Research subject. The inner structure, composition, and genesis of the poorly studied formation of weathering crusts are studied with reference to peneplaned platform territories in Kazakhstan and Siberia during the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary epoch. This formation hosts many valuable minerals, such as bauxite, iron ores, refractory clays, etc., thereby attracting much research attention.

 Materials and methods. The results were obtained following a series of long-term studies and a review of available data recently obtained on the weathering crust formation in the territories of Kazakhstan and Siberia. The methods of lithological facies and formation analysis were used, along with the separate studies of the eluvial material – weathering crusts in erosion areas and intra-formation weathering horizons in accumulation areas. Results. The weathering crust formation in the study area is shown to comprise two kinds of rock mass: siliceous-kaolinite ones forming erosion-tectonic depressions and kaolinite-bauxite ones forming karst depressions. The inner structure, composition, and genesis of both rock mass units are studied in detail, with all their sedimentation stages being analyzed. The sedimentation process is traced from the preparation of the material in weathering crusts at erosion areas to the deposition of this material and its post-sedimentation transformations (mostly with the involvement of subaerial diagenesis) in depressions. Detailed information is presented on subaerial diagenesis, which deserves further studies. Conclusions. This publication is the frst to present detailed information on the inner structure, composition and genesis of the ancient formation of weathering crusts produced in hot humid climate on peneplaned land territories. It is confrmed that the processes underpinning this formation – starting with the preparation of the material and ending with its accumulation in depressions – were different from those typical of modern orogenic environments. This conclusion extends the current understanding of the forms and nature of ancient lithogenetic processes.

Research subject. The West Magnitogorsk zone of the Southern Urals in the vicinity of the Ishkildino village features a subaerially exposed basaltic sequence superposed by cherts and siliceous-clay shales. The basalts and the overlying shales are assumed to have formed during the Ordovician and Silurian (?)–Early Devonian (up to the conodont zone excavates inclusive) periods, respectively. The aim of this research was to reconstruct, using geochemical data, the conditions under which the rocks present in this geological location were formed.

Materials and methods. Five samples of the basalts (XRD and ICP-MS methods), 27 samples of the siliceous-clay shales and 10 samples of the cherts (XRD and ICP-AES methods) were analyzed.

Results. According to the ratio of SiO2, Na2O and K2O, the volcanic rocks from the lower part of the section are represented by basalts and trachybasalts. Their geochemical composition corresponds to the N-MORB and is established to be similar to that of the basalts in the Polyakovskaya formation (the Middle–Upper Ordovician). In terms of main elements, the shales under study consist of quartz and illite with a slight admixture of organic matter, goethite, quartzfeldspar fragments, etc. The degree of the sedimentary material weathering according to the CIA, CIW and ICV index values is shown to be moderate. The values of Strakhov’s and Boström’s moduli correspond to sediments without the admixture of underwater hydrothermal vent products. The values of Cr/Al, V/Al and Zr/Al correspond to those characteristic of deposits in deep-water zones remote from the coasts of passive and active continental margins, basalt islands and areas adjacent to mid-ocean ridges. For most samples, the values of Ni/Co, V/Cr, Mo/Mn are typical of deposits formed under oxidative conditions. However, several samples from the upper part of the section, which is comparable to the kitabicus and excavatus conodont zones, demonstrate the Ni/Co, V/Cr, and Mo/Mn values corresponding to deposits formed under reducing atmospheres. An assumption is made that the existence of these deposits can be associated with the Bazal Zlichov event.

Conclusion. The investigated pre-Emsian shales have shown no signs of volcanic activity in the adjacent areas. The studied deposits are established to correspond to the central part of the Ural Paleoocean.

Оbject. The article presents the results of studies of secondary mineral formation in the lower Cretaceous sediments of the Bolshekhetskaya depression, which contain highly promising oil and gas deposits, with established industrial performance at Pyakyakhinskoye, Khalmerpayutinskoye and South-Messoyakhskoye fields. The objects under consideration are located in the most submerged part of the Nadym-Taz syneclise in the zone, where the Taz and Urengoy facies regions meet.

