Mineralogical and geochemical investigation of middle-upper miocene clayey rocks which outcrop around Akin and Taşkonak villages (Van)

The study area is located in Van L50-b1, b2, b3, b4 sheets in the East and Southeast of Lake Van and covers an area of approximately 165 km². In this thesis, it is aimed to determine the mineralogical composition of Middle-Upper Miocene aged clayey rocks which are exposed around Akın and Taşkonak villages (Van), and to make detailed and comprehensive studies about the determination of the clay minerals and their origin. At the same time, it was tried to interpret the paleoclimate conditions of the time when the rocks were formed by using the mineralogical compositions of the samples. Four stratigraphic sections were measured from the Middle-Upper Miocene age unit that was named as Van formation in the previous studies. 73 clayey rock samples were taken along Berol hill, Taşkonak village, Karataş location and Akın (Doğanlar) village measured stratigraphic sections. All samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction method and whole rock and clay fraction mineralogical compositions were determined. Quartz, feldspar, mica, clay minerals, calcite, dolomite, amphibole, and cristobalite were determined in whole rock compositions of the samples. Clay fractions include smectite, illite, chlorite, chlorite-smectite, illite-smectite, and serpentine as clay minerals; quartz, feldspar, calcite and amphibole as non-clay minerals. SEM and EDS studies were performed on three selected samples. In the samples, clay minerals such as serpentine, chlorite and smectite were observed. When these minerals were accepted to have been transported, the source rocks were Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic (Paleocene, Eocene) aged limestones, ophiolite rocks and metamorphic rocks. The climate in the region in which detritic sedimentary rocks of Van formation were formed is interpreted as cold, continental climatic conditions prevailing in today's conditions.