MINERALOGY AND GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE KIZILTEPE (ÇAMARDI-NİĞDE) MN PROSPECT IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA, TURKEY.

This paper is to investigate ore-alteration mineralogy and geochemical changes of wall rocks in Kızıltepe Mn mineralization (Çamardı, SE-Niğde), which is located in Ulukışla Basin from the central part of the Turkey. Kızıltepe prospect, a fault controlled hydrothermal-type Mn mineralization, is hosted predominantly by Late Cretaceous to Early Tertiary volcanic and volcanoclastic rock series, which are submarine in character with trachytic to rhyolitic composition. After all samples were systematically collected from surface outcrops and the mineralized zones, they were investigated by petrographical and geochemical analysis. The results obtained from the microscopic and XRD analysis showed that the mineralization contained oxi-hydroxide Mn minerals such as manganite, pyrolusite, psilomelane, and manganese phosphate. Quartz, carbonates, sericite, clay minerals and barite are the gangue minerals. Quartz is ubiquitous and occurs both in the ore zone and in the wall rocks. Alteration mineralogy usually was formed fault-related to alteration zones. Alterations were characterized by presence of quartz and sericite, and locally extensively overprinted by kaolinite. Mass change calculations revealed that Al, Ti, and Y behaved as the least mobile elements during alteration and that footwall felsic rocks gained Fe, Si, K, Ca and ore forming constituents, respectively. The most characteristic chemical changes near the ore bodies were the Na depletion, mainly due to plagioclase destruction by the hydrothermal fluids. The REE contents varied considerably depending on mass change effects related to alteration. An average grade of Mn in the fault zone has been reached about 22.47 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]