1-2025

CONTENTS № 1/2025

Kazanov O.V.¹, Germakhanov A.A.¹, Gorokhov K.D.², Kozlovskiy D.S.³, Malysheva E.S.³, Tanin E.V.⁴, Fateeva A.A.³ (1 — Federal Agency for Subsoil Use, 2 — Rosgeolekspertiza, 3 — VIMS, 4 — Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation)

GEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION FOR SOLID MINERALS.
ANALYSIS OF TRENDS AND LICENSING MANAGEMENT TASKS

This article provides an analysis of the dynamics of exploration for solid minerals over the past decade, an assessment of the impact of the «declarative» licensing mechanism on the results of exploration, as well as the consequences of this analysis to determine the prospects for the development of the industry and the tasks of managing the subsoil fund.

Keywords: geological exploration, prospecting, assessment and exploration of deposits, «declarative» licensing principle.

P. 3-10

Puzanova M.Yu., Zublуuk E.V. (VIMS)

MINERAL RESOURCES BASE OF CHROMIUM IN RUSSIA: STATUS AND PROSPECTS

The article explores the current status of Russia’s chromite ore resource base and evaluates its demand by existing processing enterprises. It includes a comparison of the qualitative characteristics of various geological-industrial types of chromite ores, with references to global standards. The findings indicate that the Russian metallurgical industry’s requirements are satisfied through the processing of high-chromium ores from alpinetype massifs. The chromite ore deposits currently being developed and prepared for exploitation in Russia are expected to be depleted in the near future. Therefore, initiating early-stage geological exploration is essential. The prospects for discovering high-chromium ore deposits have been evaluated, identifying two potential industrial clusters in the Urals where metallurgical-type ore deposits could be found.

Keywords: chromite ore, quality of chrome raw materials, mineral
resource base, production, alpinotype deposits, development of deposits, geological exploration.

P. 11-19

Morozova L.N.¹, Sycheva N.А.¹, Kryazhev V.S.², Lyulko М.S.¹, Matrenichev А.V.³, Dorozhko А.L.¹ (1 — VIMS, Moscow; 2 –Polar Lithium, Moscow; 3 –Norilsk Nickel Technical Services, Saint-Petersburg)

KOLMOZERO DEPOSIT AS A REFERENCE FOR IDENTIFYING SEARCH CRITERIA FOR LITHIUM IN RARE METAL  EGMATITES (KOLA PENINSULA, RUSSIA)

The article presents the published results and new data on the core of the wells of the Kolmozero lithium deposit (Kola Peninsula, Russia). The Kolmozero deposit is a world-class deposit in terms of the amount of lithium ore reserves. In Russia, the Kolmozero deposit is the most studied by modern geochemical and mineralogical methods and has been explored in detail by geological methods. Geological, geochemical, and mineralogical criteria for searching for lithium pegmatites are established using the example of the Kolmozero deposit. The deposit is controlled by a shear zone located on the boundary of large blocks of the Earth’s crust. The Kolmozero deposit is localized in the Archean metagabbro-anorthosite of the Patchemvarek massif. Rare-metal pegmatites have high concentrations of SiO₂ and Al₂O₃, low concentrations of TiO₂, СаO and MgO, and are depleted in Ba, Sr, Y, ΣREE and have low values of fractionation indices — Mg/Li and Zr/Hf, against the background of high Li contents. The main source of lithium is the rock-forming spodumene. The content of the spodumene is 18–20 vol. %. The megacrystic blocky K-feldspar and muscovite are enriched in Li, Rb and Cs. Indicator ratios in blocky K-feldspar are K/Rb, K/Tl, K/Cs, K/Li, K/Ba, K/Sr, Rb/Sr, and Rb/Ba, can be used as indicators of lithium mineralization. The host rocks contain new minerals, the lithium mineral holmquistite and biotite, enriched in Li, Cs, and Rb.

Keywords: lithium, Kolmozero lithium deposit, spodumene, holmquistite, Kola rare metal pegmatite belt, the Kola Peninsula.

P. 20-32

Shumilin M.V. (Rosatom expert)

EAST-ASIAN URANIUM ORE SUPERPROVINCION: SOME PROBLEMATIC ISSUES OF GEOLOGY AND THE HYPOTHESIS OF THE ORIGINAL URANIUM SPECIALIZATION

Geodynamic, paleotectonic and metallogenic features of the localization of uranium deposits associated with Upper Mesozoic magmatism in the province of East Asia are analyzed and the hypothesis of its original uranium specialization due to uranium-bearing sedimentary formations of the Early Proterozoic, the remains of which have not been preserved in this area, is substantiated.

