Paleoearthquakes in the Uimon basin (Gorny Altai)

Paleoseismological studies confirm that the Uimon basin is thrust by its northern mountain border along the active South Terekta fault. The latest motion along the fault in the 7-8th centuries AD induced an earthquake with a magnitude of M_w= 7.4-7.7 and a shaking intensity of I = 9-11 on the MSK-64 scale. The same fault generated another event (M > 7, I = 9-10), possibly, about 16 kyr ago, which triggered gravity sliding. The rockslide dammed the Uimon valley and produced a lake, where lacustrine deposition began about 14 ± 1 kyr ago, and a later M > 7 (I = 9-10) earthquake at ~ 6 ka caused the dam collapse and the lake drainage. Traces of much older earthquakes that occurred within the Uimon basin are detectable from secondary deformation structures (seismites) in soft sediments deposited during the drainage of a Late Pleistocene ice-dammed lake between 100 and 90 ka and in ~ 77 ka alluvium. The magnitude and intensity of these paleoearthquakes were at least M > 5.0-5.5 and I > 6-7.     

Fahlore and Sphalerite from the Darasun Gold Deposit in the Eastern Transbaikal Region,Russia: I. Mineral Assemblages and Intergrowths,Chemical Composition,and Its Evolution

The mineral assemblages, mode of occurrence, and chemical compositions of coexisting fahlore and sphalerite from the Darasun gold deposit have been described. Three generations of fahlore and three generations of sphalerite have been recognized. The FeS content in sphalerite coexisting with fahlore ranges from 0.8 to 9.4 mol %. The complete solid solution series Fe-tetrahedrite–Zn-tetrahedrite–Fe-tennantite–Zn-tennantite reflected in Sb/(Sb + As) and Fe/(Fe + Zn) ratios ranging from 0 to 0.97 and from 0.07 to 1.00, respectively, with a predominant negative relationship between these ratios has been identified for the first time at the deposit. Stepped, oscillatory, and combined stepped-oscillatory growth zonings within fahlore grains and heterogeneous aggregates of fahlore have been found. Fahlore is enriched in As with respect to Sb, and Zn-tetrahedrite is followed by Fe- and Zn-tennantite from early to late generation; Zn-tetrahedrite is followed by Fe-tennantite in zoned grains and overgrown rims; sphalerite crystallized at decreased temperature and sulfur fugacity. The evolution of the chemical composition of fahlores was caused by the evolving temperature, fluid salinity, and conditions of metal migration.     

Geodynamic setting,structure, and composition of continuous trachybasalt-trachyandesite-rhyolite series in the north of Altai-Sayan area: the role of crust-mantle interaction in continental magma formation

The geologic positions and geochemical and isotope parameters of the Ordovician-early Silurian and Early-Middle Devonian continuous volcanic series of the Minusa basin and its mountainous framing are compared. Both series are composed mostly of moderately alkaline rocks with variations in SiO₂ contents from 45 to 77 wt.%. The Ordovician-early Silurian series differs from the Early-Middle Devonian one in lower contents of TiO₂ (< 1.7 wt.%) and Fe₂O_3tot and higher contents of Al₂O₃ in all rock varieties and in the more fractionated REE patterns of trachybasalts. The compositions of both series reflect two simultaneous mechanisms of magma evolution. The main process was fractional crystallization leading to the formation of rocks from trachybasalts to trachyrhyodacites. The accessory mechanism was the contamination of fractionated melts by crustal material, anatectic melting of crust, and mixing of deep-seated magmas with crustal melts. These processes had specifics at each stage and were controlled by the composition of the sources of parental melts. Their geochemical and isotopic parameters (high alkalinity, high contents of lithophile elements, negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, and Ti, and enrichment in radiogenic Sr) point to the interaction of mantle plumes with the lithospheric mantle that was metasomatically transformed during the preceding Vendian-early Cambrian subduction processes.     

Epifanovite,NaCaCu5(PO4)4[AsO2(OH)2] · 7H2O: a New Mineral from the Kester Deposit,Sakha (Yakutia) Republic,Russia

Geology of Ore Deposits - Epifanovite, NaCaCu5(PO4)4[AsO2(OH)2] · 7H2O, a new natural copper, sodium and calcium arsenate–phosphate, has been found in a quartz–phosphate pocket...     

Redefinition of Lemanskiite: New Mineralogical Data,Crystal Structure,and Revised Formula NaCaCu5(AsO4)4Cl · 3H2O

Geology of Ore Deposits - The crystal structure of lemanskiite is determined for the first time (R = 0.019) and the mineral is redefined. Its chemical formula, crystal system, space group and...     

