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The paper presents data on the geological structure of the Kichera zone of the Baikal–Vitim belt (BVB) at the boundary between the marginal part of the Siberian craton and the Barguzin–Vitim superterrane of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt. Early Neoproterozoic (Early Baikalian) and Late Neoproterozoic (Late Baikalian) structures and complexes are identified and characterized in the Kichera zone of the BVB. Data are presented on the geochemistry of the rocks and on their U–Pb isotope age (zircon, SIMS and ID-TIMS) and on the Nd isotope characteristics of rocks from various parts of the Kichera zone, including representative rock association of the Nyurundukan migmatite–tonalite–metabasite complex with MORB-type tholeiites and tholeiites with intraplate geochemical features. It is shown that the sources of the Early Neoproterozoic complexes of the Kichera zone, which were metamorphosed at 0.76–0.74 Ga as a result of accretion events in the marginal part of the craton, were dominated by Early Precambrian recycled crustal material. The Late Neoproterozoic complexes typomorphic of the Kichera zone were formed in the Cryogenian–Ediacaran (720–545 Ma) from prevailing juvenile sources. Our data suggest that the metabasites of the Nyurundukan complex were formed in an environment of segmented troughs of the pull-apart paleorift system of the Kichera zone and can be compared with a reduced complex of continental-margin ophiolites transformed at 630 ± 7 to 615 ± 3 Ma. The destruction of the ancient continental crust of the craton ended with the formation and exhumation of deep rocks in the Late Ediacaran, the emplacement of adakite granites of the postcollisional geochemical type, and the formation of grabens filled with a terrigenous complex. The juvenile and riftogenic crust produced during the Late Neoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the Kichera rift zone does not show any features of mature continental-type crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dotulur alkalic granite and Usugli Depression volcanics (West Stanovoi Superterrane of the Central Asia Fold Belt) have been dated by the U-Pb method, and their geochemistry has been analyzed. The geochemistry of the rocks suggests their intraplate nature. The alkalic granite and volcanics have similar ages of 142 ± 1 Ma and 138 ± 3 Ma, respectively. Considering the Usugli Depression structural position as an upper fault slice of the Elikan metamorphic core, the obtained dates allow the formation of the mentioned core and, accordingly, the collapse of central part of the Mongol-Okhotsk orogeny to have occurred not prior to 140 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the petrography, mineralogy, and geochemistry of the Paleoproterozoic (2.06 Ga) granites of the Katugin massif (Stanovoy suture zone), which hosts the combined rare-metal Katugin deposit. Three groups of granites were distinguished: (1) biotite ( Bt) and biotite-riebeckite ( Bt-Rbk) granites of the western block of the massif; (2) biotite-arfvedsonite ( Bt-Arf) granites of the eastern block; and (3) arfvedsonite ( Arf), aegirine-arfvedsonite ( Aeg-Arf), and aegirine ( Aeg) granites of the eastern block. The Bt and Bt-Rbk granites of the first group are mainly metaluminous and peraluminous rocks with rather high CaO contents and the minimum F contents among the granites described here. It was suggested that the granites of this group could be derived from a source dominated by crustal rocks with a small addition of mantle materials. These granites probably crystallized from a metaluminous-peraluminous melt with elevated CaO and moderate F contents. Melts of such compositions are least favorable for the crystallization of ore minerals. The Bt-Arf granites of the second group are mainly peralkaline and show high contents of CaO and Y and low contents of NaO and F. A mixed mantle-crust source was proposed for the Bt-Arf granites. The initial melt of the Bt-Arf granites could have a peralkaline composition with elevated CaO content and moderate to high F content. The Arf, Aeg-Arf, and Aeg granites of the third group are enriched in ore mineral and were classified as peralkaline granites with very low CaO contents, elevated Na2O and F contents, and usually very high contents of Zr, Hf, Nb, and Ta. Based on the geochemical and isotopic data, it was supposed that the source of the granites of the third group could be derivatives of basaltic magmas produced in an OIB-type source with a minor addition of crustal material to the magma generation zone. It was suggested that the primary melt of this granite group could be a peralkaline CaO-poor and F-rich silicic melt, which is most favorable for the crystallization of ore minerals. Based on the analysis of the geochemical characteristics of the three granite groups and their relationships within the Katugin massif, a qualitative model of its formation was proposed. According to this model, the Bt and Bt-Rbk granites of the western block crystallized first, followed by