Keywords: uranium deposits, East Asia, uranium specialization, the geological structure.

P. 33-41

Stepanov V.A.¹, Melnikov A.V.² (1 — NIGTC FEB RAS, 2 — IGiP FEB RAS)

GEOLOGICAL AND STRUCTURAL POSITION AND SOURCES OF FORMATION OF THE UNIQUE MOGOTA PLACER SYSTEM OF THE AMUR REGION

The article discusses the geological and structural patterns of the placement of the Mogota placer system of the Amur gold-bearing province. It is confined to the gorst uplift of the same name, composed of gneisses, crystal shales and granitoid intrusions of Archean age, broken by granodiorite-granite intrusions of the Jalonian complex of Late Jurassic age. It was found that the richest placers are concentrated on the area of these intrusions. The description of placers and manifestations of the gold-quartz and gold-sulfide-quartz formations is given. Due to the small parameters, gold manifestations cannot be the main sources of placer formation. The presence of new gold deposits of unconventional types in granodiorite-granite massifs of the Late Jurassic is predicted. The issue of further mining of placers is being considered.

Keywords: gold-bearing province, placer system, gold deposit, intrusive complex.

P. 41-47

Sattarov J.B.¹, Kholmatov R.A.² (1 — Samarkand State University named after Sharof Rashidov, 2 — State Institution of Regional Geology, Uzbekista)

FEATURES OF MAGMATIC FORMATIONS AND GOLD MINERALIZATION OF THE YARYK-SULUK AND DZHILGINSKY AREAS (NORTHERN NURATAU)

The article highlights new data on intrusive complexes in Yaryk-Suluk Square. Gold mineralization is associated with igneous formations with gabbro-diorites, quartz diorites, monzonite-diorites of the Cataic granite complex.

Keywords: granitoids, dykes, rods, vein bodies, potassium feldspar, tourmaline, barite, quartz, complex.

P. 48-52

Pshenichkin A.Ya., Gavrilov R.Yu. (National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University)

PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM IN ORES AND MINERALS OF THE KONSTANTINOVSKY GOLD DEPOSIT (OLKHOVSKO-CHIBIZHEKSKY ORE FIELD, KRASNOYARSK TERRITORY)

Data are presented on increased contents of platinum and palladium in minerals and ores of the Konstantinovsky gold deposit. The highest metal content was found in pyrite, ores and beresites, chalcopyrite, arsenopyrite, and galena. With the depth of the birthplace, a wave-like distribution of mineral content is outlined with maxima at the 3rd horizon. The Konstantinovsky deposit is not monogold, but complex gold-platinum deposit.

Keywords: gold deposit, platinum, palladium, gold, pyrite, arsenopyrite, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite.

P. 53-55

Abushkevich S.A.¹, Arestova T.A.¹, Volin K.A.² (1 — Laboratory for Remote Forecasting of Mineral Deposits, 2 — St. Petersburg State University, Institute of Earth Sciences)

COSMOSTRUCTURAL IMAGE OF NORTH-WEST AFRICA AS A BASIS FOR GEOLOGICAL MAPPING OF THE TERRITORY FOR THE SEARCH OF ORE MINERAL RESOURCES AND HYDROCARBONS

The article shows the use of the seventh and eighth channels of the Landsat ETM+ satellite in the search for gold deposits, uranium and hydrocarbon deposits. It has been established that the combined use of Landsat ETM+ satellite images of the seventh and eighth channels makes it possible to separate spectral anomalies over ore objects from anomalies over the host rocks. Analysis of thrust and fold structures identified using Earth remote sensing data, as well as their comparison with the location features of known deposits, allows us to draw conclusions about areas likely to be promising for the presence of gold, uranium, iron ore deposits and hydrocarbons in the northwestern part of the African continent.

Keywords: gold deposit, uranium deposit, iron ore deposit, copper deposit, hydrocarbons, thrust, thrust fault, overthrust, folding, fault-zones, clipping, tectonic m lange, remote sensing of the Earth, cosmostructural analysis, spectral anomalies, satellite images, Africa.

