Mineralogy, geochemistry and physical properties of bentonites from the Western Thrace Region and the islands of Samos and Chios, East Aegean, Greece

摘要

Greece is a major bentonite producer, with Milos Island being one of the largest bentonite mining centres in the world. In addition to the bentonite deposits which are well known, various other occurrences exist in the islands of Chios and Samos, Eastern Aegean and in some areas of Thrace, in NE Greece. These bentonites are associated with volcanic activity and their age ranges from Lower Oligocene in Thrace, to Lower-Middle Miocene in Chios and to Upper Miocene in Samos. Although some of these materials have been utilized since ancient times (e.g. the Samian Earth), these bentonites have been mined only at a local scale. In this study the first data on the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of these bentonites are presented.