BASIC FEATURES OF THE GEOLOGY OF THE SIBERIAN DIAMOND PROVINCE

The discovery of ultrabasic rocks and of diamonds in Upper Triassic-Lower Jurassic kimberlite pipes in the Siberian platform gave impetus to the search for diamond deposits in this area. Also, the discovery of diamond placers in Mesozoic and Cenozoic marine and nonmarine sediments in 1948 intensified the search. The geology of the area is characterized, as is that of the African diamond fields, by considerable faulting and heterogeneous composition of the basement, the development of large depressions, and a magmatic cycle dominated by basic and ultrabasic magmas. Many unexplored areas within the platform, undoubtedly having similar characteristics, are potential diamond producers. --G. E. Denegar.