Geological remote sensing findings of Eskibalikli (Canakkale-Biga) calcite quarry

The II-A Group Calcite Gravel Quarry owned by NORDEKA MADEN A.Ş., located within the borders of Eskibalıklı (Çanakkale-Biga) village, was investigated using remote sensing techniques outside the current operating area determined by drilling and land studies, aiming to identify potential operating areas. Image analyses conducted using ASTER satellite data determined the distribution areas of carbonate rocks, which are the raw material of the quarry. It was noted that lithologies in the operating area could be differentiated through unsupervised classification and NDVI differentiation, and the band ratios of R7+9/8, G13/14, B6+8/7 provided the most efficient results in distinguishing carbonate rocks in the study area. Comparative differentiations made with PCA and DS in the study area, which is covered with dense vegetation and contains carbonate rocks, showed that DS was more successful. Potential areas for operation in the field have been determined according to morphological criteria related to terrain and UA findings through CBS studies. Possible fault lines that could affect production have been identified through lineament detection. Changes that have occurred since the beginning of operations in the field have been documented. As a result of all these studies, three potential areas have been identified, with volumes exceeding 2 to 10 million m3. Four vertical and two inclined drillings have been conducted in the field. In these, limestone that is adequately deep but blocked by faults and grovak-shale-mudstone contacts at the base have been identified. Drillings reaching depths of over 100 meters have shown that limestone blocks offer thicknesses greater than 50 meters and sufficient reserves exist in the current operating area. In light of all this data, it has been determined that if work is conducted in the identified potential locations, operating costs could be reduced, and a more efficient and safer operation could be achieved. Keywords: Geoinformatics, calcite, limestone, remote sensing, digital geology, GIS, Çanakkale 2025, 96 pages