Materials and methods. Main types of postsedimentary changes of reservoir rocks selected on the basis of study of core material Pokurskaya, Angelovskaya, Sortymskaya and Megionskaya fms. Petrography and Mineralogy of the rocks under consideration were studied on the basis of stage analysis using optical and electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction study at the Center of core and reservoir fluids research of “LUKOIL-Engineering’s KogalymNIPIneft branch In Tyumen” (Kogalym). Determination of the mineral type of zeolite was performed by X-ray phase analysis at the Institute of Geology and Geochemistry UrO RAS (Ekaterinburg).

Resuts. It was found that for rocks Pokurskaya, Angelovskaya, Sortymskaya and Megionskaya fms characteristic a diverse range of secondary minerals and structures, evidence of the background stage catagenesis and the superimposed processes. The most important among them is the regeneration of quartz, the transformation of feldspar, violation of the crystal structure of biotite, the formation of various clay minerals, crystallization of zeolites and calcite.

Conclusions. Studies show that the upper part of the section of the lower Cretaceous deposits of Bolshekhetskaya depression corresponds to the area of the middle catagenesis (gradation MK2), the bottom – changed to the stage of deep catagenesis (gradation MK3). In this case, the epigenetic process proceeded unevenly, pulsation, due to changing tectonic conditions. Particular attention is paid to the origin of zeolites, which is still debatable. It is assumed that their formation is associated with the transformation of “camouflage pyroclastic” in particular, feldspar clastics.

Subject. This paper is aimed at investigating the distribution of brachiopods across the stratotypes of the Lower Visean regional substages and formations, as well as of the Upper Visean Zhukovsky regional substage, which are presently located in the East Uralian and Magnitogorskian megazones of the Eastern Urals.

 Materials and methods. Brachiopods were one of the most numerous groups of benthic organisms inhabiting the Early Carboniferous marine basins now located in the eastern Urals. This paper presents information on the distribution of brachiopods across the carbonate and carbonate-terrigenous facies of the Middle (Pokrovskoe, Zhukovo, Smolino, Brod-Kljuchiki) and Southern (Nizhnyaya Gusikha, Verkhnyaya Kardailovka, Kipchak, Ust-Grekhovka and Khudolaz) Urals sections.

Results. It is found that Delepinеа lebedevi, D. comoides, Ovatia markovskii and Composita sp. were the domineering species during the Early Visean period. The Ust-Grekhovsky time marked the appearance of migrant species, which resulted not only in a decrease in the proportion of Delepinеа and Ovatia but also significantly changed the entire structure of the local brachiopod communities. The evolutionary transformation of the Ovatia genus at the Ust-Grekhovsky–Zhukovsky time boundary led to the appearance of the Linoprotonia genus and subsequently to the Globosoproductus genus (the first representative of the Gigantoproductini). The Zhukovsky period was characterized by a continuing reorganization of the composition and structure of the communities, featuring a change in the dominant taxa. The Linoprotonia and Globosoproductus genera became widespread. Rare representatives of the Gigantoproductus, Datangia and Semiplanus genera appeared.

Conclusions. A direct correlation between the diversity of brachiopod associations and abiotic factors is found. The most diverse associations represented by the taxa of several orders, including Gigantoproductini, inhabited shallow-water environments with carbonate sedimentation. The evolution of brachiopods over the Early Visean and Zhukovsky periods of the Late Visean was characterized by natural succession in the composition of genera and species, with the most significant alteration having occurred in the Ust-Grekhovsky and Zhukovsky periods.

Subject. The article is aimed to evaluate of the conodont diversity dynamics at the species level in the Famennian – Serpukhovian interval.

Materials and methods. The database compiled from the published and original data contains information on the stratigraphic ranges of 389 Famennian-Serpukhovian conodont species (https://1drv.ms/x/s!AvPFMTPL Pc7T4nFU81CaO5UJ6nlw). Conodont zones compose the geochronological basis of the database. The conodont diversity, origination, extinction, and diversification were calculated. Dynamics of these parameters in the Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous was analyzed.

Results. The Famennian-Serpukhovian conodonts demonstrate four cycles in the diversity: the early Famennian (triangularis-early postera zones), the late Famennian (late postera-praesulcata zones), the Tournaisian (sulcata-anchoralis zones), and the Visean-Serpukhovian (texanus-bollandensis zones). The cycles are separated by the low-diversity episodes. The highest diversity (80 species) is detected in the early and late marginifera zones (Famennian).

