GEODYNAMIC APPROACH IN STRATEGIC METALS FORECAST IN THE RUSSIAN ARCTIC

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7105-98-8 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 11, 201-208 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/11/S01.025

ABSTRACT

The mineral deposits are important for the Russian Arctic. The resources of PGE minerals and gold, nickel and titanium are more than 10% of global significance. Meanwhile, the most arctic territory is out of availability for detail geological and geophysical prospecting due to severe climatic situation and difficult accessibility. The spatial relations of ore deposits and bearing formations of different geodynamic nature at Russia territory show that the geological sequences are of three basic types of geodynamic environment that contain an overwhelming number (over 70%) deposits: archaean-proterozoic basement, passive continental margin, volcanic arcs of active margins. There are two groups of ore types. The first are the types are specific to definite sedimentary or igneous rocks, the second are due to superimposed geotectonic processes. The complex metallogeny may be also found in the subductional and accretional terrains, where the blocks of different geodynamic formation are combined. In these areas ores, previously deposited, might been transformed under the later processes until the regeneration and development of new type ores. The activity of passive margins also might had caused the changes of geodynamic environments and led to form the vertical and lateral facies with metallogenic features combined. This is especially true for many deposits that are complex: their ores contain a significant number of potentially recoverable metals, that stresses the importance of complex metallogeny and defines the high mineral potential in the Russian Arctic.

Keywords: Arctic zone, GIS-analysis, metallogeny, geodynamic settings, strategic metals forecast.