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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 January 2018
The Çankırı Basin is one of the largest Cenozoic basins in Central Anatolia, Turkey and contains possible economic hydrocarbon and evaporite reserves. Gypsum is the dominant mineral in the evaporite-bearing Pliocene deposits of the Çankırı Basin. In claystones, the abundance of smectite, dolomite, illite/mica and chlorite in association with minor amounts of mixed-layer chlorite-smectite, mica-vermiculite, amphibole, serpentine, quartz and feldspar together indicate an alkaline environment. Minor kaolinite is also present in some clay samples. Smectite is both detrital and authigenic. Palynological analysis revealed the existence of a mixed forest (Pinus, Cathaya, Tsuga, Cedrus, Abies, Quercus, Ulmus, Juglans, Pterocarya, Acer, Carya, Carpinus, Fagus) dominated by Pinus with a widespread herbaceous understory (Poaceae) interspersed sparsely with open areas occupied by Asteraceae. This flora reflects warm-temperate and humid climatic condition. δ13C analyses have shown that the vegetation was dominated by C3 plants.
This paper is one of a group published in this issue which was originally presented at the Mediterranean Clay Conference, held in Izmir, Turkey in September 2016.