New data on the metamorphic petrology of rocks from the Kuekvun uplift (Northern Chukchi Peninsula)

The metamorphic rocks of the Kuekvun uplift are gneisses and schists that developed after Mid-Paleozoic sedimentary sequences, which consist mostly of terrigenous rocks with minor amounts of intermediate to mafic igneous rocks and subordinate carbonates. Two plagiogneiss samples that were selected for detailed analysis were taken from the axial part and flanks of the uplift. The mineral paragenesis and composition of coexisting garnet, biotite, and staurolite indicate a metamorphic temperature of 560–600°C and pressure of 2.5–4 kbar, corresponding to a depth of 8–12 km. These conditions suggest a relatively high geothermal gradient (about 60°C/km), approaching that for contact metamorphic aureoles. Garnets from the axial zone and flanks of the uplift display a similar zoning pattern. The difference is the presence of compositionally contrasting Ca-rich rims in garnets from the axial zone. These rims may be either the result of zoning within the entire metamorphic complex or a late local overprint, e.g., crystallization of granitic plutons, which are common within the study area.     

Granitoids of the Ufalei block (South Urals): Sr-Nd isotope systematics, geodynamic position and genetic reconstructions

Petrogeochemical and isotopic-geochronological signatures in granitoids developed in structures with complex geological history represent an important feature for reconstructing paleogeodynamic settings. Granitoids are widespread in the western slope of the Urals, where the Uralian Orogen contacts via a collage of different-age blocks of the east European Platform. The Ufalei block located in the Central Urals megazone at the junction between the South and Middle Urals’ segments represents one such boundary structure with multistage geological evolution. The isotopic ages obtained by different methods for acid igneous rocks range from 1290 to 245 Ma. We determined close Rb-Sr and Sm-Nd ages (317 Ma) for granites of the Nizhnii Ufalei Massif. By their petrochemical parameters, granitoids and host granite-gneisses differ principally from each other: the former are close to subduction-related, while the latter, to continental-riftogenic varieties. The primary ratio (⁸⁷Sr/8⁶Sr)₀ = 0.70428 and ?_Nd ≈ +4 values indicate significant contribution of oceanic (island-arc?) material to the substrate, which served as a source for granites of the Nizhnii Ufalei Massif. Model Nd ages of granites vary from 641 to 550 Ma. Distinct oceanic rocks and varieties with such ages are missing from the surrounding structures. New isotopic dates obtained for ultramafic and mafic rocks from different zones of the Urals related to the Cadomian cycle imply development of unexposed Upper Riphean-Vendian “oceanic” rocks in the central part of the Ufalei block, which played a substantial role in the formation of the Nizhnii Ufalei granitoids. Such rocks could be represented, for example, by fragments of the Precambrian Timanide-type ophiolite association. The analysis of original materials combined with published data point to the heterogeneous composition and structure of the Ufalei block and a significant part of the western segment of the Central Uralian Uplift and extremely complex geological history of the region coupling the Uralian Orogen with the East European Platform in the present-day structure.     

The upper Bathonian ammonite zonation of East Siberia

Modifications to the upper Bathonian zonal scale for northern East Siberia provided by the newly available paleontological record on Middle Jurassic reference sections in the Arctic regions of Yakutia and by the revised earlier collections, are justified. The oldest East Siberian members of Cadoceras are found to be characteristic not of the initial Callovian age as believed by Russian paleontologists, but of the terminal Bathonian age as was previously shown in the biostratigraphic scheme of East Greenland. The succession of zones and index species analogous to that of the latter is revealed in the studied region and the zonal boundaries in Siberia and East Greenland are inferred to be synchronous. Finds of Cadoceras calyx in the upper Bathonian scale permitted, for the first time, the recognition of a corresponding zone. The Bathonian-Callovian boundary is placed between the calyx and anabarense zones. The upper Bathonian zonal scale of northern East Siberia is now in total agreement with the East Greenland zonal scale.     

Evolution of species diversity of Cretaceous radiolarians from high-latitude paleobiochores

Cretaceous radiolarians of the Boreal regions are considered. Their minimal diversity and low abundance are recorded in stratigraphic intervals corresponding to anoxic events. Paleogeographic and ecostratigraphic distribution trends of Cretaceous radiolarians are established for families Heliodiscidae, Prunobrachidae, Pseudoaulophacidae and some others. The most significant turnovers in evolution of radiolarians are confined to the latest Jurassic-earliest Cretaceous, Albian-Cenomanian, Cenomanian-Turonian, terminal Santonian-earliest Campanian transitions and to the terminal Late Cretaceous.     

Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation and climate records from Lake Kotokel, central Baikal region

Climatically driven Late Pleistocene and Holocene vegetation changes were reconstructed based on pollen records from the sediments of Lake Kotokel and Cheremushka Bog, located on the eastern shore of Lake Baikal. The described paleoenvironmental record has higher resolution than records collected from Lake Baikal and unites individual events identified in prior studies of bottom and onshore cores. Remarkable shifts in landscapes and expansions of index plants are as follows. Forest tundra and/or forest steppe landscape with birch, spruce, Artemisia, and Poaceae prevailed at ca. 50–25 ¹⁴C kyr BP. Tundra and/or steppe vegetation dominated by Artemisia and Poaceae was typical for the Last Glacial Maximum. The expansion of shrub birch and willow occurred at ca. 15.5 ¹⁴C kyr BP. Two peaks of spruce expansion at ca. 47.5–42.4 ¹⁴C kyr BP (Karginian time) and at ca. 14.5–13 ka (Bølling-Allerød warm intervals) suggest that the condition were more humid than today. A slight increase in Artemisia at ca. 11–10.5 ¹⁴C kyr BP (13–12 ka) was indicative of the Younger Dryas event. An expansion of birch forests with fir at ca. 12–6.4 ka suggests higher humidity. The currently dominant Scots and Siberian pine forests with birch expanded since 6.4 ka.     

REE-HFSE distribution/partitioning between garnetiferous restites and TTG from Nademavinapura area,Western Dharwar craton

The major part of the Peninsular Gneiss in Dharwar craton is made up of Trondjhemite-Tonalite-Granodiorite (TTG) emplaced at different periods ranging from 3.60 to 2.50 Ga. The sodic-silicic magma precursors of these rocks have geochemical features characteristic of partial melting of hydrated basalt. In these TTGs, enclaves of amphibolites (± garnet) are abundant. These restites are considered to be the residue of a basaltic crust after its partial melting. A detailed study of these (residue) enclaves reveals textures formed due to the process of partial melting. Major, trace and REE analysis of these residue enclaves and the melt TTGs and microprobe analysis of the coexisting minerals show partitioning of REE and HFSE between the precursor melt of TTGs and the upper amphibolite facies residues. Formation of garnetiferous amphibolites with biotite, Cpx and plagioclase consequent to melting, has squeezed the original MORB type of basaltic crust and given rise to the TTGs, depleted in Y, Yb, K₂O, MgO, FeO, TiO₂ and enriched in La, Th, U, Zr and Hf. Coevally during the process of melting, the hydrated basalt was depleted in Na₂O, Al₂O₃, LREE, Th, U and enriched in K₂O, MgO, Nb, Ti, Yb, Y, Sc, Ni, Cr and Co. Mineral chemistry of co-existing garnet-biotite and amphibole-plagioclase in these amphibolitic (restite) enclaves indicates an average temperature of 700 ± 50° C and pressure of 5 ± 1 Kbar. These data are inferred to indicate that during the garnet stability field metamorphism, effective fractionation of HREE and HFSE has taken place between the restites having Fe-Mg silicates, ilmenites and the extracted melt generated from the MORB type of hydrated basalt. These results are strongly substantiated by the reported melting experiments on hydrated basalts.     

Landslide susceptibility zonation mapping and its validation in part of Garhwal Lesser Himalaya, India, using binary logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve method

A landslide susceptibility zonation (LSZ) map helps to understand the spatial distribution of slope failure probability in an area and hence it is useful for effective landslide hazard mitigation measures. Such maps can be generated using qualitative or quantitative approaches. The present study is an attempt to utilise a multivariate statistical method called binary logistic regression (BLR) analysis for LSZ mapping in part of the Garhwal Lesser Himalaya, India, lying close to the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT). This method gives the freedom to use categorical and continuous predictor variables together in a regression analysis. Geographic Information System has been used for preparing the database on causal factors of slope instability and landslide locations as well as for carrying out the spatial modelling of landslide susceptibility. A forward stepwise logistic regression analysis using maximum likelihood estimation method has been used in the regression. The constant and the coefficients of the predictor variables retained by the regression model have been used to calculate the probability of slope failure for the entire study area. The predictive logistic regression model has been validated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, which has given 91.7% accuracy for the developed BLR model.     

