The East European Platform in the late Ediacaran: new paleomagnetic and geochronological data

The paleogeography of the Earth, including the East European Platform, is very inaccurately defined for the interval 500–700 Ma. The quantity and quality of Late Precambrian–Cambrian paleomagnetic data on this platform are absolutely insufficient for reliable paleogeographical or paleotectonic reconstructions. Since there are almost no unstudied objects in the platform that could be used for paleomagnetic studies, it seems reasonable to consider the deformed platform margins. Of particular interest is the Bashkir anticlinorium (South Urals) with numerous Ediacaran sedimentary sections, some of which contain tuff beds suitable for isotope dating. We present paleomagnetic and geochronological data on the Upper Ediacaran Zigan Formation, sampled in the western part of the western limb of the Bashkir anticlinorium. The East European Platform must have been at near-equatorial latitudes at ～550 Ma.     

The content of gold in Vendian-Cambrian phosphorite concretions from the East European Platform

High Au contents in phosphorite concretions and Vendian-Cambrian enclosing shales are attributed to the concentration function of microbial biota of Precambrian epiplatformal basins. Microorganisms and organic detritus served as intermediate collectors of gold delivered with the continental runoff from provenances of the East European Platform.     

The Vyatka deformations in the East European Platform: Formation dynamics and expression in recent structure

The Vyatka intracratonic deformations were formed under WNW-ESE compressive stress created by the presence of the Klimkovo-Nema basement high situated to the east. The compression settings at depth were released at the surface as strike-slip stress regime, which is imprinted in the macrostructural pattern and mesostructural assemblies. Compression was transformed upward into extension with partial retention of the transverse (relative to the deformations) axis of relative shortening. These structural and dynamic features along with the relatively early origination of deformations in the Oligocene make it possible to connect them with the impact of the recent Urals, which arose at the same time and were deformed in the same manner. Inasmuch as the Urals, in the opinion of some researchers, belongs to the Peri-Indian collision region, the Vyatka deformations may presumably be regarded as the extreme northwestern element of this region. The deformations are continuing to develop up to now, but at least during the Pliocene and Quaternary they developed jointly with another group of recent structural elements extending in the latitudinalnortheastern direction as a system of nearly parallel gentle meganticlines and megasynlines with a great radius of curvature. The megasynclines are expressed especially distinctly, making up a structural framework. The possible interpretation of the recent latitudinal structural elements is discussed in the paper. They are most probably linked to the near-meridional extension under the westward stress from the Urals. The interaction of variously oriented recent structural elements was a cause of dissimilar expression of the Vyatka deformations in the topography. They rise at the intersections with the near-latitudinal ranges and are overlapped by Quaternary cover near the near-latitudinal basins.     

Kimberlites and lamproites of the East European Platform: Petrology and geochemistry

