Mineralogical and petrographic study of zeolitic tuffs from Yenice-Saraycık (Demirci, Manisa), Turkey

Abstract

The mineralogical and petrographic properties of the zeolitic tuffs around the Yenice-Saraycık, southwestern of Demirci (Manisa), were studied by using the polarizing microscope and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). Microscopic observations revealed that the tuffs are dominated volcanic glass however, contain small amounts of crystal and rock fragments. The crystal fragments consist mainly of quartz, k-feldspar, plagioclase and trace amounts of biotite. The glassy tuffs were altered to zeolites and other minerals.

Mineral Composition and Structural Characterization of the Clinoptilolite Powders Obtained from Zeolite-Rich Tuffs

“…In addition, macroscopically and geochemically, the Ukrainian and Slovakian tuffs show similarity to the Cenozoic tuffs from Central Sardinia, which were investigated by Mormone and Piochi [17] and the Neogenic tuffs from Western Turkey [51]. However, the petrographic examination under a polarizing microscope provided by researchers [17,51] indicated quite sharp distinctions in their mineral composition.…”

“…In addition, macroscopically and geochemically, the Ukrainian and Slovakian tuffs show similarity to the Cenozoic tuffs from Central Sardinia, which were investigated by Mormone and Piochi [17] and the Neogenic tuffs from Western Turkey [51]. However, the petrographic examination under a polarizing microscope provided by researchers [17,51] indicated quite sharp distinctions in their mineral composition. In the Sardinian tuff, the main zeolite phase is mordenite accompanied by some smectite and glauconite, while in Turkish tuffs, the clinoptilolite mineralization is followed by some trace of the mordenite and smectite [17,51].…”

“…However, the petrographic examination under a polarizing microscope provided by researchers [17,51] indicated quite sharp distinctions in their mineral composition. In the Sardinian tuff, the main zeolite phase is mordenite accompanied by some smectite and glauconite, while in Turkish tuffs, the clinoptilolite mineralization is followed by some trace of the mordenite and smectite [17,51]. The above data proved that Slovakian and Ukrainian clinoptiloliterich tuffs appear quite pure, contrary to the Sardinian and Turkish tuffs.…”