Mineral Resources of Georgia by Alexander G. Tvalchrelidze

   Two basic circumstances have prevented the general public from getting acquainted with Georgian mineral resources:

  Firstly, in the Soviet period Georgia has always been considered as a country with undeveloped mineral resources. This opinion was due to its totalitarian economy, when bulk reserves of Georgian mineral resources were measured against the necessity in raw materials of the whole USSR. In reality, Georgia, of course, cannot be compared to such countries as, for instance, Australia, Bolivia, South Africa, Canada, USA, Russia, Kazakhstan, etc. with unique deposits of the world scale. On the other hand, Georgia is able to meet the requirements of its industry on main types of raw materials, and, partly, to organize their export to the western markets.

  Secondly, mineral resources were always the subject of secrecy in the particular regime in the USSR. Rare Russian-language publications with general geological characteristics of strategic deposits were confidential and, therefore, not available to the western economic geologists.

In reality, mineral resources of Georgia comprise:
1. Fuel & Energetic Resources;
2. Ferrous Metals;
3. Noble, Non-Ferrous & Light Metals;
4. Rare Metals & Elements;
5. Chemical & Agrochemical Materials;
6. Ceramic Materials;
7. Gems;
8. Facing Materials;
9. Metallurgic, Inert & Building Materials;
10. Mineral Waters.

N°	Field	Enclosing Rocks	Reserves
			Hydrocarbon	Unit of measure	Value
1	Sartichala	Oligocene sandy-clayey sequence	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	13,966.600 1,732.438
2	Norio-Martkopi	same	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	14,874.300 2,266.252
3	Satskhenisi	same	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	1,927.100 18.929
4	Mirzaani	same	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	367.600 61.321
5	Patara Shiraki	same	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	293.5 14.946
6	Taribani	same	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	1,001.700 16.996
7	Supsa	Quaternary sandy sequence	Oil Gas	thousand t mln m³	17.000 11.703
8	Rustavi	Oligocene sandy-clayey sequence	Gas	mln m³	5,157.000

N°	Raw	Deposit	Technologic characteristics	Reserves
	Material			Unit of Measure	Value
9	Hard coal	Tkvarcheli	moisture - 1.5-3%, ash -34.7%, calorific capacity -3.500-7.500 kcal/kg	thousand t	19550
10	Hard coal	Tkibuli-Shaori	moisture - 6-10%, ash - 10-12%, calorific capacity - 5970-6300 kkal/kg	thousand t	377970
11	Brown coal	Akhltsikhe	moisture - 12-13%, ash - 36%, calorific capacity - 3230 - 4500 kkal/kg	thousand t	75766
12	Peat	Kobuleti	moisture - 94.3%, ash - 22%	thousand m³	2003
13	Peat	Imnati	moisture - 91%, ash - 23%	thousand m³	29906
14	Peat	Nabadi	moisture - 90%, ash - 70%	thousand m³	12385
15	Peat	Anaklia	moisture - 89%, ash - 45%	thousand m³	28074
16	Peat	Poti	moiture - 80%, ash - 31%	thousand m³	26731

N°	Source	Host Rocks	Tem-pera-ture, °C	Mine-raliza-tion, g/l	Main solved compounds	Interval of water presence in drills, m	Output, l/sec
17	Ohurey	Upper Cretaceous	106	1.07	Ca	2865-3300	1.07
18	Kingi	Upper Cretaceous	107	1.05	Ca	2670-3100	4.30
19	Tsaishi	Upper Cretaceous	103	1.20	Ca, Mg	700-1000	18.50
20	Zugdidi	Upper Cretaceous	105	0.85	Na, K, Ca, Mg	1800-1880	60.20
21	Samtredia	Upper Neogene	50	1.80	Na, K	1269-1280	5.20
22	Mendji	Upper Cretaceous	55	2.10	Na, K, Ca, Mg	1816-2057	2.10
23	Lisi	Paleogene	64	0.30	Na, K	505-1245	4.0

N°	Deposit	Type	Wallrock alteration	Cons- tituent	Grade,%	Reserves
						item	Unitof measure	Value
24	Dzama	iron-skarn	skarn	Fe	32.14	ores Fe	thousand t thousand t	16,667.0 5,357.0
25	Poladauri	hydrothermal	quartz-seri-cite-chlorite	Fe	36.00	ores	thousand t thousand t	6,173.0 2,223.0
26	Tkibuli-Shaori	sedimentary	none	Fe	34.40	ores Fe	thousand t thousand t	210,000.0 72,240.0
27	Supsa-Na-tanebi	placer	none	Fe	2-3	ores	thousand t thousand t	770,000.0 15,400.0
28	Chiatura	sedimentary	none	Mn	16.6-33.4	ores Mn	million t thousand t	225.7 46,688.0
29	Chchari-Adjameti	sedimentary	none	Mn	15.8-28.2	ores Mn	million t thousand t	10.033 2,367.4
30	Kvirila	sedimentary	none	Mn	19.2-23.3	ores Mn	million t thousand t	27.0 5,307.0
31	Shkhmeri	sedimentary	none	Mn	20.7-28.9	ores Mn	million t thousand t	6,398.0 1,424.8

