Mineral potential of the Russian Arctic: state and efficient development

The metallogeny of the Russian Arctic zone, with a high potential for U, platinum-group metals, Au, Sn, trace elements, etc., in its different sectors, has been controlled by the type of early continental structures and by the uniform Meso-Cenozoic evolution of the area. The suggested reasonable development strategy is to conserve and further develop the existing mining districts associated with known large fields and to discover new primary (U, Au, etc.) and placer deposits. It is important to provide scientific background and environmental monitoring in the area at the stages of mineral prediction, exploration, and development.     

Soil resources of the Russian Arctic

The soil cover of the Arctic zone of Russia is ～330 million hectares. Permafrost restricts the thickness of the active layer but does not prevent the formation of significant diversity of soils and soil complexes, including Al–Fe humic and peat soils, gleysols, and others. The available data on soil resources are sufficient for organization and participation of Russia in scientific–practical international programs. At the same time, specific soil related targets and project tasks may require additional study of soils of the Arctic region.     

Geology and hydrocarbon resources of the continental shelf in Russian Arctic seas and the prospects of their development

The overall jump in global demand for gas, and especially oil, gives rise to particular concern regarding mankind’s energy future. In the middle and late 21st century, the crucial role in securing oil and gas supply of mankind will be played by sedimentary basins in the Arctic Ocean deep-water area, including those of the continental shelf in Russia’s Arctic seas. There is a 0.90 probability that the initial in-place resources of hydrocarbons in the Arctic Ocean will be greater than 90 Btoe. The estimates predict the rise of oil and gas industries on the Arctic shelves in the near future.     

Mineral resources and development in Africa

The Economy of African countries in colonial times was tied to those of Western developed countries largely through supply of their resources, as raw material, for industrialisation and markets for manufactured goods. Even today development is seen by many European countries only as an expansion of this role. But Africans themselves are beginning to regard process of industrialisation as the only way to increase their per capita income and reduce the present inequality in the world.The objective of most African countries to reach the level of prosperity of the Western Europe of today by the year 2000 can be achieved if a growth rate of 13% were possible. This rate, high and unattainable as it may look, will at that time produce hardly any appreciable closing of the gap in the per capita income of Western European and African nations. With the present rate of 6% growth for industrialised and developing countries the gap will widen unbridgeably by the year 2000.Africa depends largely on export of mineral resources for capital and will require even more mineral resources if it must industrialise. A survey of mineral resources of Africa shows that it has no mineral resources to give sustained impetus to industrialisation and is particularly lacking in energy. The desired rate of growth and industrialisation is heavily dependent on the political will of the Western developed countries, which to make this possible must allow massive transfer of capital and technology and a fairer world economic order. The alternative open to African countries is to go into economic and social isolation and attempt a revolutionary approach to development.Whichever approach is followed all African countries must develop new mineral policies which will lead to an accelerated and intensive exploration of the continent for greater variety and amount of metals and fuel minerals.

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Zusammenfassung Während der Kolonialzeit war die Wirtschaft Afrikas mit der westlicher entwickelter Länder im wesentlichen durch die Lieferung von Bodenschätzen als Rohstoff für die Industrialisierung und umgekehrt als Markt für Industriegüter verknüpft. Selbst heute noch wird Entwicklung von vielen europäischen Ländern als eine Ausweitung dieser Rolle gesehen. Doch die Afrikaner ihrerseits fangen an, den Prozeß der Industrialisierung als den einzigen Weg zu betrachten, ihr Pro-Kopf-Einkommen zu erhöhen und die gegenwärtige Ungleichheit in der Welt zu verringern.Das Ziel der meisten afrikanischen Länder, das Wohlstandsniveau des heutigen Westeuropas bis zum Jahre 2000 zu erreichen, würde voraussetzen, daß eine Wachstumsrate von 13% möglich wäre. Eine solche Rate, so hoch und unerreichbar sie aussehen mag, würde jedoch nicht die Lücke zwischen dem Pro-Kopf-Einkommen Westeuropas und dem afrikanischer Staaten zufriedenstellend verkleinern. Angesichts der gegenwärtigen Rate von 6% Wachstum für industrialisierte und Entwicklungsländer wird die Lücke sich bis zum Jahr 2000 unüberbrückbar weiter geöffnet haben.Afrika ist weitgehend abhängig vom Export von Bodenschätzen gegen Kapital, und es wird mehr Bodenschätze brauchen für eigene Industrialisierung. Eine Bestandsaufnahme der Bodenschätze Afrikas zeigt, daß keine ausreichenden Bodenschätze für eine andauernde Industrialisierung vorhanden sind, und es fehlt vor allem an Energierohstoffen. Die erstrebte Wachstumsrate und Industrialisierung hängt wesentlich von dem politischen Willen der westlichen entwickelten Länder ab, die, um die zu ermöglichen, für massiven Transfer von Kapital und Technologie und eine gerechtere Weltwirtschaftsordnung sorgen müßten. Die Alternative besteht in wirtschaftlicher und gesellschaftlicher Isolation und in revolutionären Entwicklungsversuchen.Welchen Weg die afrikanischen Länder auch wählen, sie müssen in bezug auf ihre Bodenschätze eine neue Politik entwickeln, die zu einer schnelleren und gründlicheren Erschließung des Kontinentes hinsichtlich einer größeren Menge und Vielfalt an Metallen und Energierohstoffen führt.

