11 November 2020
Журнал

“Ores and Metals” journal (№ 3/2020) available on TsNIGRI website

A new issue of “Ores and Metals” (№ 3/2020) was published.

Its “Applied metallogeny” section first material is an overview by TsNIGRI author team, “Nonfuel mineral base status and development prospects in the Republic of Mauritania”. Its economy is still based on nonfuel mineral mining, with particular emphasis on iron ore, gold and copper deposits because these resources ensure Mauritania solvency in international trade. M.M. Girfanov, E.E. Kotelnikov, I.G. Tretyakova and their coauthors, V.A. Istomin, V.Yu. Vasilchenko and G.M. Sagadeeva, presented Mauritania mineral base dynamics analysis and pointed out that maintaining gold and copper reserves and resources in the country requires ramp-up of geological prospecting activities using a wide range of methods.

The next paper in the section contributed by A.N. Glukhov, PhD, deals with comparative analysis of features inherent in Archean gold deposits (AGD) differing in their geological and genetic types. AGD are widespread within granite-greenstone areas of North American, Australian and African platforms and account for about 20% of cumulative global gold production. However, no Archean gold mineralization has been yet identified in Russia where Early Precambrian complexes including greenstone belts are evolved. The paper, “Geological and genetic typification of Archean gold deposits”, provides an analysis of extensive documented data; based on deposits within Archean provinces of Canadian shield studied by the author he discusses the factors controlling AGD location. In conclusion, he reviews potential discovery of such deposits in Russia.

The “Methods and techniques of deposit forecasting, prospecting, assessment and exploration” section includes two papers. The first one, “Geochemical features of native gold as direct signs of ore formation lode and alluvial gold occurrence types” by S.A. Milyaev, S.V. Yablokova, N.N. Pozdnyakova and L.V. Shatilova (TsNIGRI) and G.G. Samosorov presents an in-depth study of impurity element distribution features in native gold of two or more formational deposit types using semi-quantitative ICP-MS method. Based on an extensive ore and placer placer gold sample collection and their analysis of 490 samples, the authors updated a typomorphic element set for gold-polysulfide-quartz and gold-quartz low-sulfidation mineralization and revealed differences in gold composition due to regional metallogenic specialization. The paper also presents other interesting conclusions. For example, valuable results comprise new data on rare-earth element distribution in native gold, which is caused by igneous rock composition (these rocks are involved in gold-polysulfide-quartz deposit formation).

The next paper, “Estimation parameters of potential Veresoborsky massif areas productivity for primary Pt mineralization, Middle Urals” by Yu.E. Malakh and A.P. Motov presents analytical results for statistically representative material of lithochemical sampling within Veresoborsky dunite massif area where researchers managed to identify a group of correlating chemical elements. Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Bi, Sn, W, Zn accumulation trends and Pt accumulation trend coincided and the authors believe it suggests a single process of the above chemical elements accumulation in magmatic differentiation of crystallizing dunite massifs. The obtained data allow to expand a standard set of chemical elements, which is used to analyze primary Pt mineralization prospecting features in the Urals dunite massif.

The first material in the “Ore deposit structure” section is a paper by L.I. Efanova, PhD, coauthored with S.K. Kuznetsov, PhD, M.B. Tarbaev, PhD, and T.P. Mayorova, “Gold potential of Manitanyrdsky area and prospects for resource potential ramp-up, Polar Urals”. To date, a number of mineral occurrences were recognized in this area in the western Polar Urals; the authors who were involved in forecasting-prospecting works analyzed all geological materials on its gold potential. They updated gold-sulfide mineralization development patterns, obtained new data on ore composition and assessed possibilities of enhancing Manitanyrdsky area potential, which is not fully developed.

The paper by M.N. Zaitseva, V.V. Kuznetsov, V.D. Konkin and T.V. Seravina (TsNIGRI), “Lead and zinc deposit formation conditions within Angara-Bolshepitsk mineragenic zone, Yenisei ridge” coauthored with other institute specialists focuses on studying the region highly prospective for forecasting, prospecting and forecasting-metallogenic studies performed to identify areas hosting complex Ag-rich polymetallic stratiform mineralization. TsNIGRI researchers contributed to studies performed by geologists from related institutes as they updated the existing ideas of Angara-Bolshepitsk mineragenic zone: in 2001-2019, they carried out further studies to identify laterally vertical series of geological and associated ore formations. They also studied facies composition and structure of ore-hosting strata and horizons within this area. The paper presents the data obtained and summarized by them, which is of practical interest for geological and prospecting deposit model design and prospecting efficiency improvement.

The final material in scientific papers block is a paper by S.M. Makeev, V.A. Makarovm, E.A. Muromtsev and G.V. Belokonov, “Features of lead and zinc metallogeny within the Yenisei Ridge”. The authors summarized the latest data on geology and metallogeny of Pb and Zn in Yenisei Ridge using their own materials obtained in prospecting and thematic works within this region as well as data from collected and published sources. As a result, they made a number of conclusions, in particular, related to potential discovery of economic polymetallic mineralization in the eastern Yenisei Ridge.

As this year marks the 75th Great Patriotic War victory anniversary, “Ores and Metals” published memoirs of geologists who fought at the war. This issue includes war memoirs by S.D. Sher (1918-1990), an eminent researcher of the world’s gold deposits. On June 19, 1941, he graduated from the institute and soon went to the front. Subsequently, he worked in TsNIGRI.

Unfortunately, when this issue went to press, news came of A.A. Konstantinovsky death. He was a PhD, contributor to “Ores and Metals” and author of “Terrible and beautiful” novel about besieged Moscow in 1941 published in issues 1 and 2. The final pages contain an essay in memory of him.

An online version of this issue is available on the official journal website .