Determination of elemental distribution of Manisa (Yatağan) mica mineral quarries and calculation of radiogenic heat production

Mica minerals are layered hydro aluminum silicates that have unique electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties, resistant to chemical agents, stress and bending; and they can be divided into large and thin layers. Micas can be split into transparent or optically flat films; and they can be cut or stamped to shape. Mica group minerals, especially muscovite and phlogopites, depending on their physicochemical properties have been used in various industries such as automotive, construction, paper, plastic etc. In this study, the contents of major- minor oxide components (SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, MgO, Na2O, Fe2O3, P2O5, TiO2 and CaO) and trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ag, Cd, Sn, Te, Cs, Ba, Nd, Hf, Ta, W, Hg, Tl, Pb, Th and U) of eighty-four muscovite samples collected from three commercially operated mica quarries (MO1, MO2 and MO3) in the Hisarardı region of Yatağan district of Manisa province were determined using an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. The radiogenic heat production generated by the emitted ionizing radiation from uranium, thorium and radioactive potassium contained in muscovite samples was estimated. The concentrations of SiO2, Al2O3, K2O, MgO, Fe2O3, Na2O, P2O5, CaO and TiO2 analyzed in Hisarardı muscovite quarries varied from 31.67 to 68.96%, 18.58 to 40.12%, 7.25 to 11.07%, 1.38 to 3.10%, 0.55 to 2.30%, 0.74 to 2.19%, 0.10 to 0.65%, 0.01 to 0.61%and 0.19 to 0.39%, respectively. The average concentrations of the toxic heavy metals Cr, Zr, Mn, Zn, Ni, Co, Pb, Cu, Cd and Hg analyzed in Hisarardı mica (muscovite) samples were found as 136.2, 124.6, 58.7, 19.2, 14.8, 6.8, 6.3, 2.6, 2.0 and 1.2 mg/kg, respectively. The average concentrations of uranium and thorium in muscovite samples were analyzed as 1.1 and 10.4 mg/kg, respectively. Radiogenic heat generation values of muscovite samples were estimated in the range of 1.2 – 2.7 μW/m3. KEYWORDS: Mica, muscovite, major oxides, toxic heavy metal, uranium, thorium, radiogenic heat generation, Hisarardı January 2021, 64 Pages