Türkiye Jeoloji Bülteni

The First Surveyed Lava Tube on Mount Ağrı Volcano (Türkiye): A Geological Heritage Assessment of the Ice Cave

Abstract: Türkiye hosts numerous geological formations that qualify as natural monuments, commonly referredto as geological heritage sites. These sites represent exceptional examples of key stages in Earth history, includingactive geological processes, distinctive geomorphological features, and significant physiographical characteristics. Within this framework, this study presents the Ice Cave, a lava tube developed within basaltic lava flows on MountAğrı volcano, as an important geological heritage site.The Ice Cave is a non-renewable natural lava tube distinguished by well-preserved volcanic morphology and recording aspects of the volcanic and geomorphological evolution of the region. The cave was documented through detailed cave surveying and mapping, supported by microclimatic and gas measurements conducted withina geological heritage assessment framework. The Ice Cave represents the first lava tube on Mount Ağrı volcano to besystematically surveyed and mapped in detail.The geological, morphological, and microclimatic characteristics of the Ice Cave indicate strong potentialfor scientific research, geoscience education, and sustainable geotourism as a complementary activity to existing mountaineering tourism in the region. Furthermore, the results suggest that similar investigations on Mount Ağrı and surroundings may reveal additional lava tubes, contributing both to scientific understanding and to the sustainable management of Türkiye`s volcanic geological heritage.