Development of geological research in U.S.S.R Academy of Sciences and U.S.S.R. Ministry of Geology and Mineral Reserves

On October 12, 1962, a joint session of the Presidium of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences and the Collegium of the U.S.S.R. Ministry of Geology and Mineral Reserves adopted a resolution “On the present state of the geological sciences in the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences and the U. S. S. R. Ministry of Geology and Mineral Reserves and their prospects for the future.” Important contributions of Russian geologists are acknowledged, but attention is drawn to many shortcomings. Future goals of geological study and work are given in detail. Twenty-one lines of research to be concentrated on are given, covering all phases of geology, geophysics, and geochemistry. In discussing the failings of the geological profession in Russia, it is of interest to note the following comment: “Geological research in other countries is still insufficiently studied and applied, and we are not making adequate use of geologic information from abroad.” The list of the Russian geologists' shortcomings sounds vaguely familiar. —J. R. Hayes     

Prospects for deep and ultradeep oil and gas deposits in U.S.S.R.

In the U. S. S. R., so far, none of the hydrocarbon pools at depths exceeding 3500 m have been exploited. There are reasons to believe that large accumulations exist even below 5000 m depths, in areas shown on the map (fig. 1). Almost nine-tenths of proved economic reserves of oil and gas at shallow depths lie in terrigenous materials, the remainder in carbonates, in fissure-type-collectors. It is believed that the latter type of collectors will be found to be more abundant at greater depths. -- V. P. Sokoloff     

New X.R.F. data retrieval techniques and their application to U.S.G.S. standard rocks

Accurate and consistent X-ray fluorescence analysis of major and trace elements using a single pressed pellet for each sample has been achieved with a wide variety of rock compositions. Counting techniques for use with data reduction and correction programs in Standard Fortran IV are described; the latter depend throughout on data developed from a wide range of standard rock compositions. A comparison of ten major and fifteen trace element analyses for U.S.G.S. standard rocks with averages taken from the literature testifies to the precision of these techniques.