N°	Deposit	Type	Wallrock alteration	Cons- tituent	Grade,%	Reserves
						item	Unitof measure	Value
24	Dzama	iron-skarn	skarn	Fe	32.14	ores Fe	thousand t thousand t	16,667.0 5,357.0
25	Poladauri	hydrothermal	quartz-seri-cite-chlorite	Fe	36.00	ores	thousand t thousand t	6,173.0 2,223.0
26	Tkibuli-Shaori	sedimentary	none	Fe	34.40	ores Fe	thousand t thousand t	210,000.0 72,240.0
27	Supsa-Na-tanebi	placer	none	Fe	2-3	ores	thousand t thousand t	770,000.0 15,400.0
28	Chiatura	sedimentary	none	Mn	16.6-33.4	ores Mn	million t thousand t	225.7 46,688.0
29	Chchari-Adjameti	sedimentary	none	Mn	15.8-28.2	ores Mn	million t thousand t	10.033 2,367.4
30	Kvirila	sedimentary	none	Mn	19.2-23.3	ores Mn	million t thousand t	27.0 5,307.0
31	Shkhmeri	sedimentary	none	Mn	20.7-28.9	ores Mn	million t thousand t	6,398.0 1,424.8
Se				Te Au Ag barite	0.00071 0.00076 0.00018 0.00092 36.3	S Se Te Au Ag barite	thousand t t t kg t thousand t	717 561 600 48,247 100 1,662
36	Sakdrisi	same	same	Au Ag Cu	0.00019 0.00030 1.03	ores Au Ag Cu	thousand t kg t thousand t	75,600 19,800 22 77.6
37	Tsiteli So-peli	same	same	Au Ag Cu	0.00007 0.00040 1.58	ores Au Ag Cu	thousand t kg t thousand t	12,840 8,000 4 202.8
38	Kvemo Bolnisi	same	same	Cu barite	1.46 28.6	ores Cu barite	thousand t thousand t thousand t	5,479 80 583
39	David Ga-redji		same	Au Ag Pb Zn Cu barite	0.00025 0.00150 2.50 5.00 0.80 19.6	ores Au Ag Pb Zn Cu barite	thousand t kg t thousand t thousand t thousand t thousand t	2,000 5,000 169 50 100 16.8 1,948
40	Merisi group	porpyry Cu-polymetallic	quartz-sericite-chlorite	Au Ag Pb Zn Cu Bi	0.00007 0.00187 1.80 1.40 2.84 0.01	ores Au Ag Pb Zn Cu Bi	thousand t kg t thousand t thousand t thousand t t	3,268 859 18.3 17.4 15.2 77.9 180.5
41	Dambludi	hydrothermal	quartz-sericite-chlorite	Au Ag Pb Zn Cu Cd In Bi	0.00019 0.00301 2.67 5.31 0.76 0.03 0.00260 0.017	ores Au Ag Pb Zn Cu Cd In Bi	thousand t kg t thousand t thousand t thousand t t t t	1,869 1,882 56 48 96 13.7 555 21 181
42	Kvaisi	hydrothermal	quartz-carbonate-kaolinite	Pb Zn Ag Cd	2.24 6.47 0.00154 0.02	ores Pb Zn Ag Cd	thousand t thousand t thousand t t t	2,851 56.2 197.7 18 279
43	Skatykom	same	same	Pb	6.81	ores Pb	thousand t thousand t	174.5 9.8
44	Razdaran-kom	same	same	Pb Zn	1.50 1.00	ores Pb Zn	thousand t thousand t thousand t	340 5.1 0.99
45	Rtskhmelu-ri	same	silicifica-tion	Pb Zn	1.61 2.67	ores Pb Zn	thousand t thousand t thousand t	255 4.1 6.8
46	Ertso	same	quartz-carbonate-kaolinite
47	Amtkeli	same	kaolini-zation	Pb Zn	2.36 3.80	ores Pb Zn	thousand t thousand t thousand t	285 3.2 7.3
48	Brdzyshra	strata-bound	carbonate-sericite	Pb Zn	1.20 1.00	ores Pb Zn	thousand t thousand t thousand t	250 15.5 23.2
49	Dzyshra	same	same
50	Enguri basin	placer	none			Au	kg	>3000
51	Khramibasin	same	same			Au	kg	>4000

4. Rare Metals & Elements

Distribution of rare metals and elements resources is shown on Figure below. For more information, please, click here. Table below contains information on reserves; No of deposits correspond to those on the map.

