Geochemistry of Miocene evaporites from the Aşkale (Erzurum, Eastern Turkey) area: constraints for paleo-environment

Indexed In

Volume 165 / 2021

Authors:

Emel ABDİOĞLU YAZAR, Mehmet ARSLAN, Cahit HELVACI, İbrahim GÜNDOĞAN, İrfan TEMİZEL, Didem AYDIN ÇAKIR

Keywords:

Evaporite, Gypsum, Anhydrite, Geochemistry, Aşkale, Turkey

Abstract:

The Aşkale sub-basin hosts Early Miocene evaporites intercalated with clastic sediments and carbonates. Gypsum- and anhydrite-rich evaporite samples are characterized by high CaO and SO4 contents, and low Na2O, K2O, MgO, and B contents. The Sr contents are 228 - 13,100 ppm in evaporite samples, 169 - 992 ppm in claystone, 181 - 60,090 ppm in marl, and 15,150 ppm in limestone. All the samples are also characterized by enrichment in light rare earth elements (REE) with LaN / LuN = 0.667 - 4.243 and have variable CeN / Ce* (0.823 - 1.353) ratios. Measured EuN / Eu* values of the samples display strong and variable negative and positive Eu anomalies. δ34SCDT and δ18O values of gypsum- and anhydrite samples have wide ranges from 21.30 ‰ to 25.62 ‰, and 11.5 ‰ to 19.1 ‰, respectively. Most of these values are heavier than expected Miocene marine gypsum composition and may be resulted from reduction and oxidation reactions of sulfide species in brines. 87Sr / 86Sr ratios range from 0.707475 (ΔSW = −169.8) to 0.708175 (ΔSW = −99.8), close to and/or slightly lower than an Early-Miocene marine isotopic composition. Petrochemical and isotopic data indicate that the Aşkale basin evaporites developed in subtropical conditions via multiple marine transgressions onto a shallow platform or lagoonal environment. 

https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.772360

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19111/bulletinofmre.772360