Geology, Alteration and Geochemical Characteristics of Inlice (Konya-Turkey) High Sulphidation Epithermal Gold Deposit

Inlice high sulphidation epithermal gold deposit is located in the Erenlerdag-Alacadag Volcanic Complex (EAVC), approximately 40 km southwest of Konya city centre. The volcanic and volcano-sedimentary rocks seen in the study area are andesite, block and ash flow, basaltic andesite lava flow and andesite lava flow, from oldest to youngest. The youngest units unconformably covering the volcanic and volcano-sedimentary rocks are talus and alluvium. Four different alteration zones in the andesites moving from the centre of the alteration toward fresh rock are i) silicified zones (consisting of vuggy-sugary and chalcedonic/opaline quartz veins), ii) advanced argillic alteration, iii) intermediate argillic and iv) propylitic alteration. In addition, a potassic alteration zone consisting of magnetite, quartz, biotite and anhydrite was identified in the deep part of the Merkez Zone. The mineralisation is commonly represented by pyrite, and to a lesser extent enargite, chalcopyrite, covellite, chalcocite, sphalerite and marcasite. Petrographically, the fine-grained gold grains (between 2-6 mu m) are only observed in areas where sulphide minerals are oxidised. The degree of geochemical variation in the alteration zones decreases from silicified zones to propylitic alteration, and this variation is largely consistent with the mineralogies observed in these zones. Moreover, enrichment in As, Sb, Bi, Ag and Au, and depletion in Zn and Ni are especially notable from fresh/least altered andesites towards advanced argillic alteration and silicified zones. In addition, studies showed that the high Pb value in chalcedonic/opaline textured quartz veins and low Rb/Sr value in advanced argillic alteration and silicified zones can be used as a geochemical guide, at least for the Inlice region.İnlice yüksek sülfidasyon epitermal altın yatağı, Erenlerdağ-Alacadağ Volkanik Kompleksi (EAVK) içerisinde ve Konya ilinin yaklaşık 40 km güneybatısında yer almaktadır. Çalışma alanında stratigrafik konumlarına göre alttan üste doğru andezit, blok ve kül akıntısı, bazaltik andezit lav akıntısı ve andezit lav akıntısı olmak üzere dört birime ayrılan volkanik ve volkano-sedimanter kayaçlar, yamaç molozu ve alüvyonlar tarafından uyumsuz olarak örtülürler. Andezitler içerisinde gözlenen alterasyonların merkezinden dışa doğru sırasıyla kovuklu-şeker ve kalsedonik/ opalin dokulu kuvars damarlarından oluşan silisleşmeler, ileri arjilik, ortaç arjilik ve piropilitik alterasyon zonları tanımlanmıştır. Bu alterasyon topluluklarına ek olarak sadece Merkez Zonun derin kesimlerinde gözlenen manyetit, kuvars, biyotit ve anhidrit içerikli potasik bir alterasyon zonu da tanımlanmıştır. Cevherleşmeler, yaygın olarak pirit daha az oranda enarjit, kalkopirit, kalkosin, kovellin, sfalerit ve markazit gibi sülfid mineralleri ile temsil edilmektedir. Petrografik olarak altın taneleri özellikle sülfid minerallerinin oksidasyona maruz kaldığı kesimlerde saçınımlı olarak 2 ile 6 µm arası boyutlarda gözlenmektedir. Alterasyon zonlarındaki jeokimyasal değişimin derecesi silisleşmelerden piropilitik alterasyona doğru azalmakta olup, bu değişim, alterasyon zonlarında gözlenen mineralojik değişimle uyumludur. Bununla birlikte taze andezitlerden ileri arjilik alterasyon ve silisleşmelere doğru özellikle As, Sb, Bi, Ag ve Au gibi elementler zenginleşme gösterirken, Zn ve Ni’deki fakirleşmeler belirginleşmektedir. Ayrıca yapılan çalışmalar kalsedonik/ opalin dokulu kuvars damarlarındaki Pb ile ileri arjilik alterasyon ve silisleşmelerdeki düşük Rb/Sr değerlerinin en azından İnlice bölgesi için jeokimyasal bir kılavuz olarak kullanılabileceğini göstermektedir

The mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry of Kesikköprü Fe-oxide deposit, Bala-Ankara

Kesikköprü Demir Yatağı, kristalize kireçtaşları (yer yer dolomitik) ile diyorit, gabro ve piroksenitlerden oluşan mafik-ultramafik kayaçlar ve granit, granodiyorit, monzonit ve bunların porfirlerinden oluşan granitoyidlerin dokanaklarında gelişen bir yataktır. Bölgede bulunan demir-oksit cevherleşmeleri, bu özelliği ile yapısal kontrolden çok litolojik kontrollü olan ve kısmen magnezyumlu, hakim olarak kalsiyumlu skarn özelliklerini taşıyan bir cevherleşmedir. İşletme sahası içerisinde skarnlar, dar ve sınırlı oluşumlu endoskarnlar ve daha geniş yayılımlı ekzoskarnlar olmak üzere iki grupta tanımlanmaktadır. Çok genel olarak granitoyidlerden kristalize kireçtaşlarına ve mafik-ultramafik kayaçlara doğru granat-piroksen minerallerinden oluşan endoskarn zonu, granat±piroksen, piroksen±granat, epidot-granat ve epidot ekzoskarnları şeklinde bir zonlanmanın olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Ekzoskarn zonları, özellikle epidot-granat ve epidot zonları, ekonomik manyetit cevherleşmeleri açısından önemli bir değere sahiptir. Cevherleşmeye neden olduğu düşünülen Kesikköprü granitoyidinden alınan örneklerin jeokimyasal analiz sonuçlarına göre işletme sahasındaki granitoyidlerin tamamı subalkalen, kalkalkalen ve şoşonitik karakterdedirler. Al-doygunluğu açısından da metalümina-az peralümina özellikleri göstermekte olup I-tipi granitoyidler sınıfına girmektedir. MORB'a göre normalize edilen iz element dağılım desenlerinde granitoyidlerin özellikle Sr, K, Rb, Ba, Th, Ta, Nb, Ce, kısmende P, Zr ve Hf'ca zenginleştiği, Ti, Y'ca da fakirleştiği söz konusudur. Tektonik ortam ayırtlama diyagramlarında ise granitoyidler, syn-COLG, VAG ve WPG alanlarında kesişmekte ve çarpışma sonrası granitoyidlerin karakterini göstermektedir. Kesikköprü granitoyidi, OAKK (Orta Anadolu Kristalen Kompleksi)'nde ve dünyadaki diğer Fe-skarnlarla ilişkili granitoyidler ile jeokimyasal olarak karşılaştırıldığında, Çelebi, kısmen Karamadazı ve Murmano Fe-skarn granitoyidlerine ve Fe-, Cu- ve Pb-Zn-skarn üreten granitoyidlere benzerlik göstermektedir. Yapılan çalışmadan elde edilen sonuçlar bilinen diğer hidrotermal sistemlerle karşılaştırıldığında, alterasyon mineralojisi ve cevherleşmelere ait zaman-konum ilişkisi cevherleşmelerin skarn türü bir cevherleşme olduğunu göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte Kesikköprü cevherleşmelerinin büyük ölçekli DOBA (Demir Oksit Bakır Altın) türü hidrotermal sistemlerde gözlenen küçük skarn türü yüzeylemeler gibi bir oluşum olabileceği de göz ardı edilmemelidir.Kesikköprü iron-oxide deposit occured at the contact between rocks that crystalline limestone (locally dolomitic), mafic-ultramafic rocks composed of diorite, gabbro and pyroxenite, and granitoids consists of granite, granodiorite, monzonite and their porphyry. In this respect, the iron-oxide mineralization in the study area is controlled dominantly by lithological features rather than structural control. It is defined as partially magnesian and dominantly calcic skarn based on alteration mineralogy. Skarn in the study area is defined in two groups. The first is small and limited endoskarn formation, The second group is more widespread exoskarn formation. In general, endoskarn is characterized by garnet-pyroxene, while exoskarn zones are defined as garnet ± pyroxene, pyroxene ± garnet, epidote-garnet and epidote from granitoids to recrystallized limestone and mafic-ultramafic rocks. In Kesikköprü, epidote-garnet and epidote rich zones within exoskarns are important for magnetite mineralization. Geochemical results of Kesikköprü granitoid which is considered to be responsible for mineralization in this study indicate that all the granitoid samples in open pit area are subalkaline and calc-alkaline and shoshonitic in character. According to Al-saturation index, metalumina-partly peralumina in character and they are classified as I-type granitoid. Trace element patterns normalized to MORB show enrichment in Sr, K, Rb, Ba, Th, Ta, Nb, Ce, and, P an Zr in part, while depletion in Ti and Y. In tectonic classification diagrams, granitoids plot on intersection of syn-COLG, VAG and WPG field, indicating post-collision character for Kesikköprü granitoid. Compared with granitoids related to Fe-skarns, Kesikköprü granitoid has similar geochemical signature to Çelebi, Karamadazı and Murmano granitoids in CACC (Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex) and granitoid related to Fe-, Cu- ve Pb-Zn-skarns. The results obtained from this study indicate that Kesikköprü mineralization is a skarn type deposit with respect to alteration mineralogy and time-space relationship of mineralization. In addition to this, IOCG (Iron Oxide Copper Gold) potential of Kesikköprü mineralization should not be ignored as most of IOCG systems contain small scale skarn type mineralization

