Activities of the Mineral Research and Exploration Institute (M

ACTIVITIES OF THE MINERAL RESEARCH AND EXPLORATION INSTITUTE (M. T. A.) DURING 1958

The geological studies, mineral up and carried through in a number prospecting and laboratory work, car- of regions; namely, for copper lead ried out by the M. T. A. Institute du- and zinc in the vilayet of Giresun; ring 1958, can be summarized as fol- for copper and iron in the vilayet lows : of Artvin, for iron at Çamdağ in the vilayet of Sakarya; for gold in the I. STUDIES UNDERTAKEN vilayet of Aydın; for aluminum in the 1. Geological studies vilayets of Antalya, Kenya and Isparta; for barite in the vilayet of Muş and a. Work done on geological maps : Lapseki and Umurbey districts of Ça- With a view to complete the 1/500,- nakkale; for chrome in the Pozantı dist- 000-scale map, field work covering a ricts of the vilayet of Adana; for lead, 2 total area of 102,860 km on the map- iron and vanadium in the Keban region sections of Trabzon, Erzurum, Adana, of the vilayet of Elazığ; for iron, Sivas, Sinop and İzmir was carried out. bismuth and nickel in Divriği, Sivas; The geologic revision of an area of for lead and chrome in the vilayet of 2,200 km2 was completed in connection Maraş. In addition, a search for limo- with the map-sections nos. 94/1, 2, 3 nite at Emet, vilayet of Kütahya and and 4 of the 1/100,000-scale map. for borium in several regions of the wes- The geology of an area of 400 km2 tern Anatolia must be added to the list. in the Bilecik region was plotted on b. Lignite : the 1/25,000-scale topographic maps. Regional studies in the Dursunbey b. Studies relative to petroleum area in Balıkesir and in the Edirne-Kırk- geology : lareli district were taken up besides the Study of an area which covered general geology done in Vazıldan, Sivas approximately 30,000 km2 in the regions and in Kapçıktı, Balıkesir districts, as of Sivas, Çankırı and Çorum was also well as the detailed geology conducted taken up and carried to completion in the Seyitömer district of the vilayet with the purpose of locating interesting of Kütahya, which pointed to the possible structures. presence of an estimated 15-50 million c. To find more water, hydrologi- tons of additional lignite. cal studies were carried out within the counties of Gönen and Kilis. c. Non-metallic minerals: Istrancalar district in Thrace was 2. Mineral prospecting and studies searched for feldspar, the vicinity of a. Metallic minerals : Çatalca for quartz and sand, along with A variety of prospecting work coup- detailed studies undertaken for porce- led with detailed, geology was taken lain raw material. 102

d. Radioactive minerals: Balıkesir. — In parallel with the General prospecting together with detailed geologic studies, exploratory a detailed study was conducted in the wells drilled in different places in Ba- following areas and localities, and radio- lıkesir gave the following results : metric maps prepared for some of them: 3 wells in Sebepli region, totalling Divriği, Yıldızeli, Kevik and Akdağ in 413 meteis, 600,000 tons of probable the vilayet of Sivas; the neighbourhood reserves. of the villages Yortan and Kerkenez 4 wells at Çırpılar, totalling 396 in the vilayet of Yozgat; Şebinkarahisar meters, approximately 500,000 tons of (Asarcık) in the vilayet of Giresun; vi- reserves. layet of Gümüşane; Karakaya district of the vilayet of Eskişehir; region of Ge- 2 wells, in Ayvacık, totalling 317 diz in the vilayet of Kütahya; near Ed- meters, 80,000 tons of reserves. remit in the vilayet of Balıkesir; Milas and Çine within the district of the Men- Barite : deres Mountain-range; Dinar in the vi- Bilir, Muş.— An area of 4,200 layet of Afyonkarahisar and also the km2 was geophysically surveyed for ba- vilayet of Kırşehir. In order to speed rite, using gravimetry and resistivity up the prospection for radioactive min- methods, and in an area covering 3,000 erals, special scintillometers were used in m2 prospecting was conducted. This aerial survey flights made over regions latter included the digging of 20 tren- of the vilayets of Sivas (Akdağ madeni), ches of approximately 370 m3 and 9 Afyonkarahisar, Diyarbakır, Urfa, Yoz- drill-holes adding up to 316 meters. gat, Elazığ, Kars, Kırşehir, Malatya and Niğde. Copper : II. EXPLORATORY WORK DONE Tirebolu.— Using resistivity and electromagnetic methods in the vicinity Coal (Amasra) : of Lahanos, resistivity and «mise a la In order to learn more about the masse» in the region of Harkköy, and geologic structure and the extension of self-potential on several other locations, coal measures within the Zonguldak- geophysical survey for copper was car- Amasra coal basin, exploratory drilling ried out in Tirebolu; in additon de- on seven locations, adding up to 3,170 tailed geology and exploratory drilling, meters, were carried to completion with totalling 3,178 meters, was completed results indicating the presence of ap- on 53 different locations (of this : 380 proximately 30 million tons of coal. meters of underground drilling on 23 locations and 2,798 meters of surface Lignite : drilling on 30 locations). As a result, Manisa-Soma.— Here 28 holes, several million tons of copper ore were totalling 5,744 meters, were drilled estimated. with detailed geology conducted on the side. As a result, 24.5 million tons of Boxite : visible and approximately 25 million tons Akseki.— A geologic survey and of probable reserves were determined. systematic prospecting was carried out Yerköy. — 2 holes, with a total over an area of 1,250 km2 along with depth of 541 meters, were drilled in Yer- 12 trenches of 824 m3 and a total of köy as part of a geologic investigation. 309 meters of drilling on 7 locations. 103

