Characteristics and properties of Bitlis ignimbrites and their environmental implications

Bitlis rock is used as a construction material and comes from the lava emitted by volcanoes and their subsequent transformation into ignimbrites. This type of rocks has been characterized physically, chemi­cally, toxicologically and radioactively using different procedures including determination of the coefficient of thermal conductivity, gamma spectrometry, ultrasonic speed test, ICP masses and metal extraction. The results indicate that Bitlis rocks have an ACI greater than 1, although their content of radon is lower than other rocks of volcanic origin. Leaching of metals from these rocks indicates that Pb and Cd can provide an infiltration level in the field higher than the level permitted by TCLP and they have undesired toxicological risks. The percent­ages of extraction of other metals also point to this infiltration problem. Despite this, the material offers good qualities for usage as a building material such as its thermal coefficients.