Conclusions. The successive decreasing in diversity comprises interval from the late Famennian through Serpukhovian. The global events gave little influence on the conodont diversity except for the Frasnian/Famennian (about 70% conodont species became extinct) and Devonian/Carboniferous extinction events. Conodont diversity demonstrates weak dependence form the global sea level fluctuations. The transition from the green-house to ice-house climate at the beginning of the Carboniferous and successive changes in the marine ecosystems are considered as main probable cause of the decline in conodont diversity in the late Tournaisian-Serpukhovian.

Research subject. This paper presents the results of a series of mineralogical, petrological, geochemical and isotope­chronological studies carried out to investigate metacarbonate­silicate rocks in the area of Ishkul Lake, the Ilmenogorsky complex.

Materials and methods. The microprobe analysis of the composition of minerals was performed using a REMMA­202M scanning microscope equipped with a microanalyzer. The content of major, trace and rare­earth elements (REE) was determined using a mass spectrometer ICP­MS. The U­Pb age of zircons was obtained by a microprobe SHRIMP II. The content of REE in zircons was determined by an ion probe CAMECA IMS­4F.

Results. The studied metacarbonate­silicate rocks are shown to be represented by spinel­forsterite­calcite, diopside­scapolite­calcite and clinopyroxenite varieties with a di verse range of minerals, including diopside, calcite, forsterite, spinel, scapolite, anorthite, enstatite, alumoenstatite, augite, fassaite, tschermakite, pargasite, hornblend, tremolite, barium­containing feldspar, celsian, phlogopite, graphite, titanite, fluorapatite, picroilmenite, pyrrhotite, pentlandite, sphalerite, violarite, gersdorffite, maucherite. In terms of petrochemical properties, the metacarbonate­silicate rocks under study are characterized by significant variations in the content of SiO2, CaO, MgO at a Ca/Mg ratio of 1.4–8.2, as well as by increased Ni and Cr content, low ratios of Sr/Ba, Th/U, Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta. The small ΣREE amounts of 6–25 ppm (rarely up to 70–72 ppm) correspond to sedimentary formations with a significant amount of ultrabasic material.

Conclusions. The specific features of the composition of olivine, spinel, ilmenite, as well as the titanium content in the early generation zircon indicate the formation (transformation) of spinel­forsterite­calcite rocks at t = 830–850°C. According to the established specifics of REE distribution and the Th/U ratio, the early generation zircons refer to the granulite type zircons, while the late generation zircons correspond to those of transformed syenites­miaskites and various metasomatites. The formation (transformation) of the rocks is found to correspond to the following age stages: PR1 (1720–1780 Ma) ­ “granulite” metamorphism; D1–C (345–399 Ma) – metasomatic transformations caused by the formation of alkaline rocks associated with rifting processes; P1 (282 Ma) – tectonic­metasomatic transformations caused by shear processes.

Subject. The article presents the results of study of Mechnikovskoe gold deposit associated with listvenites and beresites of the Miass region of the Southern Urals.

Materials and methods. Materials were sampled during the field work of 2010– 2012. The chemical composition of rocks is analyzed by methods of classical chemistry (rock-forming oxides) and ICP MS (trace elements). The mineral composition is determined on an electron microscope with EDS.

Results. The deposit is composed of tectonic sheets of serpentinites, carbonatized serpentinites and listvenites (sheet I), metadiabases and plagioclase metabasalts of the Irendyk Formation and beresites and volcanosedimentary rocks and metabasalts of the Karamalytash Formation (sheet II). In the central part of the deposit, the volcanic rocks are intruded by a dike of finegrained island-arc granites. Chromites of serpentinites are characterized (on average) by high Cr# (89) and low Mg# (29) values and low contents of Al2O3 (6.94 wt %) and MgO (5.5 wt %). Gold-bearing rocks include listvenites, beresites and carbonaceous shales. The major ore mineral is pyrite; accessory minerals are Au and Ag minerals, chalcopyrite, fahlores, galena, sphalerite, pyrrhotite, cubanite, vaesite, melonite, secondary copper sulfides, barite, rutile, monazite and xenotime. Gold of the deposit contains low Ag contents (3.52 wt %) and minor amount of Cu and Hg (<1 wt % in most analyses).

