INVESTIGATION OF USABILITY AS INDUSTRIAL RAW MATERIAL OF OLIVINE OCCURRENCES: A CASE STUDY FROM THE SARKIKARAAGAC-ISPARTA, SOUTHWESTERN TURKEY

Olivine occurrences are located in the north of Belcegiz village in Sarkikaraagac-Isparta, Southwestern Turkey. The purpose of this study is to investigate usability as an industrial raw material of olivine formations in peridotite. To this aim, the geological, mineralogical, and geochemical properties of olivine-rich rocks outcropping in the field were examined. Allochthonous units in the field are formed in the Upper Eocene settlement aged Sarkikaraagac Ophiolites, the Upper Cretaceous Egirler Formation that contains wild flysch, and the Upper Triassic Deliktas Formation that consists of recrystallized massive limestone. Autochthonous units are the Cretaceous-Lower Eocene Anamasdag Formation, which is composed of dolomitic limestone and limestone, the Middle Eocene Golgeli Formation, which consists of sandstone, claystone and siltstone, and the Quaternary alluvium. Harzburgite and dunite that are observed in peridotite at the bottom of Sarkikaraagac Ophiolite belong to the Beysehir-Hoyran Nappe. They are dominant rocks of olivine occurrences in the field. They contain mainly olivine, enstatite, and locally chromite occurrences. The contents of the major oxides for harzburgite samples vary between 45.54 and 45.78% SiO2, 37.21 to 38.16% MgO, and 7.70 and 8.08% Fe2O3. The samples have a high value of 5.10-7.30% loss on ignition for their usability. The major oxide contents and loss on the ignition values of the olivine-rich harzburgite samples in the study area do not comply with the standards and the values that were determined as unsuitable for usage in industry.