Magnesite and Olivine Deposits of Turkey

Abstract

Two types of magnesite occurrences have been identified in Turkey based on their origin of formation. The first is of sedimentary type magnesite occurrences. This type of magnesite is found in Denizli–Cardak and Erzincan–Cayirli. The second cryptocrystalline type of magnesite constitutes the remainder of the entire resources of Turkey (Irkec T, Kapkac F. Turkiye’de Bilinen Manyezit Yatak ve Zuhurlarinin Degerlendirilmesi ile Aramalara Yonelik Oneriler [Evaluation of known magnesite deposits and occurrences of Turkey with suggestion for exploration]. General Directorate of the Mineral Research and Exploration Report no 8863, Ankara (in Turkish, unpublished, 1989). There are three main magnesite provinces in Turkey, namely the Kutahya–Eskisehir–Bursa province, the Konya Province and the Cankiri–Erzincan–Erzurum–Sivas Province (Fig. 16.1). Kutahya–Eskisehir–Cankiri and Konya Provinces have the largest magnesite reserves in Turkey. Magnesite reserves of Turkey as of 2016 vary considerably with respect to sources. According to the MTA data, Turkey has about 111 million tonnes of magnesite (41–48% MgO) (www.mta.gov.tr, 2015). Ophiolites in Turkey are quite widespread as a result of the geological evolution of the country. Ophiolitic units have economic potential in terms of hosting industrial raw-materials and metallic-mineral systems. One of the important industrial raw material in ophiolitic units is olivine. The ophiolites expose in Bursa, Mugla, Konya, Isparta, Hatay and Erzincan provinces in Turkey have important olivine occurrences. The Bursa and Erzincan occurrences are situated in the Izmir–Ankara–Erzincan suture zone, whereas the olivine occurrences in Hatay exposed in the northernmost part of the Dead Sea Fault Zone. Olivine occurrences in Mugla are in the westernmost edge of the Taurus Mountains, and lastly, the olivine occurrences in Konya and Isparta are situated in Central Anatolia.