Several episodes of kimberlite magmatism occurred in the East European Province (EEP) during a long (about 1.5 Gyr) time period, from the Late Paleoproterozoic (ca. 1.8 Ga) in the Archean Ukrainian and Baltic shields to the Middle Paleozoic (ca. 0.36 Ga) mainly in the Arkhangelsk, Timan, and adjacent regions. Based on the analysis of data on 16 kimberlite occurrences and four lamproite occurrences within the EEP, five time stages can be distinguished; one of them, the Middle Paleozoic stage (Middle Ordovician and Devonian), is the most productive epoch for diamond in the northern hemisphere (EEP, Siberian Craton, and part of the China Craton). The analysis of petrological and geochemical characteristics of kimberlites (lamproites were studied less thoroughly) revealed variations in rock composition and their correlation with a number of factors, including the spatial confinement to the northern or southern Archean blocks of the craton, time of formation of the source of kimberlite melts, contents of volatiles and autoliths, etc. Three petrogeochemical types of kimberlites were distinguished: high-, medium-, and low-Ti (TiO₂ > 3 wt %, 1–3 wt %, and <1 wt %, respectively). There are two time intervals of the formation of kimberlite and lamproite sources in the EEP, corresponding to T_Nd(DM) values of about 2 Ga (up to 2.9 Ga in the Por’ya Guba occurrence) and 1 Ga. The latter interval includes two groups of occurrences with model source ages of about 1 Ga (low-and medium-Ti kimberlites of the Zolotitsa and Verkhotina occurrences) and about 0.8 Ga (high-Ti kimberlites of the Kepino and a number of other occurrences); i.e., there seems to be an evolutionary trend in the composition of kimberlites. Concentric zoning patterns were recognized. The role of the crust in kimberlite sources is discussed; it is assumed that buried remnants of the oceanic lithosphere (megaliths) may underlie whole continents. A unique feature of the composition of low-Ti kimberlites, for instance, kimberlites of the Zolotitsa occurrence (to a smaller extent, medium-Ti kimberlites of the V. Grib pipe) is the distinct depletion of highly charged elements and pronounced negative anomalies of Ti, Zr, Th, U, Nb, and Ta in trace-element distribution patterns, which indicates a contribution of crustal material to the source of these kimberlites. It was shown that autoliths exert a significant influence on the differentiation of kimberlite material, resulting in the enrichment of rocks in the whole spectrum of incompatible elements. It was argued that geochemical criteria can be used together with traditional criteria (including those based on indicator minerals) for the assessment of diamond potential in EEP occurrences. We hope that such a combined approach will yield important outcomes in the future.     

Geochemistry of Cadmium in Mesozoic Phosphorites of the East European Platform

Cadmium is the most toxic admixture in mineral fertilizers. The Cd concentration in Mesozoic phosphorites, which are widespread in the East European Platform, has not been investigated. The present study was stimulated by the scanty and contradictory nature of the published data on this issue. We determined Cd concentration in 21 phosphorite samples from major deposits and checked the reliability of obtained results by external replicate analyses. It has been established that the Cd concentration in phosphorites varies from 5 ppm in the Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous basin to 2 ppm in the Late Cretaceous basin. Cadmium does not enter the structure of phosphate and sulfide minerals. The Cd concentration is independent of the phosphorus abundance. However, all studied samples show a positive correlation of Cd with organic matter mainly contained in phosphates, supporting the biophilic nature of Cd. Mesozoic phosphorites of the East European Platform accumulated in epicontinental basins. They are significantly depleted in Cd relative to Mesozoic–Cenozoic phosphorites in pericontinental basins of the southern margin of the Tethys Ocean. The Cd concentration is more stable in Mesozoic phosphorites than in Mesozoic–Cenozoic deposits.     

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.     

Middle Paleozoic impact event in the southwest of the East European Platform

A zone with high remanent magnetization and magnetic susceptibility has been identified at the boundary between Lower Devonian gray- and red-colored deposits in the basin of the Dniester River in the southwest of Ukraine (in the southwest of the East European Platform). The microparticles of native iron and nickel and iron-nickel intermetallic compounds found here might be markers of an impact event in the Lochkovian (~ 415 Ma). Electron microscope examination and probe microanalysis of the chemical composition, morphology, structures, and textures of specific microobjects showed that they are the product of melting of meteoritic substance and target rocks caused by an impact explosion. Explosive dispersion and deposition of microparticles on the Earth’s surface result in a rapid differentiation of their substance. The obtained data can be used as evidence of a reference impact event during the fall of an iron-stone meteorite, and a characteristic set of minerals and geochemical parameters can help to identify catastrophic events in the geologic history.     

Deep structure of the southeastern part of the East European Platform

The results of CMP seismic data acquisition along regional deep profiles that cross large tectonic elements in the east of the East European Platform are considered. It has been established that the Zhiguli-Pugachev Arch and the Stavropol Depression (southern part of the Melekess Basin), as well as the Volga-Kama Anteclise and Pericaspian Syneclise, conjugate along reverse-thrust faults extending to the lower crust and Moho discontinuity. The position of the southeastern reverse-thrust boundary of the South Tatar Arch has been substantially specified in plan view and illustrated by seismic sections. Based on the results obtained, it is suggested that reverse-thrust faults of different orders are widespread in petroleum provinces in the east of the East European Platform, and this suggestion should be used in geological exploration. The CMP seismic data acquisition is efficient in studying the junction zones of large tectonic elements. It also provides insights into the deep structure of the Earth’s crust and its relationship to the structure and petroleum potential of the sedimentary cover and localization of oilfields. It is expedient to reprocess and integrate earlier seismic data in order to compile tectonic (tectonodynamic) regional maps on a new methodical basis.     