Conclusions. The listvenites and beresites of the deposit were formed after ultramafic and mafic rocks, respectively. The discovery of gold in various rocks indicates that gold mineralization was deposited after the formation of the geological structure of the deposit. The source of gold was most likely related to a magmatic fluid.

Research subject. This research study was aimed at investigating metasomatic minerals and ores in the Tamunier Deposit, which is located in the Northern Urals, at the Eastern side of the Tagil megazone within the Auerbach volcano-plutonic belt.

Materials and methods. Well core samples were investigated using a complex of research methods, including optical and electron microscopy, X-ray spectral microanalysis, mineral geothermometry, thermobarogeochemistry (microthermometry, gas chromatography, determination of the salt composition of fluid inclusions in minerals) and isotope geochemistry (isotopes C, O, S, Sr, Pb).

Results. A genetic model describing the formation of the Tamunier deposit was developed using the data obtained on its geological structure, mineral composition of metasomatites and ores, fluid formation mode, sources of ore matter and ore-bearing fluid. In the proposed model, the magmatogenic sodium chloride fluid carrying ore components and S is separated from the Auerbach complex at the depth of intrusion. Penetrating to the surface, this fluid interacts with the rocks of volcanic-sedimentary strata, thereby extracting a number of components, including CO2, S and Sr.

Conclusion. Despite the presence of sulphide mineralization of hydrothermal-sedimentary genesis in the volcanogenic-sedimentary rock mass, the data obtained has allowed us to refer the gold-sulphide ores under study to magmatogenic-hydrothermal formations. The estimated P-T conditions (t = 100–370ºС and P = 0.4–0.6 kbar) and the shallow depth of the Tamunier field have shown its correspondence to the sub-epithermal level in the model of the porphyry-epithermal ore-magmatic system.

Research subject. Sphalerite (ZnS) is a widespread mineral that can be found in various depositional environments. During formation, this mineral can accumulate minor and trace impurities, with gold being one of the most valuable component. The issue of the chemical state of Au in sphalerite has been much discussed recently.

Methods. Samples of In-, Fe- and In-Febearing sphalerite with a composition ranging from 0 to 2.5 mol.% In2S3 and 0 – 40 mol.% FeS were synthesized in an Ausaturated system using gas transport and salt flux techniques. The resulting products were subsequently investigated using EPMA and LA-ICP-MS. Results. All the elements under investigation are found to be homogeneously distributed within the sphalerite matrix. After quenching, sphalerite is shown to retain Au. Our data indicates that the observed increase in Au concentration is caused by the presence of In (up to 1.02 wt % Au) and, to a lesser extent, by that of Fe (up to ≈600 ppm Au). These elements substitute Zn in the crystal structure of sphalerite following the scheme Au+ + In3+(Fe3+) ↔ 2Zn2+, which is in good agreement with previous data obtained using the XAS method.

Conclusions.A higher sulphur fugacity in the system leads to a more significant accumulation of Au in sphalerite. The concentration of Au in pure sphalerite does not exceed 10 ppm under our experimental conditions and does not depend on the activity of sulphur in the system.

Research subject. The deep structure of the Yugan-Koltogor zone located in West Siberia was investigated with the purpose of detecting prospective oil and gas bearing areas.

Materials and methods. The methods of lineament extraction and the computer modelling of rock density were employed. Lineament extraction was conducted on the basis of geophysical data, including detailed (1 : 200 000) maps of anomalous magnetic and gravity fields. In order to detect faults, telemetering methods were used, along with the results of studies conducted to investigate core materials from wells in the region. The modelling of the deep structure of the pre-Jurassic basement was performed on the basis of its geological map by solving a direct problem while fitting geological body densities.

Results. Six largest faults of the Yugan-Koltogor zone identified on the geological map by a special sign “deep faults and regional schistosity zones” are of particular interest as possible oil bearing areas.

Conclusions. The modelling of the deep structure of the pre-Jurassic basement of the West Siberian Platform has shown the granite decompaction areas of the Yugan zone to be highly promising in terms of oil and gas deposits.