Geological, Mineralogical, Geochemical Properties, and Characterization of Marine Zeolite

Abstract

The study investigates marine Hekimhan (Malatya) zeolites. The unit was sandstone interlayered, green, hard, fine-thicklayered (5-500 cm), and fine-laminated. Its type section has a thickness of 37 m and has a consistency of 24 km in the lateral direction. Mineralogical and structural analyses such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Thermal Analysis (DTA) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis were performed to carry out the physical, chemical, and mineralogical characterization of the examined zeolite. Moreover, grain size distribution, consistency limits, specific weight, and pH values were determined. The results of the XRD analysis showed that the main mineral was clinoptilolite-type zeolite. In addition, the calcite mineral was detected. The SEM images of the zeolite samples revealed a layered microstructure and the BET results revealed that the units had a mesoporous structure.