Comparative geochemical study of soils developed on characteristic black and yellowpolymetallic massive sulfde deposits in Eastern Pontides (NE Turkey)

Abstract

The Harşit-Köprübaşı (Tirebolu) and Killik (Espiye) volcanogenic massive sulfde (VMS) deposits occur in the Eastern Pontidetectonic belt, one of the major tectonic units comprising Anatolia. Tey are hosted by Late Cretaceous dacitic to rhyolitic rocks overlainby thin layers of pelitic sediments. Te region is considered as a metallogenic province since it is a host to numerous VMS deposits,mainly of the Kuroko type, with varying sizes and reserves and with fairly similar geochemical and mineralogical characteristics. In thisstudy, 489 soil samples were systematically collected from both known mineralized sites and remote areas that have no indication of oremineralization or alteration to investigate the relationship of Zn, Cu, and Pb concentration distributions on 2 completely delineated oredeposits that are treated as natural physical models and on unmineralized distant areas in order to determine regional backgrounds, localthresholds, and anomalous values that are characteristic to the Eastern Pontide metallogenic province to use in exploration programs asa cost-efective prospecting method. Applicability of proposed geochemical modeling based on the results during surfcial geochemicalprospecting to potential hydrothermally altered areas occurring in the region and elsewhere in the world is discussed. Te results werefound to be highly convincing if sampling campaigns and data evaluations are cautiously conducted.