Investigation of mineralogical, geochemical and genetic properties of the Terra rossa in the Sarıkavak (Çamlıyayla-Mersin) region

The study area covers Sarıkavak Village (Çamlıyayla-Mersin) located in the southern part of Bolkar Mountains and its surroundings. Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks and Mesozoic ophiolites crop out in the region. From these units, red-colored earthy terra rossa formations are observed on the carbonate rocks of the Early-Middle Miocene Karaisalı formation and in the karstic cavities. In this study, it is aimed to examine the mineralogical, geochemical and genetic properties of the mentioned terra rossa formations. As a result of thin section, XRD and SEM-EDS studies, mainly calcite, quartz, kaolinite and serpentine minerals in the bedrock composition; Kaolinite, hematite, quartz, calcite, rutile and anatase minerals were determined in terra rossa deposits. In the Terra rossa samples, Si was between 12.33% and 44.36 (Av.: 33.91%); Al 6.16% to 25.66% (Mean: 18.73%); Fe 3.04% to 10.88% (Mean: 8.45%); Ca 1.47% to 41.02 (Mean: 13.20%); AK varies between 16.40% and 36.00 (Av.: 22.34%) and Mg between 0.34% and 1.09 (Av.: 0.84%), whereas other main element contents such as Na, K, Ti, P, Mn and Cr are less than 1% was found to be lower. The content of trace elements Co, Nb, Rb, Sr, V, Zr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, As and Ba varies between 10 and 100 ppm. Total REE contents range from 121.3 to 324.6 ppm (average 257.8 ppm). THNTE contents range from 90.6 to 238.8 ppm (average 191.1 ppm), and total heavy REE contents range from 29.8 to 83.6 ppm (average 64.9 ppm). Total light REE contents are 1 to 3 times higher than total heavy REE contents. ASAŞ-normalized REE patterns are similar to each other and to ASAŞ, showing slightly moderate REE enrichment, prominent negative Ce and slightly positive Eu anomalies. The data obtained show that the investigated terra rossa formations are derived from the terrigenous alumino silicate phase, which is associated with a felsic-intermediate magmatic source within the carbonate rocks of the Early-Middle Miocene Karaisalı formation. In addition, it is highly probable that the clastics of the Kaplankaya formation, which are lateral and vertical transitional with the parent rock, also provide a source in the terra rossa formation. The terra rossa formation is associated with the carbonate host rock outcropping after the Middle Miocene leaving behind a chemical residue type deposits that gradually becomes poorer in terms of carbonate phase, but enriched in terms of alumino silicate phase, together with the decomposition and karstification processes under Mediterranean climate conditions. Keywords: Terra rossa, karstic, Sarıkavak Villge (Çamlıyayla-Mersin), Karaisalı formation, geochemistry, rare earth elements