Preliminary Findings of Paleo-Microorganisms Detected in the Hamamtepe (Çanakkale) Quartz Deposit: Contribution to Environmental Interpretations

Abstract

The Biga Peninsula, in northwest Türkiye, is enriched with metallic ore deposits related with epithermal systems and with kaolin and silica deposits derived from acid-sulphate and alkali-chloride fluids respectively. Hamamtepe Quartz Quarry and large sinter mounds in Biga have developed within the Etili geothermal systems Mineralogical and petrographic studies were carried out to determine the structure of the Hamamtepe quartz and to identify the lithofacies. The network structures that developed on the surfaces of the Hamamtepe quartz sample and intertwined with these networks, hyphae, biofilm structures and spherical diatom/pollen? are identified to be resulted from the bacterial activity. These findings revealed the existence of a poorly known paleo-fauna in the region. The remains of paleo-microfauna obtained from Hamamtepe and its surroundings revealed that the silica precipitation in the region was effective in biotic activities as well as abiotic conditions. Documented fossil micro-structures and remains deposited. The documented fossil microstructures and remains revealed that the silica precipitation environment due to biotic activities occurs in the water pools located on the slopes of the proximal apron right next to the water outlet channels or by the thermophilic creatures living in the channels in alkaline-chloride type neutral waters at a range of approximately 60-95 °C.

Keywords

• Silica Sinter
• Paleo-microfauna
• Lithofacies
• Biga Peninsula

Hamamtepe (Çanakkale) Kuvars Ocağında Tespit Edilen Paleo-Mikroorganizmalara Ait İlksel Bulgular: Ortam Yorumlarına Katkı

Abstract

Türkiye’nin kuzeybatısında yer alan Biga Yarımadası, epitermal çözeltilerle ilişkili gelişen metalik cevherlerin yanı sıra asit-sülfat tipte akışkanlardan türetilmiş kaolin yatakları ve alkali-klorür tipte akışkanlardan türetilmiş silika çökelleri bakımından oldukça zengindir. Biga civarındaki Hamamtepe Kuvars Ocağı ve çevresindeki sinter höyükleri Etili jeotermal sistemiyle ilişkili olarak gelişmiştir. Hamamtepe Ocağı’na ait kuvarsların paleo-mikrofaunasını belirlemek ve litofasiyeslerin oluşum ortamlarını tespit etmek amacıyla mineralojik ve petrografik incelemeler yapılmıştır. Bu çalışmalarla kuvars mineralleri yüzeyinde bakteriyel aktivite ile ilişkili olarak gelişmiş ağsal yapılar, hifler, biyofilm kalıntıları ve küresel diatom/polen? tespit edilmiştir. Hamamtepe ve çevresinde tespit edilen paleo-mikrofaunaya ait kalıntılar bölgede meydana gelmiş olan silika çökeliminde abiyotik şartlar yanında biyotik faaliyetlerinde etkili olduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca, biyotik faaliyetlere bağlı silika çökelim ortamının proksimal aprona ait su çıkış kanallarının hemen yakınlarındaki yamaçlarda veya kanallarda termofilik canlılar tarafından alkali-klorür tipte nötr sularda, yaklaşık olarak 60-95 °C aralığında gerçekleştiği belirlenmiştir.

Keywords

• Silika sinter
• Paleo-fauna
• Litofasiyes
• Biga Yarımadası

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