The Hirnantian δ<Superscript>13</Superscript>C Positive Excursion in the Nabiullino Section (South Urals)

The upper Sandbian, Katian, and Hirnantian complexes of conodonts in the upper Ordovician section of the western slope of the Southern Urals near the village of Nabiullino were studied. The δ¹³C positive excursion with a maximum of 3.3‰ associated with the global Hirnantian isotopic event, HICE, was fixed for the first time. This excursion shows the beginning of the Hirnantian stage in the terrigenous–carbonate section of the upper Ordovician in the Southern Urals. It coincides with the first occurrence of the Hirnantian conodont species of Gamachignathus ensifer and the conodonts of shallow-water biophacies, Aphelognathus-Ozarkodina, reflecting the global glacio-eustatic event.     

Geological and Isotope–Geochemical Criteria for the Existence of the Ancient Continental Crust in Basement Complexes of Primorye

The problem of the development of the ancient continental crust in the Primorye Region is discussed. It is substantiated by geological and isotope-geochemical criteria: a granite–metamorphic mineral composition of different-aged terrigenous deposits and pelagic cherts, occurrence of arkoses, as well as Proterozoic model age datings of sedimentary complexes and the occurrence of early Proterozoic zircons and monazites. The manifestation of potassium, high-Ba, LREE- and Nb-rich basite–ultrabasite magmatism, typical of Sino-Korean and Okhotsk Ba-bearing nuclears, of lengthy age intervals (Jurassic–Paleogene) in Primorye and the Amur Region is an important criterion.     

Faults and Source Parameters of Earthquakes in the Baikal Rift Zone: Dip Angles of Fault Planes

Analysis of gentle, intermediate, and steep dip angles of fault planes in earthquake sources of the Baikal region is carried out with the slips in seismic sources being taken into account. The areas where normal faulting slips at steep, intermediate, and gentle angles took place are distinguished, and this can be interpreted as transformation of a steep dip to gentle one. It is found that the increase in energy class is accompanied by the number of earthquakes with steep dip angles, whereas the proportion of earthquakes with intermediate angles decreases, and the fraction of earthquakes with gentle angles remains quasi-stable and small.     

Sapphirine-Bearing Ultrahigh-Temperature Granulites of the Anabar Shield: Chemical Composition,U–Pb Zircon Ages,and <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>–<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> Conditions of Metamorphism

The results of thermobarometry yielded the P–T parameters of formation and evolution of sapphirine- bearing granulites in the Anabar shield with peak values of UHT metamorphism in the range of T = 920–1000°C at P = 9–11 kbar. Isotope–geochronological data indicate a polymetamorphic evolution of these rocks. Detrital zircon cores in the center of crystals yielded ages of 3.36, 2.75, 2.6, and 2.5 Ga. Later, superimposed metamorphic transformations of the detrital zircon formed rims dated to 2.4, 2.3, 2.2, and 1.83 Ga. A potential provenance source of the detrital zircons could be hypersthene plagiogneisses and metabasics of the Daldyn Group with a premetamorphic age no less than 3.32 Ga and products of their metamorphism of about 2.7 Ga old.     

<Superscript>230</Superscript>Th/U Chronology and Geochemistry of Irinovskoe Hydrothermal Field (Mid-Atlantic Ridge)

The results of ²³⁰Th/U dating and mineralogical–geochemical studies of sulfide ores from the Irinovskoe hydrothermal field and the Severo-Zapadnoe ore occurrence (Mid-Atlantic Ridge) are presented. Sulfides are represented primarily by copper–sulfide ores with 12–30% Cu content; sulfur- and zinc-sulfide ores are distributed less frequently. The analysis of a change in the composition of sulfides over time has made it possible to identify three stages of formation. Each stage assumes that mineral associations are changed from high-temperature (sulfur and copper sulfide) to medium temperature (Zn–Cu and Zn-sulfide) sulfide ores. The whole age range of formation of the hydrothermal deposits falls within the time interval of about 58000–8000 for the Irinovskoe field and 69000–11000 years ago for the Severo-Zapadnoe ore occurrence.     

Arcanite from Fumarole Exhalations of the Tolbachik Volcano (Kamchatka,Russia) and Its Crystal Structure

The crystal structure (R = 0.0194) of arcanite β-K₂SO₄ was studied on a single crystal from exhalations of the Arsenatnaya fumarole, Tolbachik Volcano (Kamchatka, Russia). The mineral crystallizes at a temperature of ≥350–430°C and associates with langbeinite, aphthitalite, hematite, tenorite, johillerite, and others. Arcanite is orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 7.4763(2) Å, b = 5.77262(16) Å, c = 10.0630(3) Å, V = 434.30(2) ų, Z = 4. Its structure contains isolated SO₄ tetrahedra, whereas K cations center ten- and nine-fold polyhedra.     

The Nature of Mantle Rocks in Ophiolites of the Polar Urals

This work presents the results of geochemical (LA-ICP-MS) study of minerals of peridotites from ophiolite complexes of the Polar Urals to clarify the nature of these formations. The distribution of trace and rare earth elements in clinopyroxenes testifies that there were three types of the mantle substratum, which formed in different geodynamic settings. Two types of primary peridotites were formed upon partial melting of the mantle at different-depth levels in the subduction zone. The first type is represented by lherzolites and diopside harzburgites, formed at partial melting under the spinel facies conditions; the second type is represented by diopside harzburgites, formed under polybaric partial melting under the garnet and spinel facies conditions. In the suprasubduction zone, peridotites experienced fluid-induced partial melting that resulted in crystallization of harzburgites. All types of harzburgites were transformed by ascending melts and fluids (refertilization) and high-temperature hydration with the formation of amphibole. These processes are recorded in variations in the REE spectra of minerals.     

First Results of U–Pb LA–ICP–MS Isotope Dating of Detrital Zircons from Arkose Sandstone of the Biryan Subformation of Zilmerdak Formation (Upper Riphean,South Urals)

Detrital zircons (DZs) from arkose sandstones of the Upper Riphean Zilmerdak Formation (Southern Urals) yielded ages in the range of 3039–964 Ma. Grains with Late Karelian and Early and Middle Riphean ages compose 35, 34, and 26% of the total number of the analyzed zircons, respectively. This is similar to the age spectra of the Vendian sandstones (Asha Group), but it differs significantly from the age distribution typical of the Riphean stratotype sandstones.     

Middle–Late Paleozoic Duplex Rifting of the Barents Continental Margin and the Role Played in Formation of the East Barents Megabasin

Based on analysis and interpretation of seismic and other geological-geophysical data, duplex rifting is identified in the Paleozoic evolution of the South Barents Basin. Its first, pre–Late Devonian, phase was manifested on the southeastern side zone that limited the Pechora Plate structures. After a certain pause, a second, pre–Late Carboniferous phase involved the western Barents Sea region, including the slope of the Central Barents Rise and the western South Barents Basin. Thus, Late Paleozoic riftogenic structures in the western and southeastern South Barents Basin formed at different times. All this caused an asymmetric structure profile and asynchronicity of evolution of the rift system sides. In the Mesozoic, under the effect of formation of the Novaya Zemlya fold-and-thrust structure, the asymmetry of the riftogenic trough became even more contrasting.