Geoheritage Meaning of Artificial Objects: Reporting Two New Examples from Russia

Geoheritage is not necessarily linked genetically to “purely” geological processes. Investigations in two urban areas of Russia allowed us to find essentially artificial objects demonstrating certain geological uniqueness. The huge balls sculptured from rapakivi granite and installed in Saint Petersburg represent cultural, historical, and stone heritage. These are also artificial megaclasts with perfect sphericity. The coal waste heaps situated in Shakhty and its vicinity represent industrial, historical, and urban heritage. These are also artificial landforms creating a kind of pseudo-mountainous landscape. These examples permit us to question the importance of the co-occurrence of heritage categories for geosite assessment.

Rare-Metal (In, Bi, Te, Se, Be) Mineralization of Skarn Ores in the Pitkäranta Mining District, Ladoga Karelia, Russia

The results of the study of rare-metal (Bi, Te, Se. Be, In) mineralization of skarn deposits (Sn, Zn) in the Pitkäranta Mining District, genetically related to the Salmi anorthosite-rapakivi granite batholiths of Early Riphean age are reported. Minerals and their chemical composition were identified on the base of optical microscopy as well as electron microanalysis. The diversity of rare-metal ore mineralization (native metals, oxides, and hydroxides, carbonates, tellurides, selenides, sulfides, sulphosalts, borates, and silicates) in Pitkäranta Mining District ores is indicative of considerable variations in the physicochemical conditions of their formation controlled by the discrete-pulse-like supply of fluids. Bismuth, wittichenite, and matildite are the most common rare-metal minerals. Sulfosalts of the bismuthinite-aikinite series are represented only by its end-members. The absence of solid solution exsolution structures in sulfobismuthides suggests that they crystallized from hydrothermal solutions at low temperatures. Be (>10 minerals) and In (roquesite) minerals occur mainly in aposkarn greisens. Roquesite in Pitkäranta Mining District ores formed upon greisen alteration of skarns with In released upon the alteration of In-bearing solid sphalerite (Cu1+ In3+) ↔ (Zn2+, Fe2+) and chalcopyrite In3+ ↔ Fe3+ and 2Fe3+ ↔ (Fe2+, Zn2+) Sn4+ solutions. Sphalerite with an average In concentration of 2001 ppm, is a major In-bearing mineral in the ores.

Petrological Features of Korsun'-Novomyrhorod Anorthosite-Rapakivi Granite Pluton

The Korsun’-Novomyrhorod pluton is the second after the Korosten one in terms of the scale of Proterozoic (1757-1748 Ma) anorthosite-rapakivi-granite magmatism in the Ukrainian Shield. According to geochronological data, pluton was formed as a result of multiple ascending and crystallization of basic to acidic melts. Differentiation of initial melts because to be responsible for gabbro-anorthosite and monzonites series crystallization. Whereas rapakivi granites, which are predominate in the modern erosion level, were formed from felsic magma not directly related with differentiation of basic melt. In view of the current level of mineralogical research, it is difficult to use modern geobarometry methods to reliably estimate the depth of rocks crystallization. At the same time, a number of factors (absence of volcanic and dike analogues of basic rocks, insignificant distribution of pegmatite bodies, predominance of high-Fe mafic minerals, absence of primary magnetite, etc.) indicate deeper conditions for rocks disclosed by modern erosional cut in comparition to similar Korosten pluton. Therefore, the liquid line of dissent, petrological and mineralogical features of the rocks can be explained by the reducing (low fO2) or abyssal conditions of their formation. It is possible that the deeper conditions of crystallization of parental melt are due to more distinctly developed syenitic trend of evolution with the appearance of high-Fe syenites during final stages. Preliminary data indicate on possibility of vertical layering of gabbro-anorthosite massifs, which manifested by increasing proportion of high-Fe basic rocks with depth. Available isotope-geochemical studies do not provide unambiguous data on regarding reservoirs of primary melts implaying both mantle and mixed mantle-crustal their origin. The evolution of the petrochemical features of basic rocks, in our opinion, is in better agreement with their formation as result of differentiation of the primary high-alumina tholeiitic melt, significantly contaminated by lower crustal material. This determined the subalkaline nature of basic rocks and a significant predominance of norites, in comparition to more typical gabbros, and monzonites. In contrast to the previously proposed hypotheses of the formation of intermediate rocks because of partial melting of felsic rocks by basic intrusions, or mingling of basic and acidic melts, some of petrochemical features and geological position can be satisfactorily explained by their crystallization from the residual melt.

