Review
of publications archive:
2004
Zeolites of alkaline massifs by Igor V. Pekov, Anna G. Turchkova,
Ekaterina V. Lovskaya, Nikita V. Chukanov. Association Ekost, 2004,
Moscow. – 168 p.
The authors noted that just alkaline massifs,
as it will not seem unexpected, are distinguished by most variety of
zeolites
among all geological formations: “59(!) of 91 minerals of considered
group
(including 15 endemic species which are found while nowhere except
alkaline
complexes) were found here”. In the summary there are the data on this
59 zeolites,
their occurrences, chemical composition (420 chemical analyses), the
IR-spectroscopy, crystal morphology, mineral assemblages, genesis and
typomorphism. The interesting peculiarity of a number of zeolites,
enrichment
by rare metals (Sr, Ba, Cs, Rb, Be), was noted. The possible role of
sieve and
catalytic properties of zeolites in the hydrothermal processes taking
place in
the alkaline massifs is discussed. The book contains numerous REM-photo
and extensive list of references (315 titles).
The results of study of rich collection of specimens from 11 alkaline
massifs of Russia and foreign countries were underlain in the base of
this
work. In the supplement there are the brief description of the
specimens, the
references on that are given in the text and tables. Many of the
specimens were
collected by the authors during field works in Lovozero and Khibiny in
the last
15 years. In these massifs zeolites (in particular, natrolite) not only
form
vast accumulation but also are diverse (Kirovskii mine and Mts. Alluaiv,
Karnasurt are stood out). I.V. Pekov has also visited alkaline massifs
of
Greenland, Morocco, Canada. Many specimens were given to the authors for
study
by famous collectors (Laszlo Horvath, Alexander Podlesnyi, Viktor
Grishin, Viktor Levitskii, Aleksei Timofeev et al.), colleagues
(Alexander
Nikiforov, Dmitrii Lisitsyn, Mikhail Moiseev <i>et al.)</i>, Geological
Museum
of Kola Scientific Center. The prevalence of zeolites in alkaline
massifs andtheir localities are considered in large chapter containing references
on
findings of rare species interesting to mineralogists and collectors,
for
example, lovdarite and paranatrolite from Point of Rocks (New Mexico),
gonnardite in Aris complex (Namibia), or assemblages,
celestine-thomsonite
veinlets in Fad’yu-Kuda massif (Central Taimyr). In the whole book there
are
the data about zeolites from more than 40 alkaline complexes of the
world.
2002.
Semyonov,
E.I. (2002) Mineralogical handbook,
Moscow, GEOS Publishers, 214 pp. (A.E. Fersman Mineralogical museum,
IMGRE, Geokart).
Evgeny I. Semyonov, one of the most prominent Russian mineralogists,
published a new handbook that comprises the maximum number of mineral
species among the Russian publications of the type (3780). The minerals
are listed in alphabetic order ; chemical formulas, diagnostic
properties (optics, density, and hardness), as well as genetic
information, are given for every mineral. The mineral species known
to occur in Russia (a total of 1643), including 495 new minerals
discovered in the country, are specially marked. Major minerals (389
of them) are described to a greater detail, including diagnostic
features, paragenetic assemblages, economic significance, and typical
deposits. Tables of minerals by constituting chemical elements are
given, along with the schemes of isomorphism.
Gold of the World .
Avanta+, Moscow, 2003. 184 pp., full color (The most beautiful and
famed series). Anan’yeva Ye. (Lead. Ed.) (in Rusian)
Authors of this book are art historians and archeologists, ethnographers
and geologists. The book contains more than 250 color plates. A section
Gold in Nature opens the book. It characterizes gold as a
mineral: its finds, their histories, unusual shapes, record dimensions
and grades, museum and collection samples. Diggers and gold rushes make
a special theme: California and Australia, South Africa and Alaska.
History of gold mining in Russia is disclosed: the Urals, East Siberia,
Kolyma… Many chapters of this section were written by Mikhail B. Leybov;
he is also an author of numerous photos in this book. Two other
sections, Gold versus Man and Collection of Gold present
archeological findings of treasures and the art of jewelry.
Lyakhovich, V.V., The Art of Stone.
Moscow, GEOS, 2001,
176 pp. , in Russian
The book tells about the history of the stone usage and processing.
Major gemstones are described, from pearl to charoite. History of
lapidary and jewelry in Russia is presented. A very special place in
this book is the chapter Stones on badges where minerals and
rocks used in layout of badges (not necessary related to geology) are
listed in alphabetic order, many of these are stored in a rich
collection of the author. Along with traditional quartz varieties and
gems the reader encounters chrysotile asbestos (a badge of the All-Union
Asbestos Project Institute), meteoritic iron (a badge of the USSR
Academy of Science Committee on Meteorites issued to memorize collection
of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite in the 1970’s), phosphorite (the badge
employs a bottom concretion from the Pacific obtained during the RS
Dmitry Mendeleev voyage), etc. Images of more than 100 badges and
memorial plates are placed in the book (the image quality could be
better)
Rodionov,
A.M., The Kolyvan lacework in stone: A narrative on diggers, mining
engineers, lapidaries and their apprentices. Barnaul, Altai Publishers,
1986. 296 pp., ill (in Russian).
Semyonov, V.B., Timofeev, N.I., A book of
stonework art.
Ekaterinburg, IGEMMO Lithica, 2001. 144 pp., ill. (in
Rusian)
This book adds to the Uralian historical gemological library. The
book is devoted to the 275th anniversary of the industrial
stonework in Ekaterinburg. The book describes the history of the
Ekaterinburg lapidary factory, which is one of three top factories in
Russia, and Russkie Samotsvety [Russian Gemstones] factory, its
successor.
Jurgenson, G.A.,
Gems and color stones of Transbaikalia. Nauka, Novosibirsk, 2001,
(in Russian)
This is the first review on the gemstone
deposits of Buryat Republic and Chita oblast, history of their
discoveries and development, and predicted resources.
Georgy Alexandrovich Jurgenson is a geologist and an outstanding
researcher of mineral deposits, including gemstones. He is a chairman of
the Chita Institute of the natural resources and a professor of
Transbaikalian State Pedagogical University. During 1977–1980 he worked
in Afghanistan studying the deposits of rare metal pegmatite, emerald,
and lazurite. Te is an author of popular books, The Sun Stone of
Transbaikalia, The Stone Rainbow, (Jurgenson, G.A., 1991, Rainbow in
Chariot Irkutsk, Vost. Sib. Knizh. Izd, 240 pp. (in Russian)) etc.
(after
http://zgpu.chita.ru publications).
D anilov, A.A. Gemstones of Amurskaya oblast [Samotsvety
Amurskoi oblasti]. Post Scriptum, 2000,
160 pp., ill. (In Russian).
The area of the Amurskaya oblast exceeds that of Arizona or Great
Britain. However, like in case of many regions of Russia and the world,
it is studied unevenly and insufficiently. Various mineral deposits are
known to occur here, gemstones included. Gold exploration revealed
magnificent agates in alluvium of the Nora and Burunda rivers long ago,
and in the 1980’s Burundinskoe color chalcedony deposit, the largest in
Rusia, was explored.
In 1981 Tokskoe chrysolite
placer was discovered. This deposit , as well as Kugdinskoe, are two
economic deposits known in Russia. Chrysolite is considered as a major
gemstone of the area. Photos of agates and other gems illustrate the
book.
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