Geochronology and geochemistry of basaltic rocks

Abstract: The study area, which is located in the middle sector of the Amanos mountains, covers the north of Kırıkhan (Hatay) in southern Turkey. Tectonostratigraphic rock units from Paleozoic to Cenozoic are exposed within this terrain, which is tectonically active as a result of continent-continent collision between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia. Young basaltic volcanism, located at the N-end of the Dead Sea transform fault in southern Turkey, crops out along the NE-SW trending structural lineaments within the Karasu valley (Hatay). K.Ar age determinations performed on the volcanic rocks give an age range from 0.4 Ma to 2.2 Ma that indicate Plio-Quaternary time internal for the timing of volcanism. The volcanic rocks in the area studied are dominated by alkali olivine basalts based on the petrography and immobile trace element concentrations. Major-trace element geochemistry as well as the REE patterns display geochemical characteristics of Continental Rift Zone volcanism (CRZ)