Tectonic differentiation of Precambrian basement formations in East European Platform

Principal unconformities and terminal folding, on the time scale from Belomorian through Caledonian, are correlated tentatively for constituents of the East European Platform (Baltic Shield, Ukrainian Massif, Eastern Margin, and their subordinates), Canadian Shield and Greenland, parts of Great Britain, and northern margin of the African Platform. — IGR Staff.     

Alkali earth elements in Vendian-Cambrian clayey rocks, the East European Platform

Low Sr and Ca contents in fine-grained terrigenous rocks of the Vendian sedimentary cover in the East European Platform may be related to the following reasons: (1) the absence of authigenic carbonates in Vendian mudstones owing to desalination of epiplatformal sedimentary basins; (2) significant contribution of the chemically weathered rocks in the formation of the Vendian cover of the East European Platform.     

Carboniferous Raindrop Imprints at the Southwestern Margin of the East European Platform

The paper presents data on the distribution of rains during the formation of Carboniferous coal-bearing rocks in the Lvov–Volyn Basin located at the southwestern margin of the East European Platform. They left numerous raindrop imprints that usually occur in the productive Buzhan coal-bearing formation in marginal (repeatedly drained) sectors of maritime lakes, freshened lagoons, bays, and, less commonly, in river floodplains. The raindrop imprints have been recorded for the first time in Carboniferous rocks of the southwestern East European Platform. Their study is of great importance for the interpretation of paleogeographic and paleoclimatic settings.     

Early Cretaceous sea level fluctuations in the eastern part of the East European Platform

The quantitative sea-level curve in the eastern part of the East European Platform during the Early Cretaceous first compiled for this region is based on the results of analysis of the corresponding deposits and the bathymetric distribution of benthic foraminifers in their sections. This quantitative curve is correlated with the sea-level curve constructed for central areas of the East European Platform [9]. According to [9], the basin in the central part of the platform was as deep as 110 m, while in its eastern areas the depth amounted to 350 m. It is revealed that tectono-eustatic cycles defined previously in the central part of the platform and cycles (megasequences) in its eastern areas are asynchronous and are characterized by different orders. Such asynchrony is determined by the different tectonic trends in these regions during the Early Cretaceous.     

Seismogenic Ancient Structures of the Center and North of the East European Platform

Doklady Earth Sciences - The location of earthquake epicenters in the central and northern parts of the East European Platform in 2009–2016 has been analyzed. The earthquake epicenters have...     

Problem of the Formation of Eolian Gold Placers on the East European Platform

The distribution of eolian gold in various Proterozoic–Cenozoic sediments on the East European Platform is considered. Eolian placers of the Timan Ridge are characterized by specific features: significant areal distribution and consistent strike of the thin (0–30 cm) productive bed. Prospecting criteria of eolian gold placer in the study territory can be the presence of gold flakes and other minerals with signs of eolian reworking, specific structure of productive bed, deflation structure of relief, and characteristic lithological composition of sediments. It is concluded that since gold flakes with eolian reworking make up high metal concentrations, such as placer deposits in the Timan Ridge, eolian placers of different age may be found on the East European Platform.     

Latent Tectonics of the Central Russian Deformation Belt of the East European Platform

Geotectonics - The article considers the features of the tectonics of the Central Russian deformation belt located in the central part of the East European Platform. The belt is traced in a wide...     

Late Vendian Kotlinian Crisis on the East European Platform: Lithogeochemical Indicators of Depositional Environment

Lithology and Mineral Resources - Sharp changes in the biodiversity of fossil organisms in the Upper Vendian of the East European Platform are considered as the manifestation of global crisis...