Aplite : out the adaptability of lignites from the Küre, Bilecik.— As a result of Kütahya district in production of coke geotechnical studies conducted in the and briquettes. region, reserves approximating 300,000 2. Topography and Photogeology tons were calculated. Work done in this line consisted Radioactive minerals of the following : D i v r i ğ i.— Along with radiometric a. Preparation of the topographic prospecting that took place, the follow- maps of various parts of Denizli, ing exploratory mining activities, na- Uşak, Kırşehir, Tirebolu, Divriği, mely, 38 trenches (earth removed 543 Muş, Sivrihisar, İstanbul, Akseki, m3), six shafts with a total depth of Beyşehir and Muratsuyu-«Varto». 27 meters, one 48 meter-long tunnel, b. Carrying through of the necessary three underground drill-holes adding coordinate computations for all up to 32 meters and nine other surface points of interest encountered drillings, totalling 242 meters, represen- during the field works and plot- ted the work done in Divriği. ting of their locations. Karakaya, Eskişehir.— Here, c. Mapping of the concession areas in addition to a detailed radiometric complete with boundaries, trian- survey, 7 trenches (242 m3) were dug gulation points and some profi- les. and drilling on 7 different locations, totalling 341 m., was carried out. The d. Placing of the geologic boundary work is not yet finished. lines on the aerial photographs.

Yıldızeli.— In the line of an IV. WORK DONE FOR OTHER GOVERN- investigation, 3 trenches were dug with MENT CONCERNS AND PRIVATE 368 m3 of earth removed. PARTIES 1. Geology III. LABORATORY AND TOPOGRAPHICAL WORK a. Hydrology ;

1. Laboratory work Necessary hydrological studies were conducted for the account of Sümer- ,1. Paleontology : bank in order to supply more water to 1,057 samples were subjected to ma- a number of factories operated in Ça- cro and micropaleontologic examination. nakkale, Beykoz, Bursa, Mudanya, Kara- man, Maraş, Diyarbakır and Adıyaman. b. Analyses and tests : Likewise, M. T. A. did hydrological About 4,424 different samples, mi- work for Keçiborlu Sulphur Mine and neral as well as coal or lignite, brought for the Power Plant planned to be set in from various places, where any type up in Kütahya. of field work is in progress, were sub- jected to chemical analyses and other b. Foundation studies : tests in order to determine their cont- M. T. A. was in charge of conduct- ents and characteristics. In addition to ing necessary geological studies on the flotation tests made on copper, Lead site where the Middle East University and zinc ores from Tirebolu-Harkköy is to construct its various buildings. A a number of other tests were run to find report was subsequently 104

An other report was prepared for about half a million tons. Samples and presented to the office of the An- brought in are still under study. kara Municipality in connection with d. Etibank financed also the drilling the problem of land slides at Topraklık. of a 138 meter-deep Well within the concession area of the Guleman Şark c. Studies undertaken for mines Kromları, the bore-hole cutting through and industrial raw materials : a-chromite vein 10 meters thick. Separate studies were undertaken e. The Kömür İşletmeleri T. A. Ş., for raw materials needed to operate the a Turkish coal company, requested and cement factories to be erected in Sinop, paid for a project that involved the Manisa, Bartın and Çanakkale. drilling of 8 exploratory wells—with a Studies involving some marble, total depth, up to date, of 1,498 meters— mica, asbestos and lead (Balya) deposits in the district of Gediz. The work is were conducted for Etibank. still in progress. Financed by the Altın Toprak Ltd. f. In Tun9bilek (Western Lignites) Co., M. T. A. completed a survey and 2 wells, adding up to 518 meters, were handed in a report on the iron deposit drilled as requested by the General in Kırıkkale. Directorate of T. K. İ., the government Gypsum deposit studies were carried organization in charge of the coal pro- out for the Azot Sanayii in the vicinity duction and distribution in Turkey. of Gediz and Sarayköy. 3 Work done in the M. T. A. Labo- In the Küre district a geophysical ratories survey for copper and pyrite was made upon request by Bakırlı Pirit T. A. Co. 1,260 different samples, which came in from a variety of private sources, 2. Exploratory drilling done upon were duly analysed and results made request known to the parties concerned. Spo- rological study was carried out on samp- The following three projects (pa- les of coal brought in by the firms ragraphs a., b. and c.) were financed Ahmet Uncu and Ünberg Ararat. by Etibank :

a. In Beykoz, 10 wells, with a total CONCLUSION depth of 312 meters were drilled to get more water for the Sümerbank factory Thus, in order to help learn more there. about the geology or to go into mine prospecting and surveying with greater b. In Çatalca, along with the certainty on some regions and localities, search launched for quartz sand, 7 wells the Institute has carried through, on a totalling 256 meters were drilled dis- state-wide scale, exploratory drilling closing reserves in excess of 300,000 tons totalling, in the fiscal year of 1958, requested. 19,378 meters, as against a predicted c. At a locality called Acıpayam- 12,280 meters. Of this total 3,543 meters Hızırderesi, vilayet of Denizli, 25 wells were drilled outside the M. T. A.'s own totalling 1,351 meters were drilled, which program, either for the government helped locating a magnesite deposit of offices or private sector.