Mineralogical and petrographic analysis of malachite containing samples.-In: Sarnevo. Pits from the Late Neolithic, the Early and Late Iron Age, and the Roman Period

Tzankova N., M. Vasileva. 2017. Mineralogical and petrographic analysis of malachite containing samples.- In: Sarnevo. Pits from the Late Neolithic, the Early and Late Iron Age, and the Roman Period. Volume 1. The Late Neolithic pit field, National Institute of Archaeology and Museum – BAS, Edited by K. Bacvarov, M. Tonkova, and G. Katsarov, 561-565 (in Bulgarian with English abstract).

This chapter section considers the results of the mineralogical and petrographic analysis of two malachite-containing samples from a Late Neolithic pit field at Sarnevo. To localize their place of origin, a complex of analytical techniques was used: microscopic observation in transmitted and reflected light, electron microprobe analyses, X-ray powder diffraction analyses, and ICP-AES. The malachite in the samples is observed in association with iron hydroxides (goethite), quartz, libethenite (confirmed with XRD), and fine sulfide relicts of chalcocite-type phases. The ICP–AES analyses identified higher concentrations of Fe (13762 mg/kg), S (2406 mg/kg), and Zn (585.0 mg/kg); relatively higher concentrations of Mn (170.7 mg/kg), Cr (110.3 mg/kg), and Ni (99.1 mg/kg); as well as lower concentrations of As (21.3 mg/kg), Ag (15.1 mg/kg), and Pb (11,2 mg/kg). The analyzed malachite-containing samples have significantly similar geochemical properties as the malachite ores at Ai Bunar and Tamnyanka, but the results are not yet sufficient to make definite conclusions.

Full text is available HERE