5. Chemical & Agrochemical Resources

Chemical and agrochemical resources of Georgia comprise barite, bentonite, talc, zeolite, diatomite, perlite, acid-resisting andesite, Glauber salt, lithographic stone, haloids, chalcedony, and mineral paints. Their distribution is shown on Figure below. For more information, please, click here. Table below contains information on reserves; No of deposits correspond to those on the map.

6. Ceramic Materials and Gems

Ceramic Materials

Resources of ceramic materials are fairly limited in Georgia. They are related to: (i) Paleozoic pegmatites of the Dzirula crystalline massif; (ii) Early alpine kaolinite sediments in the Dzirula subterrane. Current reserves of the Shrosha pottery pegmatites are 2,200,000 tons. Porcelain Middle Jurassic white kaolin clays at the Jvarisi deposit do not exceed 1,300,000 tons. Recently (Magalashvili and Megrelishvili, 1989) have proven, however, possible usage of the inner zones of quartz-alunite-sericite hydrothermally altered rocks at polymetallic massive sulfide deposits (Tsiteli Sopeli, for instance) instead of China stone.

8. Metallurgic, Inert & Building Materials

Resources of metallurgic, inert and building materials are abundant and the Figure below comprises only the main deposits and mines. These resources comprise flux limestones, gravel & sand, sand for glass and foundry sand, chalk, limestones for lime and cement, clays for cement, metallurgic dolomites, refractory clays, brick earth, roof shales, gypsum & anhydrite. Table below contains information on reserves of deposits shown on the Figure

9. Mineral Waters

Georgia is well-known by its sources, outsets and artesian basins of mineral waters characterized by unique properties and enormous reserves. Georgian underground waters are usually classified into four groups:

  Fresh waters (mineralization degree < 1000 mg/l) have reserves of 550 million m3 per day (23 millions m3 per hour). Reserves are due to vast artesian basins of both the Western and the Eastern Georgia (the Kolkheti and the Eastern Georgia Lowlands). Their chemical, physical and bacteriological tests show them to be superior to the world-wide best quality waters. At the same time, their utilization (including tap waters) is about 1-2%.

  Hydrocarbonate, mainly sodium and calcium table waters (mineralization degree from 1-5 g/l) have bulk reserves of 3,000 m3 per day (125 m3 per hour). They are due to either postvolcanic infiltration processes of the Ajara-Trialeti mountain chains or fault-related activity along relatively young tectonic dislocations. World demand for such waters is very high whereas supply is limited.

  Table-medicinal waters of the same origin and chemical composition but with important admixture of gaseous phase (CO2, CH4OH) have mineralization degree 5-11 g/l. They are exploited for both external and internal usage. The well-known Borjomi spa contains just these waters. Their bulk reserves are 13,000 m3 per day (542 m3 per hour).

  Medicinal sulfide, silica, Ra, N waters of different cation composition and mineralization degree are used for medicinal purposes only. Their Bulk reserves are 30,500 m3 per day (1,271 m3 per hour). Well-known medical spas like Tskhaltubo and Tbilisi just belong to this type.

Conclusions

1. Main deposits of Georgian mineral resources comprise energetic resources (oil, gas, coal, peat), geothermal sources, ferrous metals (Fe and Mn), precious, non-ferrous, light, rare metals and elements (Au, Ag, Cu, Pb, Zn, Al, Mo, W, Hg, As, Sb), chemical & agrochemical materials (barite, talc, zeolite, bentonite, diatomite, perlite, acid-resisting andesite, phosphorite, Glauber salt, haloids, lithographic stone, chalcedony, mineral paints), ceramic materials (pottery pegmatite and porcelain kaolin), facing materials (gabbros and gabbro-diabases, granites, quartz diorites, teschenites, marbles and marmorized limestones), inert (flux limestones, gravel, foundry sands, quartz sands), metallurgic (dolomite and clay) and building materials (different limestones, chalk, lime, gypsum, anhydrite, refractory clays, brick earth, roof shales, etc.) and gems (agate, opal, obsidian).

2. Mineral deposits are distributed all over the entire territory of the country and have been forming starting from the pre-Cambrian up to the modern mineralization epochs. Mineral zoning of Georgia is determined by its continuous history within the limits of the Mediterranean mobile belt. From the metallogenic point of view the modern terrane analysis explains better all the regularities of the mineralization distribution. First order terranes are suggested to undergo displacement in oceans, consequently, Proto-, Paleo-, Mezo-, and Neotethys before their accretion to the southern margin of the Euro-Asian Plate. Thus, geodynamically the northern boundary of these oceans throughout the whole geological history represented an active continental margin whereas the southern one (with the Afro-Arabian Plate) was passive. Three first order terranes are known in Georgia. The Greater Caucasus terrane accreted to the Euro-Asian Plate during the Hercinian time. The Baibut-Sevanian terrane that has its ophiolitic suture southward from Georgia, within the Sevano-Akerian subterrane, is presented by the Somkhito-Karabakh subterrane - a typical andesitic island arc which continues eastward and westward along thousand kilometers and has a global extent. Different subterranes of the central, Black-Sea-Transcaucasian, terrane represent different parts of the oceans Mezo- and Neotethys. Two main tectonic elements played a decisive role in litho- and, correspondingly, mineragenesis: pelagic oceanic Chkhalta-Tphani subterrane and the Transcaucasian Median Mass different parts of which underwent relatively independent development in form of particular subterranes that amalgamated before their accretion to the active continental margin.

