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Magmatic Belts of Northeast Russia

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Reseacher(s) 

V.V.Akinin, E.L. Miller, A. Prokopiev, J. Toro, J. Hourigan and J. Wooden

Mesozoic intrusive and volcanic rocks constitute major components of the geology of the Russian Far East. They have been mapped and studied in detail because of their associated mineralization, especially their gold deposits.

Modern U-Pb geochronology of zircons from granitic rocks is beginning to unravel the relative age relations between the various regions and belts of magmatism in the Russian Far East.  Older K-Ar dating of these rocks had such a huge spread of ages that it was not possible to discern the space-time progression of magmatism that is now much better known across this region.

Most of the studies and data discussed here were carried out in collaboration with J.Wooden of the U.S. Geological Survey at the joint USGS-Stanford SHRIMP-RG facility.

The history of magmatism in the Russian Far East is intimately related to Pacific margin tectonics as well as to the opening history of the Arctic Ocean Basins. The exact timing of magmatism thus places important contraints on these plate motions through time.

Map of plate tectonics in Russia
 Topographic map of NE Russia showing outcrop areas of Mesozoic granite.
Topographic map of NE Russia showing outcrop areas of Mesozoic granite.

 

Diagram of oldest granite belts in Russia
The oldest granites are those from the "Main Belt" of the Verkoyansk (black stars in inset), which range from 158 to 144 Ma, with the most common age being about 150 Ma. The next youngest belt is the northern belt (white stars in inset), with ages ranging from 134 to 123 Ma. (Akinin et al., 2009). Akinin, V.V., Prokopiev, A.V., Toro, J., Miller, E.L., Wooden, J., Goryachev, N.A., Alshevsky, A.V., Bakharev A.G., Trunilina, V.A. 2009, U-PB SHRIMPages of granitoides from the Main batholith belt (North East Asia). Doklady Earth Sciences, 2009, Vol. 426, No. 4, pp. 605-610. DOI:10.1134/S1028334X09040217
Example data from one of the plutons from the Main Belt of the Verkoyansk.
Example data from one of the plutons from the Main Belt of the Verkoyansk.
Magnetism along the Arctic coast of NE Russia
Magmatism along the Arctic coast of NE Russia, the Chukotka betl, is younger and spans about 120 Ma to 105 Ma. Magmatism in this belt is syn-extensional and it pre-dates volcanism associated with the Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt.
Landsat images of near circular plutons of the Chukotka Belt.  Their geochemical, isotopic and geochronologic study is in progress.
Landsat images of near circular plutons of the Chukotka Belt. Their geochemical, isotopic and geochronologic study is in progress.

 

Example data from one of the Chukotka Belt granites.
Example data from one of the Chukotka Belt granites.
The Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt is the next youngest magmatic belt of NE Russia.
The Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt is the next youngest magmatic belt of NE Russia. It has received the most attention and research and represents one of the world's largest volume ignimbrite "flare-ups" in a continental arc setting. It's age range is about 90-80 Ma and its eruptions scattered ash across the North Slope of Alaska.

Publications

Akinin, V. V., A. V. Andronikov, S. B. Mukasa, and E. L. Miller. 2013. “Cretaceous Lower Crust of the Continental Margins of the Northern Pacific: Petrological and Geochronological Data on Lower to Middle Crustal Xenoliths.” PETROLOGY 21 (1). MAIK NAUKA/INTERPERIODICA/SPRINGER: 28–65. DOI: 10.1134/S0869591113010013

Akinin, V. V., and E. L. Miller. 2011. “Evolution of Calc-Alkaline Magmas of the Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt.” PETROLOGY 19 (3). MAIK NAUKA/INTERPERIODICA/SPRINGER: 237–77. DOI: 10.1134/S0869591111020020

Miller, E. L., S. Katkov, A. Strickland, J. Toro, V. V. Akinin, et al. 2009. Geochronology and Thermochronology of Cretaceous Plutons and Metamorphic Country Rocks, Anyui-Chukotka Fold Belt, North East Arctic Russia. Edited by Stone et al. et al. Geology, Geophysics and Tectonics of Northeastern Russia: A Tribute to Leonid Parfenov, . Vol. 4. Stephan Mueller Special Publication Series. European Geophysical Union.

Miller, E. L., V. V. Akinin, J. E. Spencer, and R. Titley. 2008. Geology of the Bering Shelf Region of Alaska-Russia: Implications for Extensional Processes in Continental Crust. Edited by J. E. Spencer and R. Titley. Ores and Orogenesis: Circum-Pacific Tectonics, Geologic Evolution and Ore Deposits . Vol. 22. Arizona Geological Society Digest. Arizona Geological Society.

