Investigation of the range rocks of Mazıdağı (Mardin) phosphate deposits

Phosphate host rocks are materials that can absorb different elements during phosphate mineralization and contain these elements in high concentrations. This situation highlights phosphate host rocks as valuable resources and is important for the recovery of these elements during phosphate mining. The extraction of valuable elements from phosphate host rocks involves technical and economic disadvantages due to their low concentrations and complex chemical structures. This process often involves various chemical and physical processes, and optimization of these processes is important in terms of cost effectiveness and environmental impacts. In addition, the possibility that rare earth elements may have economic value was taken into consideration in the thesis study. Economically, recovering valuable elements from phosphate host rocks offers an alternative source to meet the global demand for these elements. This approach can reduce dependence on traditional sources of valuable elements. In addition, valuable elements that may occur in the phosphate host rock can provide economic efficiency by creating an additional source of income for the phosphate mining industry. From an environmental perspective, utilizing phosphate host rocks for valuable elements promotes the reuse of waste materials and can reduce environmental impacts. This approach could help reduce the overall environmental footprint of phosphate mining and could be considered as part of waste management strategies. Therefore, evaluation of phosphate host rocks for the presence of valuable elements offers important opportunities both economically and environmentally.