Geochemical and Hydrogeological Assessment of Kirazlı Region

The study area of 1115.3
km² is located in Northwestern Turkey within the Çanakkale
province (Figure 1).
Kirazlı village is located about 40 km southeast of the city
center and around the Biga Peninsula, which is an active tectonic
region. Mountainous topography features are seen in the region. Kirazlı
Mountain is the most important hill in the region, 811 m above the
sea level and covered with forests, which provides the main means
of livelihood for the local people. In this peninsula, alternating
reddish-yellow-white-colored volcanic and sedimentary rock formations
are commonly seen.^{41 (link)} The former formations
are altered Neogene-age sedimentary covered with sand, silt, and clay,^{16 (link)} and both formations are covered by quaternary
alluvium, including sand and gravel grains. In the rock structures
of the region, lead (Pb)–zinc (Zn)–copper (Cu) and gold
(Au) metal deposits and industrial minerals such as clay (Al₂O₃·2SiO₂·2H₂O), coal,
and kaolinite (Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄) have been identified.^{42 (link)}In Çanakkale, Biga and some nearby towns
(Yenice, Can, and
Lapseki) are known for having a total of 204 metallic mineral deposits,
and the most important ones are Cu, Pb, Zn, antimony (Sb), and gold
(Au) reserves. Volcanic units at Kirazlı belong to the Miocene
age, which host alternating zones and precious metal mineralization
and contain feldspar, mafic minerals, and some quartz. The enrichment
of metals is Al + K in the argillic and Mg + Ca + Fe in the propylitic
alteration types. Moreover, two Au mineral deposit reserve places
are found—Kartal Dag and Maden Dag—and deposits of Fe
and Mn also have found been as small mass reserves. Environmental
changes (causing geogenic interaction between soil and water) affect
the enrichment and leaching of metals; for example, Ca, Mg, and Fe
were leached during argillic alteration, whereas strong Na leaching
is evident in all alteration types.^{43 (link)}The hydrogeology of the Kirazlı region generally comprises
volcanic units. Most of the springs in the study area are between
the silicified zone and the argillic zone. Several springs surface
from volcanic soils such as tuff and agglomerate in the Biga Peninsula.
These springs have flow rates between 0.01 and 3 L/s. In the region
Çanakkale and Koca streams discharge into the Atikhisar Reservoir,
which serves the water supply system of Çanakkale city.^{41 (link)} Generally, the main alluvial aquifers in the
region serve as the main water resources.^{41 (link)} As seen in Figure 1, the study area has three types of geological structures. J1, J2,
and J3 represent, respectively, high mineral soil, low mineral soil,
and alluvial soil. While J1 includes evaporite mineral sedimentary
rocks such as gypsum and carbonates with high solubility only in acidic
waters, travertine, caliche, limestone, marble, and calcschist formations,
J2 consists of aluminum silicate-containing soils, conglomerates,
sandstone, and silica-predominant formations.⁴⁴ X and Y in Figure 1 indicate the geologic coordinates, whereas W and S indicate water
and rock samples, respectively. The peninsula is in the Mediterranean
and Black Sea transition zone, affecting climate characteristics,
with summers being hot and dry and winters being cold and rainy. Maximum
precipitation is observed during the winter, whereas the least precipitation
is observed during summer.^{42 (link)}