3. Large variety of geodynamic environments determined a great diversity of typomorphic mineralizations that have been formed throughout the pre-Cambrian-Early Paleozoic, Hercinian, Cimmerian (early Jurassic), Early, Middle, Late Alpine, and Quaternary epochs. Polylayered structure of distinct subterranes resulted in spatial superposition of different mineralization epochs. From this point of view the central part of the Transcaucasian Median Mass (involved in Cimmerian and Alpine tectonic events and reduced to the Dzirula massif; tectonically active parts of this mass were subject to different geodynamic environments: island arc - in the Gagra-Java subterrane and shallow-water pelagic - in the Dzirula and the Middle Mtkvari subterranes) is the most polychronous. Sideward, in general, number of the echeloned mineralization events decreases. This simple picture is complicated by a young superimposed rift (the Late Alpine Ajara-Trialeti subterrane) and shallow-water pelagic (the Early Alpine Mestia-Tianeti subterrane) basins.

4. Pre-Cambrian and Paleozoic mineralization is mainly connected with maphic to acid intrusive magmatic activity (talc in serpentinites, facing gabbros, granites, quartz diorites, their related pottery pegmatites, etc.) within the limits of the Dzirula massif.

5. Cimmerian mineralization in different subterranes manifested in deep-ocean (Cu-pyrrhotite ores, roof shales in the Chkhalta-Tphani subterrane) and shallow-water marine (refractory clays in the Dzirula subterrane) environments.

6. Early Alpine epoch produced two typical island arcs at the northern and southern peripheries of the Transcaucasian Median Mass. The former (Gagra-Java subterrane) is characterized by vein and strata-bound Pb-Zn and barite deposits as well as iron-bearing coal basins. The latter (Somkhito-Karabakh terrane) produced typomorphic auriferous polymetallic base metals, facing tuffs, lithographic stones. The central part of the Black-Sea-Transcaucasian terrane by that time was characterized by orogenic environment producing facing teschenites and shallow-water Al-bearing analcite sandstones that have been deposited in a closed basin of the Dzirula subterrane. In the shallow-water basin (Mestia-Tianeti subterrane), superimposed upon a newly consolidated continental margin (Chkhalta-Tphani subterrane), auriferous realgar-orepigment marginal-fault-related mineralization has been formed.

7. Middle Alpine epoch has manifested only in the central part of the Transcaucasian Madian Mass. During the Oligocene transgression westward and eastward from the Dzirula massif shallow-water molassic basins have originated. Molassic sediments, inclined towards, consequently, the Black (Dzirula subterrane) and the Caspian (Middle Mtkvari subterrane) seas, were subject to specific sedimentation with typomorphic dyagenetic and autigene mineral formations. Manganese deposits, manganese-related spongolite and chalcedony mineralizations are typical to this epoch. Simultaneously, in lowland areas, where molassic sediments were thicker, first accumulations of hydrocarbons occurred, locally associating with haloids.

8. Late Alpine epoch was complex. Within the Greater Caucasus terrane and along its Main Fault typical orogenic both granite-related (Mo, W) and telethermal (As, Sb, Hg) ore formations originated. Southward, in shallow water conditions (Gagra-Java subterrane) phosphorite ores were deposited. In the central part of the practically entirely consolidated Black-Sea-Transcaucasian terrane shallow-water quartz sands have been deposited. In the Ajara-Trialeti rift subterrane superimposed upon the south-western periphery of the Dzirula subterrane, a typical porphyry copper system as well as iron skarn deposits were related to quartz-monzonite-diorite intrusive bodies. Simultaneous postvolcanic processes resulted in agate formation. In shallow subsequent fresh-water lakes and bogs, correspondingly, diatomite and carboniferous strata have been deposited. In the Somkhito-Karabakh terrane last volcanic paroxysms and a postvolcanic activity produced perlite, obsidian and agate deposits.

9. Quaternary epoch is governed by climatic conditions of the Greater and the Lesser Caucasus as well as by features of their relief. Different alluvial (including Au placers), deluvial and proluvial sediments, weathering core and modern bog environment determined origination of corresponding modern mineral deposits.