Origin and Paleoenvironmental Conditions of the Kopruagzi Evaporites (Eastern Anatolia, Turkey): Sedimentological, Mineralogical and Geochemical Constraints

Abstract

Kopruagzi evaporites mainly consist of primary (selenite and gypsarenite) and secondary (massive, laminated and satin-spar) gypsum lithofacies, as well as minor anhydrite, and are interbedded with clastic and carbonate units. Sedimentological-mineralogical and geochemical findings reveal that the depositional basin extends from a lagoon to the hinterland. These data confirm that too much detrital input was transported into the basin with multiple salinity and pH value fluctuations, organic matter activity and reducing conditions. Geochemical data point out the shallow environment and the mixing of hydrothermal fluids and fresh waters. The investigated evaporites were exposed to diagenesis and alteration under the influence of a hot-dry and minor humid climate, tectonism and pressure. The Sr-87/Sr-86, delta S-34 and delta O-18 isotope values of Kopruagzi evaporites reveal that they are of Miocene marine sulfate origin.