Occurrences of Chert in Jurassic-Cretaceous Calciturbidites (SW Turkey)

Abstract

The Lycian Nappes, containing ophiolite and sedimentary rocks sequences, crop out in the southwest Turkey. The Tavas Nappe is a part of the Lycian Nappes. It includes the Lower Jurassic-Upper Cretaceous calciturbidites. Chert occurrences were observed in the lower part of this calciturbidite. These cherts can be classified on the basis of length, internal structure and host rock. Chert bands are 3.20-35.0 m in length and 7.0-35.0 cm thick. Chert lenses are 5.0-175.0 cm in length and 1.0-33.0 cm thick. According to its internal structure, granular chert (bladedlarge equitant quartz minerals replaced the big calcite mineral of fossil shell) and porcelanious chert (microcrystalline silica replaced micrite) have been separated. Cherts are generally associated with calcarenite-calcirudite, the others with calcilutite. Micritic calcite patches of cherts point out an uncompleted silicification. The source of silica was dominantly quartz-rich, older, basal rocks and to a lesser extent radiolarians. The coarse-grained calciturbidites act as a way for silica transportation. Some calcite veins (formed during transportation and emplacement of nappes) cut both calciturbidites and cherts. Thus, chert occurrences evolved before emplacement of nappes (the latest Cretaceous-Late Miocene period) during the epigenetic phase.