The Evidence of Some Stable Isotope Compositions of the Miocene Halites Related to the Origin of the Salts (Tuz Gölü, Turkey)

Abstract

The study area located in the south of Konya Closed Basin, Central Anatolia contains ancient (Miocene) and recent evaporite deposits. This study aims to determine the origin of the Miocene halites of the Tuz Gölü basin based on isotope data. For this aim, the isotopic properties of halite samples taken from three different drillings in the study area were investigated. The δ81Br, δ37Cl, δ7Li, and δ11B isotopic compositions of the pure halites range from −0.06 to 0.82, −0.80 to 1.28, −0.70 to 30.60 and −14.70 to 11.60, respectively. The low δ37Cl, δ81Br and high δ11B, δ7Li values indicate that the brine involved in the formation of the halites of the Tuz Gölü basin was largely derived from seawater. Additionally, intermediate and high δ37Cl, δ81Br and low δ11B, δ7Li values of the investigated samples refer that the origin of the ancient halites in the basin is not only a marine composition but also a mixture of solutions having different compositions or origins (e.g., seawater or saline water and groundwater/freshwater).