P. 56-68

Antipov V.S., Tarasov A.V. (independent experts)

DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A GENERALIZED SPACE SPECTRAL-MINERALOGICAL FORECASTING AND SEARCH MODEL GOLDSILVER DEPOSITS KUPOL AND DVOYNOYE (CHUKOTKA)

A satellite image covering the area of forecast work and 2 deposits was studied. New formulas for calculating spectral-mineralogical indices were applied to detect wall-altered rocks. Space spectral-mineralogical ones have been developed: forecast and search model, forecast criterion, search sign. Promising areas have been indemnified, a halo of anomalies in spectral-mineralogical indices, promising for the discovery of an ore zone with a length of 400 meters. The concept of the space spectral-mineralogical method of searching for ore zones using reference deposits is outlined.

Keywords: Space spectral-mineralogical: indices, predictive search model, predictive criterion, search sign; ore-promising: areas, zone of altered rocks.

P. 69-77

Borovkov Yu.A.¹, Каdyrgulov R.R.², Vercheba A.A.¹, Vilmis А.L.¹ (1 — RGGRU-MGRI, 2 — АО «Silver-Mаgаdаn»)

SUBSTANTIATION OF STABILITY OF UNDERGROUND EXCAVATION CONTOUR OUTCROPS USING THE COULOMB-MOHR FRACTURE CRITERION

The article presents a method of analyzing the stability of outcrop outlines of underground structures and mine workings, describing the occurrence of possible fracture surfaces in rocks using the Coulomb — Mohr fracture criterion, the so-called safety factor, equal, according to the theory of limit equilibrium, to the ratio of shear strength to shear force along the fracture surface.

Keywords: stability, rock fracture criterion, internal friction coefficient, normal stresses, shear forces.

P. 78-82

Ivanov A.G.¹, Arsentev Yu.A.², Wilmis A.L.², Borovkov Yu.A.², Nazarov A.P.², Orekhov D.D.² (1 — VNIPIpromtechnologii, 2 — RGGRU–MGRI)

METHODS OF CONNECTING POLYMER CASING PIPES

The quality of connection of polymer casing pipes during the construction of in-situ leaching wells should ensure trouble-free operation while maintaining the tightness of production strings during the period of development of deposits (blocks). This paper reviews the methods of connecting polymer casing pipes, which were used earlier and are currently used by both Russian and foreign uranium mining enterprises. For the first time, a classification of methods for connecting polymer pipes, the scope of their application is proposed, a comparative analysis of the types of threaded and non-threaded connections is carried out.

Keywords: process wells, polymer casing pipes, casing connection methods, classification of connection methods, thread types, sealants, threadless connections.

P. 83-89

Sklyanov V.I. (RGGRU-MGRI)

HIGHSPEED DIAMOND DRILLING AT GREAT DEPTHS OF EXPLORATION WELLS WITH A REMOVABLE CORE RECEIVER AND A ROTARY-MULTIPLIER DRILL RMB

The paper analyzes the efficiency of high-frequency diamond drilling at great depths of exploration wells. It is noted that in practice, increasing the rotation frequency of the diamond crown with increasing depth is complicated by the increase in power costs for rotating the drill string. To solve this problem, the author proposes to introduce a rotary multiplier drill (RMB) into the core set, the theoretical studies of which are given in the article. The given technical solution implements a new method of transferring mechanical energy to the well bottom and can be the basis for creating experimental RMB samples.

Keywords: sine-ball rotary multiplier drill, rotation frequency, diamond rock-cutting tool, drill string.

P. 89-92

Sytenkov V.N., Shvabenland E.E. (VIMS)

A REASONABLE CHOICE OF SOURCE DATA AS AN INDISPENSABLE CONDITION FOR MEETING MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF DESIGN DECISIONS ON THE USE OF OVERBURDEN FROM DEVELOPED DEPOSITS

The article discusses topical issues of the use of overburden and host rocks in the development of deposits in accordance with the provisions of Article 23.5 of the Federal Law «On Subsoil» and regulatory legal acts regulating the procedure for their use. An analysis of the procedures for approving project documentation in the Central Research Institute of Russian Natural Resources has been carried out, and the main reasons for refusals to approve technical projects related to insufficient validity of decisions on the volume and timing of use of overburden have been identified. The necessity of a clear definition of the initial data for the design, including the mineral composition, geological characteristics and regulatory requirements for the placement and disposal of overburden is substantiated. The mechanisms of stimulating subsurface users to the rational use of overburden in order to minimize the negative impact on the environment and exemption from fees for waste disposal are considered. The key areas of improvement of the regulatory framework and design standards are highlighted.

Keywords: development of deposits, use of overburden and host rocks, coordination of project documentation, subsurface use, environment, regulatory framework.

P. 93-100