Metallogenesis of the Russian Far East

By

L.D. Miller (Juneau Economic Development Council), T.K. Bundtzen (Pacific Rim Geological Consulting, Inc.), A.C. Edwards (Flagstaff Geo Consultants), J. Galey (Consultant), R.J. Goldfarb (U.S. Geological Survey), N.A. Goryachev (Russian Academy of Sciences), W.J. Nokleberg (U.S. Geological Survey), and S.F. Strujkov (TSNIGRI)

Since the late 19th century, the Russian Far East (RFE) mineral output has included substantial quantities of gold, silver, platinum group elements, base metals, and industrial minerals. Historical mineral production in the RFE is greater than 4,600 t of placer gold, and greater than 200 t of lode gold. From 1984 to 2000, platinum placer production from the Khabarovsk and Kamchatka-Koryak regions was approximately 63.0 t PGE, mainly as iso-ferroplatinum. Through 1992, at least 200,000 t of tin was produced from hardrock and placer sources, along with 59,000 t of tungsten. Lead, zinc and tin continue to be extracted from skarn deposits in the southern RFE. Two large open pit mines at Voznesenka and Dalnegorst in Primorye continue to produce fluorite and boron respectively. The metallogenic evolution of the RFE occurred during Circum-Pacific accretionary tectonic events. Pre-accretionary mineralization includes: 1) mid-Proterozoic PGE-Ni-Cu resources in layered gabbro anorthsite complexes; and 2) SEDEX and MVT Pb-Zn deposits hosted in Paleozoic continental margin sections in NE Russia. Syn- and post-accretionary metallogenic belts with significant gold and base-metal endowments include the Jurassic and Cretaceous fold belts and volcanic-plutonic complexes, and the Tertiary Kamchatka arc. Mineralization is largely associated with thermal and deformational events along the northeastern Eurasian margin that occurred during continental accretion. PGE-bearing extensionsal-related zoned mafic/ultramafic intrusions of the Ural-Alaska type,occur in the Konduer-Ignali and Koryak Kamchatka Belts. The protracted tectonic development of the region has resulted in a substantial polymetallic mineral endowment. It has been estimated that more than 70 percent of Russia’s fiscal revenues are currently derived from natural resources, and regional governments within the RFE understand the importance of resource extraction. Recent mineral developments in the RFE (Kubaka Au, Julietta Au-Ag), show that economically viable joint ventures between Russian and non-Russian companies can be profitable for all parties involved.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90008©2002 AAPG Pacific Section/SPE Western Region Joint Conference of Geoscientists and Petroleum Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, May 18–23, 2002.