The Environmentally Significant Element Contents of Eocene Coals in North Anatolia, Turkey

Abstract

The North Anatolia region in Turkey contains a large amount of highcalorie lignite coal deposits of the Eocene age. In this study, distribution of the environmentally significant element contents of Eocene coals, enrichment factors of these elements, and relation between total organic carbon and these elements were investigated. Contents of environmentally harmful elements, such as Mo, V, B, Se, and S contents of the Amasya-Bogaköy and Bolu-Salıpazarı, are found to be lower than that of average concentrations of Turkish coals, whereas Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, Co, and S contents of the Kastamonu-Aspiras and Cu and Zn contents of Amasya-Yeniçeltek coals are higher than those of Turkish coals. Statistical evaluations were performed on environmentally significant elements and total organic matter values of coals from all the fields. In the Amasya-Kastamonu coals, Cr-V, As-S, and B-TOC element pairs show positive correlations, whereas Th-TOC, Cu-TOC, and B-Cu element pairs show negative correlations. Except for S-Cu element correlation resembling the Amasya field, the Bolu field does not display any similarity to any of the fields. On the basis of enrichment factor calculation, it is found that Eocene coals are enriched with Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Mn, As, V, Hg, and Th.

Early Miocene micropalaeontological record of the Aspiras Basin (Kastamonu), north‐west Anatolia, Turkey

“…Gruas‐Cavagnetto, 1988; Hochuli, 1978; Nickel, 1996; Roche, 1988; Schuler, 1988; Wilkinson & Boulter, 1980). The presence of the above‐mentioned taxa indicates that the age of the Aspiras Basin might be younger than Eocene, as opposed to previous studies (Hoş Çebi, 2007; Hoş Çebi & Korkmaz, 2011, 2013). Moreover, some Juglandaceae pollen species such as Momipites punctatus ( Engelhardia ), Momipites quietus ( Engelhardia ), and Subtriporopollenites anulatus nanus (?…”

“…Özen (1975) first investigated the potential of lignites with their qualities and put the basin in the Eocene without any indication of fossil and radiometric data. By accepting Özen's prediction concerning the age, Hoş Çebi and Korkmaz (2011, 2013) interpreted the geochemical characteristics and depositional environments of the Aspiras Basin. In contrast, other researchers indicated that the sediments in the basin were deposited during the Miocene (sensu lato) based on the limited information on the ostracods, pollen, mammals, micromammals and radiometric ages (Akyürek et al, 1980, 1996; Deleuil, 1977; Ercan et al, 1990; Karadenizli et al, 2004; Sevin & Uğuz, 2011; Türkecan et al, 1991).…”