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Abstract: We present a review of reactor and accelerator centers in Russia that produce medical isotopes, the majority of which are exported. In the near future, we anticipate increased isotope production for use in nuclear medicine in Russia. The existing linear accelerator at the Institute for Nuclear Research (Moscow–Troitsk) and several prospective installations are considered to be particularly capable of providing mass production of radionuclides that can substitute, to a certain extent, for the traditional medical isotopes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper is dedicated to the isotope-geochronological study of the rocks that compose two large intrusions and a separate group of minor intrusions in the western part of the Kavalerovo ore district. In most publications, these rocks are considered as monzonitic or trachyandesite-monzonitic association. On the basis of the amphibole and biotite K-Ar ages and the Rb-Sr whole-rock and mineral datings, the studied association was formed within the interval of 113-98 Ma. A wider interval of 115-95 Ma was obtained with allowance for other isotope data, including those on the rocks of the volcanic facies. This is consistent with the concepts that the studied association belongs to a single magmatic complex. No significant and systematic age differences have been established between the compositionally similar rocks from the different massifs. In compliance with the scheme of the geodynamic evolution of the region, the chambers of latitic melts of the volcanic and most intrusive rocks of the complex were formed prior to the initiation of the Sikhote-Alin subduction volcanic belt. The initial stage of the formation of the latter is presumably constrained by the data on the biotite from the quartz diorites from the Uglovaya VTS (90 Ma), which is located in the central part of the region, and on the late amphibole from the monzonitoids of its western part (91-92 Ma). The geochemical differences between rocks from the different intrusive bodies could be caused by the specifics of the melt evolution in the intermediate or crystallization chambers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a theoretical model and mass isotopic balance, biogas (methane and CO2) released from buried products at their microbial degradation was analysed in the landfill of municipal and non-toxic industrial solid organic waste near Kaluga city, Russia. The landfill contains about 1.34×106 tons of waste buried using a 'sandwich technique' (successive application of sand-clay and waste layers). The δ13C values of biogenic methane with respect to CO2 were-56.8 (±2.5) ‰, whereas the δ13C of CO2 peaked at+9.12‰ (+1.4±2.3‰ on average), reflecting a virtual fractionation of carbon isotopes in the course of bacterial CO2 reduction at the landfill body. After passing through the aerated soil layers, methane was partially oxidised and characterised by δ13C in the range of-50.6 to-38.2‰, evidencing enrichment in 13C, while the released carbon dioxide had δ13C of-23.3 to-4.04‰, respectively. On the mass isotopic balance for the δ13C values, the methane production in the landfill anaerobic zone and the methane emitted through the aerated landfill surface to the atmosphere, the portion of methane oxidised by methanotrophic bacteria was calculated to be from 10 to 40% (averaged about 25%). According to the theoretical estimation and field measurements, the annual rate of methane production in the landfill reached about 2.9(±1.4)×109 g C CH4 yr-1 or 5.3(±2.6)×106 m3 CH4 yr-1. The average rates of methane production in the landfill and methane emission from landfill to the atmosphere are estimated as about 53 (±26) g C CH4 m-2 d-1 (or 4 (±2) mol CH4 m-2 d-1) and 33 (±12) g C CH4 m-2 d-1 (or 2.7 (±1) mol CH4 m-2 d-1), respectively. The calculated part of methane consumed by methanotrophic bacteria in the aerated part of the landfill was 13(±7) g C CH4 m-2 d-1 (or 1.1(±0.6) mol CH4 m-2 d-1) on average. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The authors have recognized four species of intrusion-hosted deposits: gold-telluride, gold-tetradymite, gold-stibnite, and gold-bismuth-sulfosalt. • Intrusion-hosted gold deposits were formed during the two orogenic stages of the East Sayan geodynamic evolution: Neoproterozoic (860–850 Ma) and Early Paleozoic (458–439 Ma). • The different gold-associated mineral assemblages are interpreted by geochemically different parental granitoid intrusions. Our paper reviews a series of relatively low-grade gold deposits and prospects hosted by granitoid intrusions within the southeastern East Sayan in the Altaid Belt (northern Central Asian Orogenic Belt, Russia). The studied deposits/prospects are characterized by the presence of Te-, Sb- and Bi-bearing minerals. However, they differ in their main gold-associated mineral assemblages, which permits to distinguishing four mineralization assemblages: 1) gold-telluride; 2) gold-tetradymite; 3) gold-stibnite; and 4) gold-bismuth sulfosalt. The gold-telluride mineralization (1) is represented by the Tainskoye deposit, and the Khoringolskoye and Sagangolskoye prospects which are defined by paragenesis of