Clay mineralogy and geochemical properties of neogen sediments in the vicinity of Battalgazi̇-Yazihan (Malatya)

CLAY MINERALOGY AND GEOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF NEOGEN SEDIMENTS IN THE VICINITY OF BATTALGAZİ-YAZIHAN (MALATYA) Clay mineralogy and geochemical characteristics of the neogen sediments around Battalgazi-Yazihan (Malatya) were studied at the vicinity of Battalgazi-Yazihan (Malatya) which is situated in the north-west of Malatya. Seven different sections were sampled in the field. The basic units in the investigated area are Paleozoic-Mesozoic metamorphic units, Oligocene-Eocene and Neogene sedimentary-volcanic-volcanosedimentary units, and young deposits of the Quaternary. Neogene Units are Neogene Volcanites, Küseyin Formations, Parçikan Formations, Şeyhler (Boyaca) Formations, Beylerderesi Formations. The samples were taken from Beylerderesi Formation. This unit outcrops widely from Yazıhan to the south. It is composed of red mud and sand matrix, poorly sorted, massive and / or medium to thick irregular bedded conglomerates and cross bedded sandstone and mudstone interlayer units. Whole rock minerals in the samples are clay, calcite, feldspar, quartz, dolomite, and clay minerals are smectite, smectite-ilite, paligorskite, chlorite and illite. Samples were called as shales, according to ratios ofLog (SiO2/Al2O3) and log (Fe2O3/K2O). According to La / Sc, Sc / Th and Co / Th ratios, the samples resemble andesites than ophiolites and granites. Nb/Y, Eu /Eu* ratios of samples are close to that in the Neogene Volcanics. This indicates that materials predominantly derived from the volcanics which have basic trachyandesite basaltic-medium in composition. The TiO2-Zr graph shows that the samples have intermediate rock features. In the Y-Zr diagram, the samples falled in the tholeiitic calcalkaline field. In the Zr / Sc - Th / Sc, Al / (Al + Fe + Mn) - Fe / Mn and Y / Ni - Cr / V diagrams, samples did not fall in the PAAS area, because investigated samples are basic-notr , but PAAS have asidic character in composition. Key Words: Clay Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Neogene Volcanics, Battalgazi-Yazihan (Malatya).