The geology, geochemistry and genetic investigation of Inlice (Konya) epithermal gold deposit

İnlice epitermal altın yatağı, Erenlerdağ-Alacadağ Volkanik Kompleksi (EAVK) içerisinde ve Konya ilinin yaklaşık 40 km güneybatısında yer almaktadır. Çalışma alanında yaşlıdan gence doğru andezit, blok ve kül akıntısı, bazaltik andezit lav akıntısı ve andezit lav akıntısı olmak üzere dört birime ayrılan volkanik kayaçlar, jeokimyasal olarak subalkalen, yüksek potasyumlu kalk-alkalen ve metalümina-zayıf peralümina özelliklere sahiptir. Bununla birlikte EAVK'da gelişen volkanizmanın, yitim zonu ile ilişkili zenginleşmiş litosferik bir manto kaynağından türediğini ve oluşumunda fraksiyonel kristalleşme, kıtasal kabuk katkısı ve/veya karışım gibi jeolojik süreçlerin etkisinin olduğu söylenebilir. Andezitler içerisinde gözlenen alterasyonların merkezinden taze yan kayaçlara doğru sırasıyla kovuk-şeker ve kalsedonik/opalin dokulu kuvarslardan oluşan silisleşmiş zonlar, kuvars-alunit, arjilik ve piropilitik alterasyon zonları tanımlanmıştır. Cevherleşmeler, KB-GD doğrultulu yapısal hatlar tarafından kontrol edilen kovuk-şeker dokulu kuvarslardan oluşan silisleşmiş zonlar ile ilişkili olup, yaygın olarak pirit, daha az oranda enarjit, kalkopirit, kalkosin, kovellin, sfalerit ve markazit gibi sülfid mineralleri ile temsil edilmektedir. Yapılan alterasyon-cevher jeokimyası ve mineral kimyası analizleri, altın zenginleşmelerinin enarjit mineralleri ile doğrudan ilişkili olduğunu göstermektedir. Petrografik olarak altın taneleri ancak sülfid minerallerinin oksidasyona maruz kaldığı kesimlerde saçınımlı olarak 2 ile 6 µm arası boyutlarda gözlenmiştir. Sıvı kapanım ve duraylı izotop analizlerine göre cevherleşmelerin oluşumunda, magmatik kökenli hidrotermal akışkanların baskın olduğu, ancak meteorik su katkısının da etkili olduğu söylenebilir. Mineralojik, sıvı kapanım ve kükürt izotop analizleri Ana Batı ve Merkez Zon olarak tanımlanan bölgelerin yüksek sıcaklıklı hidrotermal akışkanlar ile ilişkili zonlar olduğunu göstermiştir. Sonuçta İnlice epitermal altın yatağındaki yan kayaç özellikleri, alterasyon desenleri, mineral birliktelikleri, cevher doku ve metal içeriği, sıvı kapanım ve duraylı izotop özellikleri birlikte değerlendirildiğinde, İnlice epitermal altın yatağının tipik bir yüksek sülfidasyon tip epitermal sistem olduğu ortaya konmuştur.Inlice epithermal gold deposit is located in approximately 40 km southwest of Konya province, and hosted by Erenlerdağ-Alacadağ Volcanic Complex (EAVC). Volcanic rocks, which are divided into four units as andesite, block and ash flow, basaltic andesite and andesite lava flow from the oldest to the youngest in the study area, are geochemically subalkaline, high potassium calc-alkaline and metaluminous/weak peraluminous. In addition, it can be said that the volcanism developed in the EAVC is derived from an enriched lithospheric mantle source associated with the subduction, and geological processes such as fractional crystallization, crustal contamination and/or