<Superscript>40</Superscript>Ar/<Superscript>39</Superscript>Ar age of the porphyry Ca(Au) mineralization of the Elna deposit and its relation to magmatism (northeastern part of the Argun superterrane)

The Elna Cu(Au)–porphyry deposit is one of the typical ore objects in the northeastern margin of the Argun superterrane facing the Mongolia–Okhotsk foldbelt. Mineralization includes zones of argillization with fine quartz veins in granodiorite of the Elna massif. The geochronological ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar studies of hydrothermal near-ore metasomatites and magmatic rocks of the deposit show that the age of host granitoids is 126 ± 2 Ma, which corresponds to the upper age boundary of granitoids from the Burinda Complex, whereas the age of overprinted hydrothermal processes is 122–117 Ma. The age of mineralization correlates well with the age of the thermal event in East Asia. An intense stage of magmatism including both volcanic and intrusive forms occurred in this period.     

First data on the radiocarbon age of the Atelian deposits in the North Caspian Region

This paper reports data on the Atelian horizon identified in the Caspian Sea bottom. Seismoacoustic profiling has made it possible to determine its area, position, and setting in the Upper Quaternary sequence and the relation to the host deposits. According to the drillhole core data, the Atelian horizon is composed of continental clay loam and sandy loam containing peatlike organic remains. They are depleted in biogenic residues containing rare freshwater mollusk species. The Atelian deposits were accumulated in lake reservoirs filling the depressions developed in the strata of the Upper Khazarian horizon. The radiocarbon age determined for the first time by humic acids has been used to estimate the Atelian deposition time in the range of 40 000–45 000 calibrated years BP.     

Biomineralization of platinum by microorganisms

The mechanism of platinum biomineralization by microscopic fungi is displayed based on data of electron microscopy, infrared and X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy. It was suggested the platinum sorption process by microscopic fungi has some stages. The initial interaction is carried out by the mechanisms of physical and chemical sorption. Hereafter the reduction process of adsorbed platinum ions up to zero state is performed, probably, for account of organic compounds, which are produced by fungi biomass as metabolism result, and the process terminates by nulvalent particles aggregating up to nanosize forms. Obtained data on the platinum biomineralization extends the concept concerning the character of forming platinum nanoparticles in carbonous paleobasin.     

The Cambrian–Ordovician diorite–granodiorite–granite association of the Mamyn Terrane (Central Asian Fold Belt): U–Pb geochronological and geochemical data

Doklady Earth Sciences - New results of U–Pb geochronological and geochemical studies of rocks that form two structurally different massifs in the Mamyn Terrane are presented here. It has...     

Age,geochemistry, and sources of clastic materials and accumulation settings of the Glubokin Formation (Eastern Transbaikalia)

We report the results of geochemical, Sm–Nd isotope–geochemical, and U–Pb detrital zircon geochronological studies of metaterrigenous rocks of the Glubokin Formation assigned provisionally to the Upper Riphean. This formation is developed where the Mongol–Okhotsk belt is almost completely squeezed by the surrounding continental structures and, hence, bears important information on its evolution. The obtained results suggest the following conclusions: (1) the Glubokin Formation is Early Pennsylvanian or post-Early Pennsylvanian in age, not Riphean as previously suggested; (2) the Glubokin Formation belongs to the Mongol–Okhotsk Fold Belt rather than to the Argun continental massif, as suggested in the existing schemes of structural zoning; (3) the volcanogenic-terrigenous deposits of the Glubokin Formation were precipitated in a back-arc basin setting above the subduction zone subsiding beneath the southeastern margin of the North Asian Craton; and (4) the main sources of clastic material for the Glubokin Formation were igneous and metamorphic complexes of different ages from the southeastern margin of the North Asian Craton.     

Early Paleozoic monzodiorite–granodiorite association in the northeastern flank of the South Mongolia–Khingan orogenic belt (Nora–Sukhotinsky Terrane): Age and tectonic setting

The paper presents the results of U–Pb geochronological and geochemical studies of the rocks of the monzodiorite–granodiorite association in the northeastern flank of the South Mongolia–Khingan orogenic belt, which composes a tectonic block among the provisionally Lower Paleozoic volcanosedimentary complexes of the Nora–Sukhotinsky Terrane. It is shown that the studied rocks have similar petrographic features (with the presence of transitional varieties) and form common trends in the petrographic diagrams. This suggests that they are members of a single magmatic association. The geochemical features of the monzodiorites, quartz monzodiorites, and granodiorites, in particular their enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depletion in some HFSE, indicate their similarity with island-arc magmatic rocks. The presence of monzonites and quartz monzonites in the studied monzodiorite–granodiorite association along with high K, Rb, Th, and Pb concentrations gives reasons to believe that it formed in active continental margin or ensialic island-arc environments. The granodiorites of the monzodiorite–granodiorite associations of the Nora–Sukhotinsky Terrane are dated at 440 ± 10 Ma and may be considered as a fragment of the early Silurian active continental margin or ensialic mature island arc in the structure of the South Mongolia–Khingan orogenic belt.