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Dünyada enerji kaynaklarının rastgele dağılmış olması, yükselen enerji fiyatları, küresel ısınma ve iklim değişikliği gibi çevresel sorunlar, yakın gelecekte fosil yakıtların tükenecek olması, bu enerji kaynaklarının çevre ve insan sağlığı üzerindeki etkileri, yabancı kaynaklara ve az sayıda enerji zengini ülkeye bağımlılık sebebiyle ülkeler farklı enerji kaynaklarına yönelmiştir. Uranyumu yakıt olarak kullanan nükleer enerji üretimi Türkiye için alternatif bir kaynak olarak ele alınmaktadır. Türkiye’nin kanıtlanmış uranyum rezervi 32.4 kiloton olup, halen uranyum içerebilecek havzaların araştırılması devam etmektedir. Bu kapsamda, Pliyo-Miyosen genişlemeli rejim sonucu gelişen Dinar (Afyonkarahisar, Batı Anadolu) kömür oluşumları ekonomik açıdan önem arz edebilecek uranyum içerikleri bakımından ilgi çekebilmektedir. Çeşitli derinliklerden ve 5 sondaj kuyusundan toplam 17 adet kömür numunesi alınmıştır. Bu numunelerin uranyum içeriklerinin 1065 μg/g mertebelerine kadar çıktığı görülmüştür. Havzada mevcut olan uranyumun, kömürleşme süreci ve kömür tabakalarının üzerinin volkanoklastik sedimanlar tarafından örtülmesinden sonra, hidrotermal akışkanlar ile karışan yeraltı sularının etkisiyle katmanlı epijenetik köken modeline uygun şekilde oluştuğu düşünülmektedir. Ayrıca, yüksek uranyum içeriğinin, linyit damarlarının üst katmanlarında yoğunlaşması sebebiyle havza diğer epijenetik linyit oluşumları ile benzerlik göstermektedir., Random distribution of energy resources in the world, rapidly increasing energy prices, environmental problems such as global warming and climate change, the depletion of fossil fuels in the near future and their negative impact on the environment and human health, increasing dependence on foreign energy, limited energy resources of big consumer countries and being dependent on a small number of specific countries lead states to seek various sources of energy. The uranium fuel-based nuclear energy generation is an alternative energy source for Turkey. Proven uranium reserves in Turkey are 32.4 kt and exploration of sedimentary basins for uranium mineralization still continues. In this context, Dinar (Afyonkarahisar, western Turkey) coal occurences can attract attention for economic possibilities of uranium related with Plio-Miocene aged extensional tectonic regime. A total of 17 coal samples were collected for analyses from five boreholes at various depths. The uranium contents of studied coals are up to 1065 μg/g. The origin of the uranium in this basin are considered as a stratal epigenetic origin, which the uranium was introduced in the coal after coalification and consolidation of the enclosing sediments by ground water deriving uranium from hydrothermal sources or from unconformably overlying volcanic rocks. In addition, it can be highlighted that the higher contents of uranium occur in the upper parts of the stratigraphically highest lignite beds, which is compatible with other epigenetic lignite deposits.

Carbonatite complexes and associated fenite zones are famous for their high-grade rare metal ores. The carbonatite–fenite complexes generally contain high concentrations of light rare earth elements (LREE), thorium (Th), and uranium (U). While most carbonatites are closely related to continental rift zones, some complexes can be observed in post-collisional tectonic environments. The Özvatan nepheline syenite–carbonatite complex is an example of post-collisional carbonatitic magmatism in Central Anatolia, Turkey. The magmatic suite is generally composed of silica-undersaturated ultra-alkaline rocks and carbonatite dikes accompanied by high-intensity fenite zones. The carbonatites of the complex are generally dominated by coarse-grained calcite minerals accompanied by fluorite phenocrysts and may also contain minor amounts of rock-forming silicate minerals. The metasomatic aureole zones (fenites) are mainly composed of euhedral nephelines, K-feldspars, aegirines, augites, and garnets. Carbonatites of the Özvatan complex show enrichments in Ca and F with depletion of alkaline (K and Na) elements. Carbonatites and fenite zones of the Özvatan complex host a variety of incompatible elements, including La, Ce, Nd, Th, U, and Nb. The isotopic composition and general geochemical properties of carbonatites in the study area represent mantle-derived carbonatites rather than crustal limestones/skarns.

