Reflections Of the soil metal contents in plants around görgü Pb-Zn deposits Malatya, Turkey

The studied area is situated in 20 km West of Malatya township. Görgü Pb-Zn deposits are located in the South of the study area and placed in Permo-Carboniferous Malatya Metamorphites. They are composed of carbonate and sulphide ore minerals; smithsonite, zincite, hydrozinkite, anglesite ? sericite, sphalerite, galena, pyrite, marcasite and limonite. 112 soil samples and 23 plant of different species samples were collected from both surroundings of the deposit and lower elevated levels towards the North of the deposit.The soils around the deposit contain elevated values (anomaly) of Ag, As, Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn. The same elements are enriched along the Kurşunlu Dere (stream) on the lownlands, East of Görgü village. The distribution patterns of all these elements are similar.All of these elements except Cu, show similar distribution modes in the shoots, leaves and fruits of the Apricots (Prunus Armeniaca) of the study area. Zn, Pb, As, Au, Cd, Hg, Ag and Se elements show varied positive correlations between Azarole (Crataegus monogyna) shoots ? soils and Azarole leaves ? soils pairs. Similar relationships are present between Spurge (Euphorbia macroclada) roots and soils for Zn, Ag, Mn, Cu, Se, Pb. The same relationships are present for Ag, As, Pb and Zn between Cheese Ferment (Cruciata taurica) shoots and soils.Apart from above given plants the most of the studied plants contain many times higher Ag, Ba, Cd, Pb and Zn contents than the plants grown in incontaminated areas. The soil contents of these elements show positive correlations with those of plants. Therefore, these plants can be used as geochemical tools for exploration. However, none of the studied plants have ?hyperaccumulator plant? capacity for Ag, Ba, Cd and Zn.Ordinary Poppy (Glacium acutidentatum) bears 2-3 times higher Ag, Zn, Pb, Cd, Pd contents than the Poppy with extraordinary anatomy.The high metal contents of plants and soils are originated from the contamination caused by secondary anomaly dispersion from the ore deposits. Traces of contaminations caused by road traffic and agricultural activites were not detected.