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Résumé Au temps du colonialisme, l'économie africaine était essentiellement liée aux pays développés de l'ouest par la livraison de richesses naturelles en tant que matières premières pour l'industrialisation dans un sens, et en tant que marché pour les marchandises industrielles dans l'autre. Aujourd'hui encore, beaucoup de pays européens voient dans l'aide aux pays en voie développement, un élargissement de ce rôle. Pourtant, les africains de leur côté, commencent à considérer le procès de l'industrialisation comme la seule voie pour élever leur revenu moyen et pour réduire l'inégalité dans le monde à l'époque actuelle.Pour que la plupart des pays africains puissent atteindre le niveau de prospérité de l'actuelle Europe de l'ouest, avant l'an 2000, il faudrait à priori, un taux de croissance de 13%. Cependant, un tel taux, aussi haut et inaccessible qu'il puisse paraître, ne pourrait pas diminuer de façon satisfaisante l'espace entre le revenu moyen en Europe de l'ouest et celui des pays africains. Vu le taux de développement actuel de 6% aussi bien en pays industriels qu'en pays en voie de développement, cet espace ne fera que de s'agrandir jusqu'à l'an 2000 et ceci de façon insurmontable.L'Afrique dépend, en majeur partie, de l'exportation de richesses naturelles contre des capitaux et il lui faudra encore plus de richesses naturelles pour réaliser sa propre industrialisation. Un inventaire de richesses naturelles de l'Afrique montre qu'il n'y a pas de richesses naturelles suffisantes pour une industrialisation de longue durée et qu'il y manque, avant tout, de matières premières énergétiques. Le future taux de développement et d'industrialisation dépend essentiellement du consentement politique des pays de l'ouest, qui dans ce but devraient pourvoir à d'importants transferts de capitaux et de technologie et à un ordre équitable de l'économie mondiale. La seule alternative consiste dans l'isolation économique et sociale et dans des essais de développement révolutionnaires.Quelque soit la voie prise par les pays africains, il leur faudra développer une politique nouvelle en ce qui concerne leurs richesses naturelles. Cette politique les conduira vers une mise en exploitation plus profonde du continent, en vue de produire une plus grande quantité et multiplicité de métaux et de matières premières énergétiques.

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Mineral resources of the ocean

Major data concerning the history of investigation, distribution, mineral and chemical composition, and formation processes of mineral resources of the ocean, namely ferromanganese nodules, ore crusts, phosphorites, and hydrothermal mineral formations, including ore-bearing and metalliferous sediments, massive sulfides, and hydrothermal ferromanganese crusts are reviewed. The problem of the scale of mineral accumulations in the ocean and their quality, along with prospects of their future recovery, is discussed.     

中国参与北极油气资源开发利用前景与方向

北极地区丰富的油气资源近年来引发全世界的广泛关注。评估结果显示,北极油气资源分布不均,主要集中在俄罗斯、美国阿拉斯加、挪威、加拿大和丹麦格陵兰。不同国家和地区北极油气资源勘探开发特点不同,在新形势下可能还会发生变化。中国是油气消费大国和进口大国,俄罗斯北极地区已日渐成为中国重要油气供应地之一。综合分析几个主要北极国家北极油气开发利用现状和未来发展前景,与中国目前参与北极油气开发利用的情况,对未来中国如何参与北极油气资源开发利用提出建议,将俄罗斯作为中国北极油气开发的长期合作伙伴,与其开展项目投资、技术入股、航道建设等多个方面的合作。      

