gold-rare metal and associated mineralization in the western part of bolshevik island, severnaya zemlya archipelago

The presented studies are aimed to determine the formation patterns of the gold-rare metal mineralization within one of the most inaccessible arctic islands of the russian federation, bolshevik island of the severnaya zemlya archipela-go. the relevance of the work is determined by the high probability of discovering a significant in terms of metal reserves deposit, which is proved by many researchers on the example of known large deposits to be a typical feature of sites with gold-rare metal formation. obviously, only the possibility of discovering and subsequent development of a deposit of a highly liquid type of mineral, gold, can ensure the profitability of mining production on severnaya zemlya. it is established that the main geological, mineralogical, and geochemical features of the gold-rare metal mineralization in the kropotkinsko-nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of bolshevik island correspond to that of similar ore sites in russia and the world. the occurrences of other formation types revealed in this metallogenic zone suggest a certain zoning in their distribution: mineralization is located in the apical parts of granitoids and in the nearest halo of hornfelses. at a distance, with an exit from the hornfelsed zone, there are occurrences of a cassiterite-sulphide formation with elevated gold and silver content at the top of the ore column, together with an increased amount of polymetallic ores. occurrences of gold-quartz and gold-sulphide-quartz formations are localized in fault zones, as a rule, farther from granitoids. the total vertical range of gold mineralization exceeds 300 m. the assignment of all types of mineralization in the kropotkinsko-nikitinskaya metallogenic zone of bolshevik island to a single hydrothermal process is emphasized by the similar isotope composition of lead galena from heterogeneous occurrences, which determines the age of all mineralization at 200-300 ma.