AGE FORMATION MINERAL THE MINERAL RESOURCES RESOURCE OF CYPRUS GEOLOGICAL MAP OF CYPRUS ALLUVIUM HOL. CLAY 0.01 FANGLOM. Cyprus has both metallic and non-metallic (industrial) mineral resources. The metallic mineral resources and the asbestos PLEIST. 35°30'N 1.8 ATHALASSA CALCARENITE deposits are associated with the Troodos Ophiolite. The metallic Keryneia mineral resources include chromite and sulphides (copper and (Kyrenia) pyrite ores). The industrial minerals include gypsum, crushed aggregates, clay, bentonite, chalk, marl, building stone, and MARL natural pigments. Lefkosia (Nicosia) CLAY Ammochostos Metallic Minerals: The genesis of chromite is directly (Famagusta) NICOSIA associated with the genesis of the ophiolite and in particular with CALCARENITE the plutonic rocks (dunite) through the process of fractional PLIOCENE crystallisation of the magma. 35°0'N Larnaka The sulphide deposits are associated with the pillow lavas of the 5 Troodos Ophiolite. More than 30 deposits have been discovered, KALAVASOS GYPSUM ranging in size from less than 50,000 tonnes to more than Pafos REEF 20,000,000 tonnes with a copper content from less than 0.3% to LIMESTONE 4.5%. Chalcopyrite, chalcocite, covellite, bornite and cuprite Lemesos (Limassol) represent the main copper minerals. The origin of the pyrite ore CALCARENITE bodies is associated with the formation of new oceanic crust 32°30'E 33°0'E 33°30'E 34°0'E 34°30'E through seafloor spreading. The production of copper from PAKHNA sulphide deposits in Cyprus goes back to the Bronze Age. Slag L E G E N D MIOCENE deposits are remnants of the ancient exploitation. Today, there is REEF only one copper mine in operation. SEDIMENTARY FORMATIONS TROODOS OPHIOLITE (Upper Cretaceous) LIMESTONE Alluvium - Colluvium HOLOCENE Upper and Lower Pillow Lavas and Basal Group VOLCANIC SEQUENCE 22 Asbestos: Cyprus has been known for its asbestos since the Terrace Deposits, Fanglomerate PLEISTOCENE Sheeted Dyke Complex (Diabase) INTRUSIVE SEQUENCE Apalos, Athalassa, Kakkaristra and Nicosia Formations PLIO-PLEISTOCENE Classical and Roman times. Chrysotile asbestos is a fibrous Plagiogranite Kalavasos and Pakhna Formations MIDDLE-UPPER MIOCENE MILLION YEARS (Ma) mineral found in veins. The genesis of asbestos is associated with Gabbro CUMULATE SEQUENCE Kythrea Formation MIDDLE - UPPER MIOCENE Dunite, Wehrlite and Pyroxenite the serpentinisation of the harzburgite (basal lithologic unit of the Lefkara, Kalogrea-Ardana and Lapithos Formations MAASTRICHTIAN - LOWER MIOCENE Harzburgite and Serpentinite MANTLE SEQUENCE PLUTONICS CAMPANIAN - MAASTRICHTIAN ophiolite).Asbestos has been mined from 1904 to 1988. Kathikas, Moni, Kannaviou and Perapedhi Formations 35 Hilarion, Sykhari, Dhikomo and Kantara Formations PERMO-CARBONIFEROUS TO LOWER CRETACEOUS SEDIMENTARYAUTOCHTHONOUS ROCKS Mamonia Complex TRIASSIC - LOWER CRETACEOUS Industrial Minerals: Gypsum is an industrial mineral with a CHALKS variety of uses that is found in many areas in Cyprus. It is one of THE LEFKARA the evaporite minerals, formed from the evaporation of sea water. 55 Crushed aggregates (sand and gravels) are produced from diabase, reef limestone (Koronia and Terra Members of the MINERAL Pakhna Formation) and calcarenite (Nicosia andAthalassa Fms). 65 - OLIGOCENE PALAEOCENE Clays suitable for brick, tile and pottery manufacture are sourced from sedimentary deposits of the Nicosia and Kythrea RESOURCES MONI/KATH. Formations, from alluvial deposits and from altered and KANNAVIOU BENTONITE weathered igneous rocks. Clays are also used in the cement 67 industry. PERAPEDHI UMBER OCHRE Bentonite is a type of clay that was deposited as a deep-water OF CYPRUS 75 - SULPHIDES sediment from the alteration of volcanic material. The main uses 90 VOLCANICS (PYRITE AND of bentonite include drilling muds, foundry sand binders, civil COPPER ORES) engineering, iron ore pelletisation and pet litter. TERRA VERDE Raw materials for the manufacture of cement comprise chalk, Address: Mailing address: INTRUSIVES DIABASE marl and gypsum. These are all widely available in Cyprus. 1 Lefkonos Street, Strovolos, Lefkosia, CYPRUS Geological Survey Department Tel.: +357-2240 9213, Fax: +357-2231 6873, 1415 Lefkosia UPPER CRETACEOUS Building stone was for centuries the main construction material. E-mail: [email protected] CYPRUS CUMULATES The type of stone was related to the rocks of each area, such as gabbro, diabase, and harzburgite in the mountainous areas, and Head of the Economic Geology Section: Christodoulos Hadjigeorgiou TROODOS OPHIOLITE chalk, limestone and calcarenite elsewhere. PLUTONICS CHROMITE Acting Director of the Geological Survey Department: Dr. Costas Constantinou MANTLE ASBESTOS Cyprus is known since the antiquity for its natural pigments such P. I . O . 