Late Weichselian Glaciation of the Russian High Arctic

A numerical ice-sheet model was used to reconstruct the Late Weichselian glaciation of the Eurasian High Arctic, between Franz Josef Land and Severnaya Zemlya. An ice sheet was developed over the entire Eurasian High Arctic so that ice flow from the central Barents and Kara seas toward the northern Russian Arctic could be accounted for. An inverse approach to modeling was utilized, where ice-sheet results were forced to be compatible with geological information indicating ice-free conditions over the Taymyr Peninsula during the Late Weichselian. The model indicates complete glaciation of the Barents and Kara seas and predicts a “maximum-sized” ice sheet for the Late Weichselian Russian High Arctic. In this scenario, full-glacial conditions are characterized by a 1500-m-thick ice mass over the Barents Sea, from which ice flowed to the north and west within several bathymetric troughs as large ice streams. In contrast to this reconstruction, a “minimum” model of glaciation involves restricted glaciation in the Kara Sea, where the ice thickness is only 300 m in the south and which is free of ice in the north across Severnaya Zemlya. Our maximum reconstruction is compatible with geological information that indicates complete glaciation of the Barents Sea. However, geological data from Severnaya Zemlya suggest our minimum model is more relevant further east. This, in turn, implies a strong paleoclimatic gradient to colder and drier conditions eastward across the Eurasian Arctic during the Late Weichselian.     

莫桑比克矿产资源特征及投资环境

莫桑比克位于非洲东南部,是加强“一带一路”矿业产能合作的重要国家。在研究莫桑比克矿产资源分布特征、重要矿山开发现状的基础上,从政局稳定性、营商环境等方面对中资企业赴莫开展矿业投资的前景进行了分析。结合优势矿种分布、重要矿山开发现状、投资环境等因素,莫桑比克的优势资源油气主要分布于森托奥-鲁伍玛-赞比西-马普托成矿带的鲁伍玛盆地和莫桑比克盆地,煤主要位于森托奥-赞比西成矿带,钛、锆集中于森托奥-鲁伍玛-赞比西-马普托成矿带滨海地区,金主要分布于尼亚萨-安格尼亚-津巴布韦成矿带及津巴布韦-森托奥-巴鲁埃成矿带,石墨主要分布于莫桑比克成矿带安夸贝等地区,钽、铌主要分布于莫桑比克成矿带南部上利戈尼亚地区。研究表明,莫桑比克矿产资源十分丰富,尤其是石油、天然气、煤、钽铌矿、重砂矿(钛、锆)等资源在全球占有重要地位且产地相对集中。虽然存在基础设施落后、基础地质资料缺乏、司法程序冗长等不利因素,但投资者可先从资源丰富、开发基础较好的重砂矿(钛、锆)和金矿入手,瞄准机会投资开发潜力较大的石油、石墨、铌钽等矿种。同时,加强与莫桑比克本土矿业企业开展国际产能合作,带动当地社会经济发展,共同打造绿色低碳发展模式。     

Mineral waters and hydrogeothermal resources in Bulgaria

Thermal mineral waters and extractable geothermal energy are an important and still underestimated natural wealth of Bulgaria. Their diversity is due to the complex geological structure, intense neotectonic activity, and the resulting complex character of meteoric water circulation. Reproductive hydrogeothermal systems with low-mineralized thermal waters of meteoric origin and resrvoir temperatures ranging between 30 and 100 (maximum 120) °C occur in the southern and north-eastern part of the country. Their total reproductive potential is estimated at 14–15 m³s^–1. In the northern part (Moesian platform), regional hydrogeothermal reservoir with connate (marine) and mixed (marine and meteoric) mineral waters and brines are identified, the temperatures varying from 40 to 140 (maximum 150) °C. Huge resources of geothermal energy with commercial importance are accumulated in them. The hydrogeothermal wealth of Bulgaria provides as important basis for the development of balneological and multi-seasonal tourism, bottling industries, geothermal heating of buildings and greenhouses, aquaculture and other related activities.     