Dyke Rocks of the Korsun-Novomyrhorod Anorthosite-Rapakivigranite Pluton

In spite of significant intensity and composition variability of dyke magmatism in the Ingul mega-block, in the Korsun- Novomyrhorod anorthosite-rapakivi granite pluton (KNP) dyke magmatism is restricted. To present day, dykes of basic composition have not been described in this pluton. Previously mentioned gabbro-diabases dykes or diabase porphyrites should be classified as medium rocks as well as they are enriched by SiO2, Na2O and K2O. The authors succeeded studied the dyke from the Nosachiv massif, which can be considered the only known dyke of basic composition in KNP. By chemical composition, this rock is similar to the Ti-enriched gabroids of KNP, but differs in the presence of high-Ti magnetite (not typical mineral in plutonic rocks of KNP), and in terms of SiO2 and Na2O + K2O it should be classified as subalkaline. Most of the dikes known in the KNP are mainly monzonites, monzosienites, less widespread syenites, granite dikes are quite rare too. As our studies have shown, in the previously described porphyry dykes diabase structure is not exihibited. Furthermore pyroxene content is the first percent, and a significant (or most) of them are probably xenogeneic. According to chemical composition such dykes should be classified as medium in composition, because the SiO2 content in them is in the range of 54-60 % and elevated content of K2O, often prevails over Na2O, by low MgO and higher TiO2 they are similar to gabroid of KNP. In these rocks, normative orthoclase and quartz are calculated in significant quantities. Therefore, we offer to consider these rocks as dyke analogues of monzonites (quartz-containing or quartz) and regard as monzonite porphyry. The significant distribution of monzonites and syenites and their dyke analogues denote clear pronounced monzonite-syenite trend of evolution in KNP.

Rapakivi granite in the architecture of St Petersburg: a potential Global Heritage Stone from Finland and Russia

Rapakivi granites were in use during the Middle Ages in Finland. Their most spectacular use, however, was for structures built in St Petersburg between 1760 and 1917. Remarkable examples are the majestic and slender Alexander Column and the 112 columns of St Isaac's Cathedral. All Rapakivi granite was extracted from the Wiborg Rapakivi granite batholith in several quarries around the municipality of Virolahti in SE Finland (old Russia). Today, the 1640 Ma-old Wiborg batholith is the most important area for natural stone production in Finland and in the Leningrad region, Russian Federation. The main quarried stone varieties of Rapakivi granite (Baltic Brown, Baltic Green, Carmen Red, Karelia Red, Eagle Red and Balmoral Red) are regularly produced in large quantities in Finland for the global stone market due to the stone's unique qualities. Examples of applications in Rapakivi granite from Finland can be found in the USA, China, South Africa, the UK, Italy, Austria, Ireland, Spain and Germany as well as in Scandinavia and Russia. There are also quarries near Vyborg, the Russian Federation: Vozrozhdenie and Ala-Noskua.

Studia nad domieszką mineralną w ceramice naczyniowej kultury amfor kulistych z terenu Kujaw

This article relates to the question, „what exactly is a mineral admixture in Globular Amphora Culture?”. My studies prove that only the granites fulfill the criteria. I designed the experiment. One of the goals was to examine which stone is the easiest to process. It was a rapakivi granite. Its minerals are pink or grey after processing. The admixture found in GAC ceramics has the same color and the same size of minerals. There was another type of admixture which was not recognizable.