mixing during its formation. The alteration in andesitic rocks is characterized by silicified zones (consisting of vuggy-sugary and chalcedonic/opaline textured quartz), quartz-alunite, argilic and pyropylitic alteration from the center of alteration zone towards fresh host rocks, respectively. Mineralization, represented by sulfide minerals such as mostly pyrite, enargite, chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covelline, sphalerite and marcasite, is associated with vuggy-sugary textured silicified zone controlled by NW-SE trending structural lines. Alteration-mineralization geochemistry and mineral chemistry analyses show that gold enrichment is directly related to enargite minerals. Gold can be observed as disseminated grains between 2 and 6 µm in areas where sulfide minerals are oxidized. Mineralization is associated with hydrothermal fluids of magmatic origin mixed with meteoric fluids based on fluid inclusion and stable isotope studies. Mineralogical (such as XRD, SEM and Terraspec), fluid inclusion, sulfur isotope and EPMA studies have shown that Ana Batı ve Merkez Zones are areas associated with mineralogies formed by high temperature hydrothermal fluids. In conclusion, Inlice is a typical high sulfidation epithermal system based on the host rock, alteration pattern, mineral association, ore texture/metal content, fluid inclusion and stable isotope characteristics

Geochemical investigation of soil quality in terms of toxic elements using an AHP-based index

In this study, a new Ecological Soil Pollution Index (ESPI) and the associated classification system for this index have been proposed to determine the pollution potential of soil. ESPI was designed using eight elements, namely arsenic, lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc, chromium and cobalt. ESPI, calculated based on the AHP method, is categorized into four classes inspired by the recommendation of some international organizations such as World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organization. ESPI classes based on performance scores of samples are “No pollution,” “Low pollution risk,” “Medium pollution risk” and “High pollution risk.” According to ESPI calculations, the element with the highest efficiency in the hierarchy is arsenic with a weight ratio of 32%, whereas the lowest values are 3.4% and 2.4% for chromium and cobalt, respectively. 5.5% of the soil samples have a high pollution risk, 5.5% medium pollution and 40.7% low pollution risk, whereas 48.3% do not have a pollution risk. Based on the distribution maps, the areas with high pollution potential are located in the north, northwest and southeast of the study area, which is due to the high arsenic, lead and cadmium weight values in the model hierarchy. The correlation coefficients between ESPI and some other indexes indicate that ESPI can produce similar results to them. As a result, ESPI is a user-friendly method that can produce reliable results by combining large numbers of data under a single score