Development of medium-term prediction methods: A case study of the August 14, 2016 Onor (Mw = 5.8) earthquake on Sakhalin

The potential of the load-unload response ratio (LURR) method for medium-term earthquake prediction is studied for Sakhalin Island as an example. An approach to the generation of predicted conditions and assessment of their implementation in real time is considered. The results of a retrospective analysis of other large Sakhalin earthquakes are used for generalization. It is shown that deviations of prediction parameters from specified values are satisfactory for this method. It is recommended that this method be used to compile summaries of medium-term predictions for Sakhalin provided that catalogs are filled as soon as possible.     

Isotope stratigraphy and U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the Vendian-Cambrian deposits of the North Muya block

U-Pb dating of detrital zircons from the sandstones of the Mamakan Formation has been made. Geochemical and isotope parameters of the carbonate deposits of the Yanguda Formation in the Vendian-Cambrian cover of the North Muya continental block have been estimated. It has been established that only the Neoproterozoic (630-915 Ma) rocks of the North Muya block were the provenances of terrigenous material. In the least altered carbonate rocks of the Yanguda Formation, the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio is within 0.70814-0.70879 and δ¹³C varies from -0.4 to + 1.9‰. Comparison of the evaluated isotope parameters with those of carbonate rocks of typical Vendian-Cambrian sections shows that the carbonate deposits of the Yanguda Formation accumulated in the Early Cambrian, about 520 Ma. Sedimentation of the Mamakan and Yanguda Formations took place in the local sedimentary basin in the Vendian-Early Cambrian, in the absence of tectonic activity within the North Muya block. Detrital material that formed during the destruction of the rocks of the Siberian Platform basement and cover was not supplied into the basin.     

Foundations of petroleum prediction based on the activation of geochemical processes by direct current

Petroleum prediction in local objects and the applicability of geologic environment parameters in this regard are considered. The proposed guidelines for petroleum potential prediction are based on the analysis of the distribution of typomorphic epigenetic multivalent elements loosely fixed in rocks before and after electric current treatment. The advantage of geoelectrochemical methods providing data on the chemical composition of above-productive deposits is demonstrated.     

Natural ring structures on the Baikal ice cover: Analysis of experimental data and mathematical modeling

Hydrophysical studies and mathematical modeling of ring structures during ice cover on Lake Baikal have shown that their existence at the stage of ice cover degradation is due to anticyclonic currents. Such currents can be generated as a result of local upwelling, which we associate with the rise of methane hydrates from the top layer of bottom sediments and their dissociation. Analysis of satellite images shows that the radii of ice rings range from 1300 to 2400 m, which is close to the baroclinic Rossby radius. The measured ice thicknesses in the area of the rings are in agreement with model calculations. Deep water renewal in Lake Baikal can also be associated with the rise of hydrates.     

Isotopic-geochemical evidence for crustal contamination of eclogites in the Kokchetav subduction-collision zone

This paper reports isotopic and geochemical studies of eclogites from the western ultrahigh pressure (UHP) and eastern high-pressure (HP) blocks of the Kokchetav subduction-collision zone. These HP and UHP eclogites exhumed in two stages: (1) The rocks of the western block metamorphosed within the field of diamond stability (e.g., Kumdy-Kol and Barchy); (2) In contrast, the metamorphic evolution of the eastern block reached the pressure peak within the stability field of coesite (e.g., Kulet, Chaglinka, Sulu-Tyube, Daulet, and Borovoe). The eclogites vary widely in the ratios of incompatible elements and in the isotope ratios of Nd (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.51137-0.513180) and Sr (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.703930.78447). The Sulu-Tyube eclogites display isotope-geochemical features close to N-MORB, while those from the other sites are compositionally similar to E-type MORB or island arc basalts (IAB). The model ages T_Nd(DM) of eclogites vary between 1.95 and 0.67 Ga. The Sulu-Tyube eclogite yields the youngest age; it has the values of ε_Nd(T) (7.2) and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.70393) close to the depleted mantle values. The crustal input to the protolith of the Kokchetav eclogites is evident on the ε_Nd(T)-⁸⁶Sr/⁸⁷Sr and ε_Nd(T)-T plots. The eclogites make up a trend from DM to country rocks. Some eclogites from the Kulet, Kumdy-Kol, and Barchy localities display signs of partial melting, such as high Sm/Nd (0.65-0.51) and low (La/Sm)_N (0.34-0.58) values. The equilibrium temperatures of these eclogites are higher than 850 °C. The geochemical features of eclogites testify to the possibility of the eclogite protolith formation in the tectonic setting of passive continental rift margin subducted to depths over 120 km.