新世纪俄罗斯找矿地球化学

在系统跟踪研究国内外地质期刊文献的基础上,梳理了新世纪找矿地球化学面临形势和存在的重大问题,全面总结了近十年来,俄罗斯有关找矿地球化学基础理论和方法论、区域地球化学调查方法与应用,以及地质-地球化学找矿模型的研制与应用等众多方面的思路和做法。研究认为,俄罗斯首创的多目标地球化学填图技术可有效地提高国家地质图的质量,为矿产资源量的综合评价和生态环境的评估及一系列基础问题的解决,提供详细的信息。同时,还指出俄罗斯地球化学家为解决新世纪的找矿问题,加大了技术创新,重点聚焦于提高地球化学找矿信号的衬度和强度,提高运用地质-地球化学找矿模型的效用,完善处理地球化学数据的计算技术,以实现地球化学场与地质、地球物理场的综合等,诸创新点和思路值得参考借鉴。     

Peculiarities of the Lithology of Neopleistocene–Holocene Sediments in the Russian Arctic

A comprehensive lithological–geochemical study of Neopleistocene–Holocene sediments from Russian Arctic showed that these sediments formed in rather similar sedimentation conditions, which were common for polar lithogenesis. This is reflected in the lithology of bottom sediments and their relatively close compositions.     

冰上丝绸之路与北极油气资源

油气是重要的战略资源。其中天然气作为清洁能源,它曾经是,现在是,在可预期的未来——全球碳减排、中国碳达峰情景下,仍然是最重要的能源资源。能源进口渠道的多元化一直是中国缓解能源紧张的有效措施之一。北极地区油气资源丰富且以天然气为主,已发现的油气资源中绝大多数在俄罗斯,尤其是天然气。但是俄罗斯天然气生产的油气田80%以上已经进入北极圈。2012年,中俄合作开发北极亚马尔液化天然气项目正式启动,标志着中国参与北极油气资源开发利用取得重要进展,也事实上开启了中国主导的"丝绸之路经济带建设"和俄罗斯主导的"欧亚经济联盟建设"对接合作的进程。北极地区已发现的油气资源共计3289.4亿桶油当量,其中石油605.4亿桶（84.1亿吨）油当量,仅为全球已发现石油资源的2.5%;天然气41.4万亿立方米（约合2683亿桶,372.6亿吨油当量）,占全球已发现天然气资源的15.5%。北极地区已发现的油气总资源中绝大多数在俄罗斯,俄罗斯已发现的北极油气资源合计2905亿桶油当量（403.5亿吨）,占88.3%;其中天然气约39.47万亿立方米,约合2557.9亿桶（355.3亿吨）油当量,占北极地区已发现天然气总资源的95%以上。北极待发现的油气资源量也非常可观,约占世界待发现常规石油资源的15%;天然气占世界待发现常规天然气资源的30%,其分布也主要在俄罗斯。随着全球气候变暖和能源战略博弈,俄罗斯为确保其天然气出口及财政来源,必然要加大北极油气、特别是天然气的开采和开发,并通过北极航道运到中国和其他消费国。本文在概括分析北极油气资源分布特点、俄罗斯油气资源与北极战略及北方海航道通行能力的基础上,回顾了北极亚马尔液化天然气项目诞生、发展演变及其国际博弈的背景;概括介绍了中国成功介入北极油气资源项目这一标志性事件过程,并进一步提出了中国对北极油气资源利用战略举措的建议。      

刚果(金)矿产资源与矿业投资环境

在实施“走出去”战略和推进“一带一路”倡议的背景下,近年中资企业在国际矿业投资领域得到了快速发展。刚果(金)铜、钴、金刚石、锡、钽铌等矿产的资源量在全球占有重要地位,加之近年政府吸引和鼓励外来投资的利好政策,使之成为全球最火的矿业投资热土之一。从区域地质、矿产资源及开发现状、基础设施、矿业投资环境等方面对刚果(金)的地质矿产概况进行了梳理。钴和铜是刚果(金)最丰富的2种金属矿产,集中分布在南部加丹加地区。铜钴矿业开发活跃,是刚果(金)重要的经济支柱。加丹加地区是刚果(金)经济发展和基础设施最好的地区之一,也是最佳矿业投资选择。当前,电力短缺问题是制约刚果(金)矿业发展的主要因素,未来随着布桑加水电站和大英加水电站的建成,电荒问题也将得到逐步解决。刚果(金)作为当下全球矿业投资的热土,虽然在政治环境、社会治安、矿业政策等方面存在一定的投资风险,但近年中国和刚果(金)不断发展的外交关系是中资企业在刚果(金)开展合作投资的重要保障。在当前刚果(金)加入“一带一路”倡议的大背景下,未来应继续加强中刚两国产能合作,促进中刚矿业合作可持续发展。     

Geological Structure of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago (West Russian Arctic) and Peculiarities of the Tectonics of the Eurasian Arctic

Geotectonics - Our study considers the structure and tectonics of the Novaya Zemlya archipelago, located in the west Russian Arctic and part of the Eurasian Arctic: (i) the age of the Pre-Paleozoic...     