257 /2015 - 2000 as umber, ochre and terra verde, all associated with the ophiolite. Published by the Press and Information Office Printed by: «Printco Ltd » METALLIC MINERALS AGGREGATES CLAYS BUILDING STONE MINOR MINERAL RESOURCES Chromite occurs as dis- Thesulphide deposits are Aggregates can be any of using diabase and reef Clay is a fine-grained In Cyprus, building stone was for centuries the main seminated grains to associated with the pillow several hard, inert mate- limestone as raw material. natural sediment or soft rock construction material. The type of stone was related to Magnesite, celestite, recrystallised limestone (marble) and nodular and massive and lavas of the Troodos rials used for mixing with composed primarily of clay- the rocks of each area. In the Troodos Mountains they minerals containing manganese, nickel, cobalt, zinc, gold and as lenses or irregular Ophiolite. The origin of cement or bitumen to form The natural aggregates, sized colloidal particles and used rocks from the ophiolite such as gabbro, diabase, silver represent the island’s minor mineral resources. bodies within the dunite. the pyrite ore bodies was concrete, mortar or plaster being the product of erosion, characterized by high harzburgite etc. In other areas chalk, limestone and The genesis of chromite is uncertain and contro- or used alone as in graded consist of a variety of rock plasticity. It is mainly calcarenite were used as building stones. Calcarenite Magnesite (MgCO 3) occurs in Cyprus in the Akamas Peninsula directly associated with the versial until the late 1970s fill. Aggregates are types, which often makes composed of clay minerals of was extensively used in Cyprus for the construction of and in the Limassol Forest area. It is found in the form of veins, process of magma crystal- when massive sulphides characterized as coarse them unsuitable for the the kaolin, montmorillonite fortifications such as the Venetian Walls of Nicosia, lenses or irregular masses in serpentinised ultrabasic rocks. It (gravel) or fine (sand) and illite groups, but also castles, as well as public buildings, churches, and results from the decomposition of the host rock. The veins are lisation. The Troodos were discovered in asso- production of concrete. They Diabase quarry. Ophiolite contains podi- ciation with high- depending on their particle were therefore replaced by includes very fine fragments mansions. generally thin, rarely exceeding 3 m in thickness and often more form chromite deposits in temperature black smo- size and natural or crushed the crushed aggregates. of quartz, decomposed feld- or less parallel to each other. They are spread within the altered the lower parts of its kers and vent biota at the depending on their source. The quality of aggregates in spars, carbonates, ferrugi- mother rock and large quantities of host are extracted for a low ultramafic suite. The crest of the East Pacific The crushed aggregates, Cyprus was until recently nous mater and other production of magnesite. Exploitation of magnesite was sporadic major podiform deposits Rise. When the use of concrete in which are produced from specified and controlled, impurities. in Cyprus between 1921-1922 and 1944-1953. About 1,750 were probably formed in the construction industry diabase, reef limestone particularly with respect to tonnes of magnesite have been extracted containing an average of subvertical channels began in Cyprus, initially (Terra and Koronia their particle size distri- In Cyprus, clays that are of 95% magnesium carbonate. between the tectonite natural river and beach Members, Pakhna Fm) and bution, physical, mechanical the montmorillonite and and chemical properties, by Asmall deposit of celestite (SrCO ) was discovered in 1977 in the harzburgite and the aggregates and gradually calcarenite (Nicosia Fm), smectite groups are extra- 3 three Cyprus Standards. Old church built from Amansion in Nicosia. southern part of Cyprus near Maroni village. It occurs at the cumulate main dunite. The the crushed aggregates are extracted from open pits cted in various locations ophiolitic rocks. concentration of large from recrystallised lime- and undergo crushing, These have been recently from the sedimentary depo- contact between the Kalavassos Formation and the Koronia stone of the Pentadaktylos replaced by the correspo- sits of the Nicosia Fm and Member of the Pakhna Formation and is associated with reef quantities of chromites in screening and whenever Even though all of the above types of natural building mountains were used. nding European Standards. from weathered, reworked limestone. these zones is attributed to necessary washing. stone are still produced and used today, their primary and redeposited igneous the supersaturation