native gold with Au-Ag-Bi-Pb-Ni tellurides, such as hessite, petzite, altaite, wehrlite, calaverite, melonite, altaite, and tellurobismuthite. The gold-tetradymite mineralization (2) which is represented by the Konevinskoye deposit, is hosted by the Saylag granitoid pluton, and contains tetradymite as one of the principal minerals associated with native gold. The gold-stibnite mineralization (3), represented by the Tumannoye prospect, is also hosted in a granitoid complex consisting of granodiorite and leucogranite. The gold-bismuth-sulfosalt mineralization (4) is documented at the Pogranichnoye prospect, where native gold is associated with the bismuth-bearing minerals: bismuthinite, galeno-bismuthite, lillianite, and native bismuth. Estimated δ18O values of ore-forming fluids from intrusion-hosted deposits range from 5.7 to 7.4‰, indicative of a magmatic origin; δ34S values of sulfides vary from −4.2 to 4.5‰, which corresponds to magmatic sulfur. The geological setting, element geochemistry of host granitoids, stable isotope ratios, and mineralogy of the studied deposits are consistent with a magmatic origin of the mineralizing fluids. The studied deposits are spatially associated with either Neoproterozoic or Early Paleozoic granitoids, belonging to the two main orogenic stages of the East Sayan geodynamic evolution. At ∼850 Ma, during the Neoproterozoic stage, deposits with dominant gold-telluride assemblages, formed in association with granitoids characterized by geochemical features of island arc granites. During 458–439 Ma, in the Early Paleozoic stage, gold-tetradymite, gold-stibnite, gold-telluride and gold-bismuth-sulfosalt assemblages were formed that are spatially associated with orogenic granites with different geochemical compositions. Most gold-bearing mineral assemblages are intersected by post-mineral Late Paleozoic dykes. The origin of these different gold-sulfide-telluride assemblages is explained with their genetic association with granitoid intrusions of different ages and compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration, radiocarbon (14C) and stable isotope (13C and 18O) content of CO have been determined in air samples collected across Russia (about 8,500 km) and along the Ob river during the summer of 1999 to study the CO sources and sinks. An instrumented carriage on the Trans-Siberian railway and a boat on the river Ob were used as atmospheric measurement platforms. In general, CO mixing ratios, CO stable isotope ratios, as well as the abundances of 14CO over West Siberia were similar to those found at remote northern hemispheric baseline monitoring stations. Identified sources of CO along the Ob appear to be connected to methane oxidation based on an inferred δ13Csource = −36.8 ± 0.6‰, while the value for δ18Osource = 9.0 ± 1.6‰ identifies it as burning. Thus flaring in the oil and gas production can be supposed to be a source. The extreme 13C depletion and concomitant 18O enrichment for two of the boat samples unambiguously indicates contamination by CO from combustion of natural gas (inferred values δ13Csource = −40.3‰ and δ18Osource = 17.5‰). For these two samples, that have strongly elevated 14CO concentrations, the industrial area near Tomsk is identified as a source area using meteorological calculations. Along the Trans-Siberian Railroad background CO was to various degrees contaminated with CO from methane combustion (δ13Csource = −35.7 ± 6.2‰ and δ18Osource = 10.3 ± 1.8‰). The impact of industrial burning was discernable in the vicinity of Perm-Kungur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents new compositional and S-Os isotope data for primary Ru-Os sulfides within a platinum-group mineral (PGM) assemblage from placer deposits associated with the Verkh-Neivinsk massif, which is part of the mantle ophiolite association of Middle Urals (Russia). The primary nature of Ru-Os sulfides represented by laurite (RuS2)–erlichmanite (OsS2) series is supported by occurrence of euhedral inclusions of high-Mg olivine (Fo92–94) that fall within the compositional range of mantle (primitive) olivine (Fo 88–93). The sulfur isotope signatures of Ru-Os sulfides reveal a range of δ34S values from 0.3 to 3.3‰, with a mean of 2.05‰ and a standard deviation of 0.86‰ (n = 18), implying that the sulfur derived from a subchondritic source. A range of sub-chondritic initial 187Os/188Os values defined for Ru-Os sulfides (0.1173–0.1278) are clearly indicative of derivation from a sub-chondritic source. Re-depletion (TRD) ages of the Verkh-Neivinsk Ru-Os sulfides are consistent with prolonged melt-extraction processes and likely multi-stage evolution of highly siderophile elements (HSE) within the upper mantle. A single radiogenic 187Os/188Os value of 0.13459 ± 0.00002 determined in the erlichmanite is indicative of a supra-chondritic source of HSE. This feature can be interpreted as evidence of a radiogenic crustal component associated with a subduction event or as an indication of an enriched mantle source. The mineralogical and Os-isotope data point to a high-temperature origin of the studied PGM and two contrasting sources for HSE in Ru-Os sulfides of the Verkh-Neivinsk massif. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]