Prokopiev, A. V., J. Toro, E. L. Miller, J. Wooden, V. A. Truniline, et al. 2007. “Granitoids of the Main Batholith Belt (NE Asia) New U-Pb SHRIMP Geochronological and Geochemical Data.” Proc. Leonid Parfenov Memorial Conference: Tectonics and Metallogeny of the Circum-North Pacific and Easternmost Asia, 286–88.

Miller, E. L., M. Gelman, L. Parfenof, and J. Hourigan. 2002. “Mesozoic Northern Circum-Pacific Magmatism-A Comparison between NE Russia and the North American Cordillera.” Geological Society of America Special Paper 360,

Prokopiev, A. V., A. G. Bakharev, J. Toro, E. L. Miller, J. K. Hourigan, et al. 2003. “Mid-Paleozoic Continental Margin Magmatism and Mesozoic Metamorphic Events of the North Asian Craton-Okhotsk Terrain.” Otexhestvenaya Geologia,

Akinin, V. V., J. K. Hourigan, J. E. Wright, E. L. Miller, and LF V. Mishin. 2006. New Data on Age of Okhotsk-Chukotka Volcanic Belt (U-Pb SHRIMP Dating). Isotopic Dating of Processes of Ore Formation, Magmatism, Sedimentation, and Metamorphism. Vol. 1. Proceedings of 3rd All Russian Conference on Isotopic Geochronology. GEOS, Moscow.

Akinin, V. V., E. L. Miller, J. Wooden, R. B. Miller, and A. W. Snoke. 2009. Petrology and Geochronology of Crustal Xenoliths from the Bering Strait Region. Edited by R. B. Miller and A. W. Snoke. Crustal Cross-Sections from the Western North America Cordillera and Elsewhere: Implications for Tectonic and Petrologic Processes. Geological Society of America Special Paper 456. Geological Society of America.

Miller, E. L., T. Ireland, S. Klemperer, K. A. Wirth, V. V. Akinin, et al. 2002. “SHRIMP Zircon Dating of Reflective Crust and Moho beneath the Bering Shelf, Alaska and Russia,” Geological Society of America Special Paper 360.

Akinin, V. V., S. V. Voroshin, M. L. Gelman, V. V. Leonova, and E. L. Miller. 2003. SHRIMP-Dating of Metamorphic Xenoliths from Lamprophyre at the Degdekan Gold Deposit: Application to History of Continental Crust Modification in the Ayan-Yuryakh Anticlinorium (Yano-Kolyma Fold Belt). Geodynamics, Magmatism, and Mineralogeny of Pacific Continental Margins. . Vol. 2. Proceedings, Magadan: NEISRI FEB RAS P. NEISRI FEB RAS P.

Miller, E. L., V. Verzhbitsky, and Stone et al. 2009. Structural Studies near Pevek Russia: Implications for Formation of the East Siberian Shelf and Makarov Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Edited by Stone et al. Geology, Geophysics and Tectonics of Northeastern Russia: A Tribute to L. Parfenov. Vol. 8. Stephan Mueller Special Publication Series. European Geophysical Union.

Prokopiev, A. V., J. Toro, A. P. Smelov, E. L. Miller, J. Wooden, et al. 2007. “The Ust-;Lena Metamorphic Complex (Northeast Asia): First U-Pb SHRIMP Geochronologic Data.” Otechestvennaya Geologiya.

Prokopiev, A. V., J. Toro, A. G. Bakharev, E. L. Miller, J. Wooden, et al. 2007. “The Uvyazka Paleorift Zone (Northeast Asia): First U-Pb SHRIMP Geochronologic Data.” Otechestvennaya Geologiya.

Akinin, V. V., A. V. Prokopiev, J. Toro, E. L. Miller, J. Wooden, et al. 2009. “U-Pb SHRIMP Ages of Granitoides from the Main Batholith Belt (North East Asia).” DOKLADY EARTH SCIENCES 426 (1). MAIK NAUKA/INTERPERIODICA/SPRINGER: 605–10. DOI: 10.1134/S1028334X09040217

Akinin, V. V., E. Miller, J. Wooden, A. V. Alshevski, and N. A. Goryachev. 2006. U-Pb SHRIMP Dating of Zircons from Batholiths and Ore-Bearing Dikes of Yano-Kolyma Collision Belt: First Results and Geological Applications. Isotopic Dating of Processes of Ore Formation, Magmatism, Sedimentation, and Metamorphism. . Vol. 1. Proceedings of III Russian Conference on Isotopicgeochronology (In Russian). GEOS, Moscow.