2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1016/0025-3227(78)90076-2
ISSN1872-6151
Autores Tópico(s)Marine and environmental studies
ResumoDetailed chemical and mineralogical data are presented for 98 samples of surface sediments collected from the Cilicia Basin between Cyprus and southern Turkey. The sediments are largely carbonate-rich muds (mean %CaCO3 = 31.0), though near the Turkish coast higher proportions of biogenic and lithogenic sands and gravels occur. The main minerals present are the carbonate minerals (calcite, dolomite, Mg-calcite and occasionally aragonite), quartz, feldspar, muscovite and clay minerals (illite, smectite, kaolinite, chlorite and serpentine). The geochemical data for the bulk surface sediments show the following mean values: Ca — 12.8%; Mg — 3.3%; Sr — 522 ppm; and on a carbonate-free basis: Fe — 5.3%; Mn — 1103 ppm; Ti — 4100 ppm; Zn — 107 ppm; Cu — 42 ppm; Ni — 326 ppm; Cr — 551 ppm; Al — 7.6%. With the exception of Mn, the geochemical and mineralogical variations can be satisfactorily explained in terms of variations in depositional environment and provenance. The distribution of Mn is affected by secondary mobilisation and reprecipitation. The information presented suggests that the main sources of the sediments lie within the Cilicia Basin or from the adjacent landmasses. The extent of the influence of the different environments and provenances is proposed and, with the help of statistical analysis of the geochemical data, three principal geochemical provinces are defined.
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