Mineralogy, fluid inclusion and stable isotope characteristics of the Inlice (Konya, Turkey) high sulfidation epithermal gold deposit: Implications for hydrothermal evolution and ore genesis

The Inlice high sulfidation epithermal gold deposit with 262,300 oz of gold ore is located in the Erenlerdağ-Alacadağ Volcanic Complex (EAVC) at the northern part of central Taurides. The volcanic succession of the study area is stratigraphically represented by andesite, block and ash flow, basaltic andesite lava flow and andesite lava flow. The deposit consists of seven neighboring mineralized veins termed Ana East, Ana West, West, Discovery, Güllü, Merkez and North Zone and is associated with an andesite (ca 8–9 Ma). Hydrothermal alteration from the innermost to the outermost parts of the deposit includes silicification, advanced argillic, intermediate argillic and propylitic. At the surface, quartz veins related to silicification are exposed as linear topographic relief trending mainly northwest-southeast and secondarily northeast-southwest and east-west. Deep drill core samples, including magnetite, quartz, biotite and anhydrite, imply the presence of potassic alteration in depth (50 to 970 m) possibly related to a porphyry Cu system. Ore assemblages are described as hypogene and supergene. The hypogene ore mainly includes pyrite (Py-I and Py-II) and enargite, and to a lesser extent chalcopyrite, sphalerite and marcasite. The supergene ore incorporates hematite and goethite, and minor covellite, chalcocite, malachite and native copper. Hypogene gold precipitation is associated with the mineral association of Py-II, chalcopyrite and enargite, while enargite mineral is a major host for gold (up to 600 ppm). Supergene oxidation resulted in the development of a secondary enrichment zone for gold (up to 14 g/t) extending to a depth of about 45 m. Microthermometric measurements show that the silicification associated with the mineralization was formed at homogenization temperatures ranging between 147 and 360 °C and salinities up to 6.5 wt% NaCl. This suggests that the fluid mixing and/or fluid dilution processes were important factors controlling the precipitation of gold. δ34S isotope compositions are between −0.9 and − 9 ‰, and further indicate a significant involvement of magmatic components into the hydrothermal fluids. Thus, it is concluded that at Inlice the hydrothermal fluids responsible for the alteration and mineralization processes were derived by relatively dilute fluids formed by the mixing of magmatic fluids with meteoric waters

Clinical and molecular evaluation of MEFV gene variants in the Turkish population: a study by the National Genetics Consortium

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a monogenic autoinflammatory disorder with recurrent fever, abdominal pain, serositis, articular manifestations, erysipelas-like erythema, and renal complications as its main features. Caused by the mutations in the MEditerranean FeVer (MEFV) gene, it mainly affects people of Mediterranean descent with a higher incidence in the Turkish, Jewish, Arabic, and Armenian populations. As our understanding of FMF improves, it becomes clearer that we are facing with a more complex picture of FMF with respect to its pathogenesis, penetrance, variant type (gain-of-function vs. loss-of-function), and inheritance. In this study, MEFV gene analysis results and clinical findings of 27,504 patients from 35 universities and institutions in Turkey and Northern Cyprus are combined in an effort to provide a better insight into the genotype-phenotype correlation and how a specific variant contributes to certain clinical findings in FMF patients. Our results may help better understand this complex disease and how the genotype may sometimes contribute to phenotype. Unlike many studies in the literature, our study investigated a broader symptomatic spectrum and the relationship between the genotype and phenotype data. In this sense, we aimed to guide all clinicians and academicians who work in this field to better establish a comprehensive data set for the patients. One of the biggest messages of our study is that lack of uniformity in some clinical and demographic data of participants may become an obstacle in approaching FMF patients and understanding this complex disease