On the history of mineralogenic studies and development of Arctic Karelia

• Published in: IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science
• Main Authors: Ivashchenko, V I, Shchiptsov, V V
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: IOP Publishing 2019
• Subjects: Arctic; Olanga; Tikshozero; White Sea; Yeletozero; karelia*; karelian
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012002; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012002/pdf; https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/302/1/012002

Abstract The paper focuses on the mineral resources of the Karelian Arctic. Arctic districts are linked to the White Sea. The White Sea is connected via the White Sea-Baltic Channell with the Baltic, Caspian and Black seas. All the above districts have state railways and highways connecting Karelia with South and North Russia. A retrospective review of the history of research and mastering of mineral resources is given. The current state of mineral raw base of the northern regions of Karelia is shown. The mineral potential of three areas in Arctic Karelia is of great value as there are many deposits and occurrences and a variety of mineral reserves and resources to be developed there. The Lopian epoch witnessed the formation of the deposits and ore occurrences of several ore formations: molybdenum-porphyry, gold-porphyry and others. Big noble-metal ore bodies in Olanga Group layered intrusions and similar but smaller-scale occurrences in the Kuzema lherzolite-gabbro-norite complex were formed in the Sumian epoch. The Svecofennian metallogenic epoch is mainly represented by rare-metal pegmatite formation and complex noble-metal occurrences in their aureoles and shear-zones. Garnet ores were formed in a favourable setting with medium-temperature high-pressure metamorphism and a great contribution of metasomatism associated with acid leaching under kyanite-muscovite- and quartz-muscovite-facies conditions. Kyanite is an industrial mineral used in the refractory and ceramic industries and aircraft motor production. In Russia, no kyanite ore deposits have been mined yet. Nizhnekotozero anorthosites from the Belomorian mobile belt are a new type of feldspar deposits. A pyroxenite-gabbro-alkaline formation with carbonatites is represented by the Yeletozero, Tikshozero and Vostochny massifs in North Karelia. It is proposed to develop a target program aimed at forming a state order for prospecting and appraisal, exploration deposits on precious and rare metals, industrial minerals.