the Bt-Arf granites of the eastern block and, eventually, the Arf, Aeg-Arf, and Aeg granites enriched in ore minerals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geochemical and Sm-Nd isotope-geochemical studies of synnyrite and syenite from the Synnyr massif and high-K syenite from the Tas massif of the Late Paleozoic (eastern Siberia) corresponding to one of the largest provinces of high-K and ultrapotassic magmatism worldwide are performed. It is shown that their formation was controlled by transformation of the Precambrian continental crust of the Siberian Craton and Central Asian Mobile Belt under the influence of the Siberian mantle plume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of chemical composition, the Late Quaternary geyserites of the Olkhon area and Olkhon Island are subdivided into the ferrosiliceous and carbonate-siliceous groups and are commonly characterized by low concentrations of rare elements. In several cases, the geyserites are enriched in Fe, Mn, Cr, Sb, As, and Y. Regardless of the chemical composition of geyserite, the key components of the gas phase are HO, CO, and CH. The parent matter for the geyserites was constituted by aqueous solutions (fluids) of 400°C and higher temperatures, silica-saturated, and enriched in carbon dioxide and hydrocarbons, as well as in some ore components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguments in favor of magmatic or metasomatic genesis of the Katugin rare-metal ore deposit are discussed. The geological and mineralogical features of the deposit confirm its magmatic origin: (1) the shape of the ore-bearing massif and location of various types of granites (biotite, biotite-amphibole, amphibole, and amphibole-aegirine); (2) the geochemical properties of the massif rocks corresponding to A type granite (high alkali content (up to 12.3% NaO + KO), extremely high FeO/MgO ratio ( f = 0.96-1.00), very high content of the most incoherent elements (Rb, Li, Y, Zr, Hf, Ta, Nb, Th, U, Zn, Ga, and REE) and F, and low concentrations of Ca, Mg, Al, P, Ba, and Sr); (3) Fe-F-rich rock-forming minerals; (4) no previously proposed metasomatic zoning and regular replacement of rock-forming minerals corresponding to infiltration fronts of metasomatism. The similar ages of the barren (2066 ± 6 Ma) and ore-bearing (2055 ± 7 Ma) granites along with the features of the ore mineralization speak in favor of the origin of the ore at the magmatic stage of the massif's evolution. The nature of the ore occurrence and the relationships between the ore minerals support their crystallization from F-rich aluminosilicate melt and also under melt liquation into aluminosilicate and fluoride (and/or aluminofluoride) fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Early Caledonian Central Asian Orogenic Belt hosts fragments of continental blocks with Early and Late Precambrian crystalline basement. One of the structures with an Early Precambrian basement was thought to be the Dzabkhan microcontinent, which was viewed as an Early Precambrian 'cratonal terrane'. The first geochronologic data suggest that the basement of the Dzabkhan microcontinent includes a zone of crystalline rocks related to Late Riphean tectonism. Geological, geochronological (U-Pb zircon dates), and Nd isotopic-geochemical data were later obtained on the northwestern part of the Dzabkhan microcontinent. The territory hosts the most diverse metamorphic complexes thought to be typical of the Early Precambrian basement. The complexes were determined to comprise the Dzabkhan-Mandal and Urgamal zones of high-grade metamorphic rocks. Gabbrodiorites related to the early metamorphic episode and dated at 860 ± 3 Ma were found in the Dzabkhan-Mandal zone, and the gneiss-granites marking the termination of this episode were dated at 856 ± 2 Ma. The granitoids of the Dzabkhan batholith, whose emplacement was coeval with the termination of the late high-grade metamorphic episode in rocks of both zones, have an age of 786 ± 6 Ma. Similar age values were determined for the granitoids cutting across the Late Precambrian rocks of the Songino and Tarbagatai blocks, which mark the stage when the mature Late Riphean continental crust was formed. The Late Riphean magmatic and metamorphic rocks of the Dzabkhan microcontinent were found out to have Nd model ages mostly within the range of 1.1-1.4 Ga at ɛ(T) from +1.9 to +5.5. The Nd model age of the metaterrigenous rocks is 2.2−1.3 Ga at ɛ(T) from −7.2 to +3.1. The results of our studies provide evidence of convergence processes, which resulted in the Late Riphean (880−780 Ma) continental crust in Central Asia. Simultaneously with these processes, divergence processes that were responsible for the breakup of Rodinia occurred in the structures of the ancient cratons. It is reasonable to suggest that divergence processes within ancient continental blocks and Rodinia shelf were counterbalanced by the development of the Late Riphean continental crust in the convergence zones of its surrounding within established interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]