New seismicity map for the European sector of the Russian Arctic region

Based on seismological monitoring data specifying earthquake epicenters, a new map is made for the Western sector of the Russian Arctic region. The seismicity data is reworked in detail by specifying the epicentral positions of earthquakes and adding data on weak seismicity for areas which were earlier insufficiently studied, including those at the boundary of the Arctic Shelf of the Russian Federation. The fundamental possibility of applying seismological observations to construct a regional geodynamic map is discussed (in particular, the important role of island-based seismic stations). The possibility of specifying the nature of seismicity in terms of spectral-temporal analysis (STAN) of waveforms based on data from the new seismic station on the Franz Josef Land is considered. Possible application of the character of seismicity obtained from geophysical data to specify the geodynamic nature of events accompanying interaction of the ridge and shelf spreading is discussed.     

Geology of the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago and the North Kara Terrane in the Russian high Arctic

The Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago is located at 80°N near the continental shelf break, between the Kara and Laptev seas. Sedimentary successions of Neoproterozoic and Palaeozoic age dominate the bedrock geology. Together with Northern Tajmyr, Severnaya Zemlya constitutes the main land areas of the North Kara Terrane (NKT), which is inferred here to have been a part of the Timanide margin of Baltica, i.e. an integral part of Baltica at least since the Vendian. Vendian turbidites derived from the Timanide Orogen are inferred to have been deposited on Neoproterozoic greenschist facies, granite-intruded basement. Shallow-water siliclastic deposition in the Early to Mid-Cambrian was followed by highly organic-rich shales in the Late Cambrian and influx of more turbidites. An episode of folding, the Kan’on River deformation, separates these formations from the overlying Tremadocian conglomerates and sandstones. In the Early Ordovician, rift-related magmatic rocks accompanied the deposition of variegated marls, sandstones, carbonates and evaporites. Dark shales and gypsiferous limestones characterise the Mid-Ordovician. Late Ordovician quartz-sandstones mark a hiatus, followed by carbonate rocks that extend up into and through most of the Silurian. The latter give way upwards into Old Red Sandstones, which are inferred to have been deposited in a Caledonian foreland basin. Deformation, reaching the area in the latest Devonian or earliest Carboniferous and referred to as the Severnaya Zemlya episode, is thought to be Caledonian-related. The dominating E-vergent structure was controlled by décollement zones in Ordovician evaporite-bearing strata; detachment folds and thrusts developed in the west and were apparently impeded by a barrier of Ordovician igneous rocks in the east. Below the décollement zones, the Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician succession was deformed into open to close folds. The exposed strata in the lower structural level have been juxtaposed with those in the upper structural level along the major N-trending Fiordovoe Lake Fault Zone, which involved several kilometres of dextral strike-slip movement and downthrow to the west. A major Early Carboniferous unconformity separates the folded Mid-Palaeozoic and older rocks from overlying Carboniferous formations, as on Franz Joseph Land and Svalbard. Subsequent latest Palaeozoic to Early Mesozoic orogeny, as on Taimyr, apparently had little influence on the Severnaya Zemlya successions.     

Mineral resources for a new town

Of all the materials required for construction of a new town, the only one that must be obtained locally is aggregate for concrete. Very large tonnages of sand and gravel, or crushed stone, will be needed. Their production must be planned for from the beginning, to avoid the conflicts in land use that have long plagued older communities that undergo expansion. Production of sand, gravel, and stone is now disallowed by zoning in most major urban corridors in the U.S.A., making it necessary to bring these materials from a distance, at higher costs than formerly. Yet some success has been achieved in fitting the aggregates industry into the urban picture. Two examples are cited, involving production of stone in New Jersey and gravel in southern California. Where planning is done from the start, areas of occurrence of sand, gravel, or good-quality stone must be set aside for extractive industry. It is the geologiest's responsibility to provide information on locality of occurrence, tonnage present, thickness of overburden, best way to exploit the deposit with minimum environmental effect, and feasible use of the area after it has been worked out. The possibility of obtaining stone from below ground should also be evaluated. Only by such advance planning, with geological input, can conflicts in land use and excessive cost of construction aggregate be avoided.     

Methane Content and Emission in the Typical Tundra and the Southern Tundra of the Western Russian Arctic

Doklady Earth Sciences - The results of studying the emission, content, and isotopic composition of methane in soils of the active layer in the zones of typical and southern shrubby tundra of the...