MINERALOGY AND PETROLOGY OF BARITE MINERALIZATION IN SARKIKARAAGAC-ISPARTA,TURKEY

The Isparta barite province is known as one of the most important barite provinces in Turkey having 14 million tones of reserve. These barite deposits are Missisippi Valley Type (MVT) deposits and occur at Sarkikaraagac region and its vicinity in SW Turkey. Barite stratabounds have generally NW-SE strike and SW-NE dip. Barite mineralization is found in limestones schists, calcschists, and metamorphic units and are studied in four different locations from northwest to southeast including South Dedecam (I), Dikenlipinar (II), Kizilliktepe (III), and North Huyuk (IV). Previous studies indicated that barite deposits occured syngenetically with the host rocks (Zedef et al., 1995; Ayhan, 2001) and affected by the regional metamorphism and tectonics. The purpose of this study is to explain possible hydrothermal activity which is responsible for the formation of the barite occurrences. Based on statistical analysis of ore metals, Sr, Mg and Ba. Following conclusions have been reached:

In general, from southeast to northwest of the study area, Pb, Zn, Cu, SrO, MgO increases in locations I,II, and III but lower in location IV. Zn and Pb values are positively correlated to each other. SrO, like Pb, Zn and Cu, is high in locations I,II, and III (3%) but low in location IV (1.3%). Contrary to Pb, Zn, Cu and SrO, BaO have the lowest value in location I (49%) and highest value in location IV (63%). MgO decreases from location I to location IV. Fe₂O₃, on the other hand, has the same value in all four locations. These results imply that ore forming solutions invaded the area from northwest to southeast, depositing most of their ore metals, in locations, I, II, and III and by the time they reached the southeast they were depleted in dissolved ore metals and ore metals were more oxidized as evidenced by an increase in barite.