Auriferous Mineralizations in The Murgul-Artvin-Maradit Area (Northeastern Turkey)

Yıl 2004, Cilt: 129 Sayı: 129, 17 - 29, 01.10.2004

Radule Popovıc

Öz

The auriferous
mineralizations, as the subject of this paper, are placed in the Murgul, Artvin
and Maradit surroundings, in the extreme northeastern part of the Turkey. The
area is between Black Sea coast to the northwest and Çoruh river to the east,
northerly bordered by the Georgian - Turkish border and by the Artvin - Fındıklı
line to the south, including spring of the Murguldere. The field is made up of
volcanic, volcanic-sedimentary, sedimentary and granitoid formations, from
Jurassic to Quaternary time. In that period numerous composite petrogenetic
complexes had been formed. The oldest is volcanic and volcanic-sedimentary
complex including volcanic rocks of andesitic or intermediate-acidic character,
Jurassic in age. They are accompanied by the Iskalka köprüsü and Budiyet
köprüsü copper mineralizations. Gold in this complex has not been studied yet.
This rock assemblage is overlain by the acidic rhyolitic and rhyodacitic
volcanic and volcanic-sedimentary complex, associated with large copper
deposits and a large number of still not explored or partly investigated copper
occurrences, formed during the Upper Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous. The
gold-bearing, related to this complex, is not distinctly developed. According
to the present knowledge, precious metals as trace elements are registered in copper
deposits in the Murgul surroundings (Anayatak, Çakmakkaya, Aduca dere, Kilise
tepe etc), then in the Artvin vicinity (Kuvarshan, Irsa Maden, Sinkot, Seyitler
and Umasen). The similar gold and silver appearances are to be expected in the
other copper mineralizations, particularly in the Hopa circles (Peronot,
Sivrikaya, Kutunit and others). These copper occurrences and deposits are
characterized by relatively low gold grades (mostly less than 0.5 ppm) and
variable silver contents, with locally high grades (from traces to 180 ppm).
However, if large copper reserves are taken into consideration, amounting more
than 100 million tons, low grades became significant; at least 50 tons of gold
and several hundred tons of silver is expected to be found. The next petrogenic
complex was formed during the Upper Cretaceous - Paleogene time. This is a
composite petrogenic unit, enclosing volcanic, volcanic-sedimentary and
sedimentary formations. They represent a complete development, beginning from
basalts and spilites, throughout andesites, to dacites and rhyolites. The most
important rocks in this complex, bearing precious metals, associated with
copper, zinc and lead mineralizations, are andesites, partly sediments,
composed of re-deposited products of andesitic volcanism. In this petrogenic
rock assemblage in the related metallogenic stage, two types of gold-bearing
mineralizations are distinguished. These are the Akarþen, Hohur sırtı and
Madenköy base metal deposit near Çayeli, with gold grading up to 11,43 ppm (in Madenköy)
and silver contents ranging from several tens grams per ton of ore up to 241
ppm, including even 350 ppm in Akarþen galena. In the same complex, including
the potentially ore-bearing sediments, such as tuffaceous sandstones, contents
of 0,11 ppm gold and 2,25 ppm silver have been found. To the next precious
metals type belong mineralizations nearby Pehlivan köy near Maradit. They occur
in the highly hydrothermally altered andesites, with pyrite and copper
minerals. As a special alteration type, adularization is remarkable, indicating
the epithermal copper origin and accompanying the gold mineralizations. In only
one sample 0,72 ppm gold and 50 ppm silver were detected. These features
indicate it as a special mineralization type. The third of auriferous
mineralizations is found in the Melo dere ravine (Gorge) near Artvin. This is
the quartzdiorite, Eocene in age, locally bearing high chalcopyrite
concentrations, with low gold grades (up to 0,03 ppm), but with higher silver
(7,2 ppm). As it is visible
from the presented facts, the Murgul - Artvin - Maradit area is considered as
very interesting for the gold-bearing copper, zinc and lead mineralizations

Anahtar Kelimeler

Gold, silver, volcanism, Murgul, Kuvarshan, Artvin, Maradit, Turkey

Kaynakça

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