In the last five decades, Rare Earth Elements (REE) are mostly produced from carbonatite complexes and alkaline magmatic environments. In this respect, pyroclastic flows produced by the potassic-alkaline Golcuk volcanism in the Isparta (SW, Turkey) angle stand out as an important target area where REE enrichments can be observed. This study focuses on the REE potential, geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of REE-bearing minerals as well as formation modeling of unconsolidated pyroclastic flows in Daridere-Direkli-Yakaoren (DDY) deposits in Turkey. REE-bearing minerals of DDY deposits which contain abundant trachytic-trachyandesitic rock fragments were determined as fluorapatite, britholite, and chevkinite by using XRD and SEM-EDX analyses. According to the geochemical analysis, the vast majority of sigma REE (up to 996 ppm) content is LREE such as La, Ce and Nd. Daridere is the most REE enriched region followed by Yakaoren and Direkli regions in terms of LREE (574.9 ppm), relative to MREE (38.5 ppm) and HREE (5.28 ppm) contents. These results are also on par with subduction-related Italian extrusive carbonatites such as Polino, Cupaello and San Venenzo. The DDY deposits can also be comparable with intraplate extrusive REE deposits in terms of LREE enrichments, however, HREE, Nb, Th and Zr values are generally lower. The sigma REE concentrations tend to rise with the increasing contents of alkaline elements (Na and K), HFSE (such as Nb and U), as well as LILE (Ba, Sr and Rb) and are negatively affected by sedimentary carbonate involvement. The economic value of the DDY deposits can gain importance due to the increasing global demand for LREE's.

This study used a range of integrated and complementary experiments to examine pore-structure, fluid-shale wetting characteristics, sample size-dependent porosity towards different fluids, and imbibition behavior, as well as the relationships between these properties and the mineralogy of Silurian mudstones in the Central Taurides of Turkey. Working with different sample-sizes, the experiments consisted of helium pycnometry, low-pressure nitrogen physisorption isotherm, mercury intrusion porosimetry, fluid immersion porosimetry, liquid displacement, fluid droplet wettability and contact angle measurements, and spontaneous imbibition of fluids; four fluids with different hydrophilicity were used to assess the characteristics of fluid-shale interaction and its influence on pore-structure. Results show that studied mudstones can be grouped into three rock types: siliceous, carbonate-dominated, and mixed mudstones. Siliceous and mixed mudstones have higher porosities, pore-throat diameters, surface areas and tortuosities than the carbonate-dominated mudstones, regardless of sample sizes and fluids used. With low permeabilities and medium pore-throat sizes for the siliceous and mixed mudstones, the wettability and imbibition results show that these mudstones are both oil-wet and moderately-to-high water-wet. In contrast, the carbonate-dominated mudstones exhibit oil-wet characteristics. These results indicate that studied siliceous and mixed mudstones in the Central Taurides seem to have appropriate petrophysical properties in the context of reservoir quality.

Essexites of Kestanbol pluton have significant amount of iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), Rare Earth Elements (REE) and thorium (Th) and considered as the source of Geyikli Heavy Mineral Sands (HMS). Geyikli HMS were enriched by the minerals of magnetite, rutile, monazite and apatite. In Geyikli HMS, REE contents (up to 0,25%) were rised by 4-5 times during placer deposition, mainly caused by the enriching of weathering resistant REE bearing dense phosphate minerals and zircon. On the other hand, Fe (up to 11%) and Ti (up to 2,5%) enrichments are heavily dependent on the magnetite, titanomagnetite and rutile minerals. By using the basic physical mineral processing techniques such sieving, shaking tables, multi gravity seperators, magnetic seperation, it is possible to reach higher grades for both REE and Fe-Ti and to have better initial values for electrochemical mineral processing techniques.

Eocene bituminous shales within the Camalan Formation of Paleocene-Eocene aged Kizilcay Group exposing around Tekirler (Nallihan, Ankara), central Anatolia, were deposited under oxic and suboxic redox conditions and have Corg values in the range of 2.37 to 12.42 wt% (average 6.32 wt%). Samples are represented by Type-I kerogen and their maturity level is immature-early mature. Eocene bituminous shales are enriched in some major and trace elements, such as Ca, Mg, Si, Na, K, V, Ni, U, Th, P, S, Mo, Cu, Zn, Cr, Co, Pb, Au, Ag, As, Re, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Li, Sm, and Y. Paleoredox indicators (e.g., V/(V+Ni), Ni/Co, U/Th, V/Sc, Mo/Mn) yield that Eocene bituminous shales were mostly deposited oxic–suboxic conditions.