The Unique Sabantuy Chromite Paleoplacer in the Sedimentary Cover of the Eastern European Platform

—In the section of the sedimentary cover of the East European Platform, the new Sabantuy chromite ore occurrence was revealed. It is localized in Upper Kazanian sandstones of the erosional terrace above the floodplain of Malaya Berkutla Creek in the south-west of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The article presents the first results of geological, lithological, and mineralogical–geochemical studies of the new ore occurrence with signatures of an ancient coastal–marine placer. The Cr2O3 content in chromite sandstones (chromitolites) is 15.9–17.2 wt %. The bulk of the heavy fraction (67%) is composed of sub-angular and sub-rounded Cr-spinel grains 0.15–0.25 mm in size. Their mineralogical features indicate proximity to Cr-spinels from ultramafic rocks of ophiolite complexes.