ANC,BNC and mobilization of Cr from polluted sediments in function of pH changes

During the manufacturing of chromate salts (1972–1992) large quantities of Chromite Ore Processing Residue (COPR) were released into a decantation pond east of the former chemical plant of Porto-Romano (Durres, Albania), giving rise to yellow colored pond sediments. These Cr(VI) bearing sediments were deposited upon Quaternary silty-clay lagoonal sediments rich in iron oxides and organic matter. The pH values in these lagoonal sediments vary around 6.6, while in the pond sediments, it is mainly acidic (due to the presence of the sulfur stock piles in the area and the release of the H₂SO₄ from the activity of the former chemical plant), varying between 1.4 and 3.8. Continuous leaching of the COPR waste resulted in yellow-colored surface water runoff. The prediction of pH changes in the different types of sediments based upon acid/base neutralizing capacity (ANC/BNC) jointly with the quantitative data on release of heavy metals and especially Cr is considered an important advantage of the pH_stat leaching test if compared to conventional leaching procedures. Thus, factors controlling the leaching of Cr(VI), Cr(III), Ca, Al, Fe, Mg from the COPR were investigated by means of pH_stat batch leaching tests and mineralogical analysis. Moreover, mathematical and geochemical modeling complemented the study. The COPR in the area contain very high concentrations of chromium 24,409 mg/kg, which mainly occurs as Cr(III) (75–90%) as well as Cr(VI) (25–10%). The leaching of Cr(VI) occurs in all the range (2–10) of the tested pH values, however, it decreases under acidic conditions. Beside some reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III), the Cr(VI) content of the leachtes remains relatively high in the acidic environment, while the limning of Cr(VI) pond sediments will increase the release of the latter specie. The leaching of the Cr(III) occurs strictly under acidic conditions, whereby limning of these sediments will give rise to the lower solubility of Cr(III). The key mineral phases responsible for the fast release of the Cr(VI) are: the chromate salts (i.e. sodium chromate and sodium dichromate), while sparingly soluble chromatite (CaCrO₄) and hashemite (BaCrO₄) release Cr(VI) very slowly. Thus, pH and mineral solubility have been identified as key factors in the retention and the release of the hexavalent CrO₄ ²⁻ and Cr₂O₇ ⁻ from the COPR-rich pond sediments.     

Rare metal mineralization of calcite carbonatites from the Cape Verde Archipelago

Rare metal mineralization of oceanic carbonatites was studied for the first time by the example of calcite carbonatite from Fogo Island in the Cape Verde Archipelago. The following evolutionary sequence of rare metal minerals was established: zirconolite-Th-calciobetafite-betafite + Th-pyrochlore-thorite + Ti-Zr-Nb silicates + zircon.Schematic reactions were proposed for zirconolite transformation to secondary phases: (Ca,Th,U)Zr(Ti,Nb)₂O₇ (zirconolite) + SiO₂ + Ca(F,OH)₂ → ZrSiO₄ (zircon) + (Ca,Th,U)₂(Ti,Nb)₂O₆(OH,F) (Th-calciobetafite) and (Ca,Th,U)₂(Ti,Nb)₂O₆(OH,F) + Na₂Si₂O₅ → ThSiO₄ (thorite) + (Ca,Na,Th)₂(Nb,Ti)₂O₆(OH,F) (Th-pyrochlore), where SiO₂, Ca(F,OH)₂, and Na₂Si₂O₅ are the components of melt-solution coexisting with the carbonatite.It was shown that the distribution and behavior of rare and radioactive elements in oceanic carbonatites show the same tendencies as in continental carbonatites. The contents and distribution of Ti, Ta, and Th in zirconolites and pyrochlores from oceanic and continental carbonatites are different: the minerals of oceanic carbonatites are enriched in Ti and Th and strongly depleted in Ta.     

The composition and age of the Argillite Sequence (sedimentary cover of the continental slope, Sea of Japan)

The Argillite Sequence located at the base of the sedimentary cover on the continental slope of the Sea of Japan was studied by petrographic, palynological, and X-ray diffraction methods. Two spores-pollen complexes were distinguished in it: the Late Oligocene reflecting cooling and the Early Miocene corresponding to initiated warming. The data obtained indicate that the sequence is composed of terrigenous silty-clayey sediments that accumulated in shallow coastal-marine settings. The global sea-level rise at the Early-Middle Miocene transition, combined with the regional tectonic processes, determined the basin deepening, owing to which the argillite sequence was overlain by thick Middle Miocene diatomaceous-clayey sediments. Due to tectonic movement along existing faults in the terminal Late Miocene, the argillite sequence occurring initially at depths of at least 400–500 m was locally exhumed to the basin bottom.