Belli bir oranda M.ö. 6. yy daki Lidya Kralı Krezüs'ün meşhur hazinelerinin temelini oluşturmuş Salihli Şart plaserlerinde son yıllarda yapılan araştırmalar altın dağılımının düzensiz olduğunu ve mevcut tenörlerin ekonomik bir değerlendirme için yeterli almadığını ortaya koymuştur. Bu çalışmada adı geçen plaserlerdeki ağır mineraller ve bunların kütle içindeki dağılımları belirlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Güdülen ana anaaç düşük tenörde olduğu bilinen altının değerlendirilmesini ağır mineral yan ürünleri ile ekonomiklik kapsamı içine sokabilmek olmuştur. Daha önce yapılan araştırmalar altının 1 mm nin altındaki fraksiyonda serbest halde bulunduğunu, bu tane iriliğinin üstündeki fraksiyonlardaM altının elde edilimi için pahalı kırma - öğütme iş­ lemlerine gerek bulunduğunu ortaya koymuştur. Bu çalışmada da plaser kü­ mesinin X mm nin altındaki bölümü temel kabul edilmiş ve bu kütle içindeki ağır mineral ve altın dağılımı incelenmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlan şu şekilde özetlemek mümkündür : 1. Toplam ham kütlenin %25.31 ini oluş­ turan 1 mm nin altındaki plaser kütlesinde %17.65 oranında, yoğur.ağu 2.96 nin üzerinde bulunan ağır mineraller mevcuttur. 2. Ağır minerallerin ana kültesini zirkon, rutil, apatit, hematit, aîmandin oluşturmaktadır. Ayrıca iz olarak da harit, kasiterit; ilmenit, limonit, zinober, pirotin, kalkopirit, pirite rastlanmıştır. 3. Adı geçen minerallerden altının yanında ekonomik açıdan önemli olabilecek mineral olarak zirkon, rutil ve apatit belirlenmiş ve bunların çeşitli tane fraksiyonlarındaki dağılımları ortaya konulmuştur. Buna göre I mm nin altındaki kütlenin ağır mineral fraksiyonunun

Although they were one of the most important sources of the King of Lydia Cresus's gold treasuries in B.C. 6, recent investigations at Salihli-Sardis placers have proved the fact that the gold distribution shows an irregularity and the present grades are not sufficient for an economical evaluation. In this study heavy minerals contained in the above mentioned placers and their distribution is tried to be determined. The main purpose of this study is to put the low graded gold together with the heavy mineral by-products in an economical evaluation. The previous investigations showed that the gold with particle size - 1 mm is liberated in the fractions below 1 mm. But for coarser fractions expensive communition processes had to be involved. In this research the fractions below 1 mm is taken as a basis and the distribution of heavy minerals and gold within this are examined. The obtained results can be outlined as follows : 1) The placer mass below 1 mm, which makes up the 23,31 % of the total raw material, contains 17,65 % heavy minerals having a density higher than 2.96. 2) Zircon, rutile, apatite, hematite, almandite make up the basic mass of heavy minerals. Furthermore barite, cassiterite, ilmenite, limonite, cinnabar, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite, pyrite have been seen as a trace. 3) Besides gold of the mentioned minerals, zircon, rutile and apatite is determined important from the economical point of view and the distribution of these in various size fractions is stated. According to this, he^,vy mineral fractions of the mass below 1 mm consist of 8.52 % zircon, 4.84 % rutile and 2,24 apatite. Apart from these, this heavy mineral mass contains 2 gr/ton gold. The remaining part of the heavy mineral contains hematite and almandite. 4) By sieving the placer mass under 1 mm, a mass containing 0,53 gr/ton of gold and having a grade of 2.02 % zircon, 1.25 •fo rutile, 0.60 % apatite are obtained. By sampling, it has been proved that by using simple ways of sieving gold, zircon, rutile and apatite can be obtained from this mass technologically and economically. 2 alternatives were stated for this : — First alternative is stated as obtaining gold, zirkon, rutile and apatite by classifying the placer mass under 1 mm. According to this respect, by sampling again, the capacity should be 5 M. ton/yr, of unsieved placer. In this case with an 80 % output apart from having nearly 600 kg/yr. of gold, 21.000 ton of zircon, 13.000 ton of rutile, 8.000 ton of apatite concentrates can be obtained and the income for a year will probably sum up to 25 million dollars. The details of the process and determination of the cost will be studied in another research. — In the second alternative the placer mass is sieved and - 0,315 + 0,063 mm fraction is subjected to gold production. Because by this way a mass containing 80 •% gold of the placer mass and having a gold grade of 1.28 gr/ ton is found. Under the view of the world examples it is sure that both of these alternatives are economical but the question of which to apply is left for another research. Yet the first alternative is capital intensive, and the income is proportionally high, whereas the second alternative with less investment it is doubtless to achieve some income. No matter which alternative is accepted this study proves the fact that in today's conditions Salihli - Sardis placers can be evaluated economically when gold, rutile, zirkon, apatite is taken into consideration.