THE DIAMONDS OF SIBERIA ALMAZY SIBIRI, LENINGRAD, 1957, PP 3-158.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81-01043R001800150007-5
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• Document Creation Date: January 4, 2017
• Document Release Date: February 25, 2013
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: February 21, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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STAT
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THE DIAMONDS OF SIBERIA
I N D E X
P A G E
Almazy Sibiri, Leningrad 1957
pp3-158
,Preface. . . . . ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
i. Geology of Original Sources of Diazrohds
in the Vilyu i River Basin- ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 3
Geological Outline of the mslaya Batubiya ttegion. . . . 5
?eology of I rnberlite Pipe "Mir "? . . . . . . . ? ? . ? 10
Geological Outline of tzie Daaldyn Region . . . . . . . 18
Geology of Kimnberlite Pipes. 21
II. Petrography of Siberian Kimberlites. . . . . . ? . ? ? 30Y
III. Mineralogy of Siberian Kirnberlites. ? ? . ? 80
IV. iineralo r~ of Dia ponds of the VIlyui River Basin. . . 112
V. Placer Deposi%ls of Diamonds in the Vilyui River Basin-151
VI. Aetr:ods of Prospecting for Diamonds. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? .157
VII. geophysical ,tethods to Discover Original
Soi,rces of Diamonds... 163
Conclusions. . ?i66
RiblL.o.vraphy. 170
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and less frequently with reddish marl. The deposits of the Ust
Kut formation run almost horizontally but flat brachy folding
occurs.
The greatly eroded rocks of the Ust Kut formation are
overlain by continental sand and argillaceous sediments. Pollen
analysis proved that they belong to the Lower Jurassic Era. The
sediments in the above section are formed of small elastic carbon-
aceous fades that are rather unusual for the continental Lower
Jurassic series. The foundation of the layer is formed by
bedded, gray and yellow as well as mottled loose and solid clays,
varied clays, thinly laminated banded argillaceous :rocks and -
siltstones with veglt& tion sediments. They include disinte-
grated interstretifications and lenses of verbonaceous clays
and brown coal with a thicaness that varies Lrom a few centi-
meters to 0.5 to 0.8 meters, or probably even more since minor
mining operations did not strip the 'bottom layer of coal.
The foundation of the visible part of the bed contains
11ght-gray ar,cosic sands and sandstones as well as rusty colored
ferruginous solid sands with the grains varying in size.
the top levels of the Lower Jurassic deposits are formed
of friable and heavy sands. They are ,medium and coarse-grained,
yellow and grayish yellow and interstratified with pebbles and
ravel sands. The litholof*,y the top section is similar to- common
and characteristic Lower Jurassic cont5nerita?1 deposits (Ukugut
formation).
Directly northeast from the pipe "Mir" the widest occur-
ence of Lower Jurassic deposits was found on a flat watershed
where they form an irregular oval patch and are washed out north-
eastward and southeastward by the upper parts of small streams.
In the northeast, the Lower Jurassic deposits formm a sharp
tectonic unconformity with the rocks of the Ust Jut formation
bordering on them along the line of an assumed fault that stretch-
es in northeaster direction along the Khabardin River. The pipe
"Mir" is located along, the continued line of this fault.
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In the east and southeast from 'the pipe, Lower Jurassic
deposits E+re normally inhe-bb.edded In the rocks of the Lower Pa-
leozoic. Their contact lies at an absolute altitude of 330 to
3h O meters and .at a relrtive altitude of 60 to 70 meters.
It is quite possibel that the thickness of Lower Jurassic
deposits--ranging from 1 to 3 and up to 15 meters -- increases
toward the fault level at its northwest hanging; wall.
East and south from the described section sand, gravel
and pebble sedimentation of the Lower Jurassic directly cover
carbonaceous Ordovician rocks. There are no coal facies.
The youngest formations (excluding the formations of the
Quaternary) are evidently those detected in 1955 by team No. 200
in the foram of peculiar clay, sand and gravel diamond-bearing
deposits not affected by erosion in a very small zone (200 by
100 meters) only near the pipe "Mir". The characteristic pec-
uliarity of these deposits, which differ drastically from the
environment is the uniform coarse elastic matter represented
pebbles and gravel of quartz, quartzite, fling and other indur-
ated rocks with a small quantity of ;rreatly eroded conglomerates
of kaolinized rocks, the composition of which has not been estab-
lished. Solid and heavy kaolinite bright and variegated clays
(gray, bluish-gray, yellow, raspberry red, etc.) are interbedded
in the foundation of the series.
The littlologic peculiarities of this series of rocks
testify to its lake and alluvial origin and that they were prod-
ucts of the chemical. weathering of the surrounding rocks when
they were redeposited under the conditions of a slightly di.s-
integrated relief.
This is a good explanation for the hi &l concentration of
diamonds in this series which exceeds the diamond,cont'ent in the
kimberlites. The thickness of the above deposits is not great
at all ranging only by several times from one to five ineters.
In a very small area the thickness. ehang es drastically. This
may be due to the sin!:-holes.in the carbonaceous ..bas,ement rocks
re38r'
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rp:+~:ti'~~?
The age of these deposits is commonly accepted as Pre-
Quaternary, most likely Tertiary, for general reasons and be-
cause of the similarity to other regions of the Siberian plat-
form where the kaolinite crust shows the effects of weathering
on rocks of the tipper Cretaceous Period.
The correlation of the kimberlite pipe "Mir" with the
above rocks of the Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic is clearly
shown on maps and profiles (Figure 5). The pipe tears through
rocks of the Ust Kut formation. For the time being no direct
contact with younger deposits has been observed. The pipe "MU.r"
looks like an irregular oval body stretching frcm northwest to
southeast. Its size is ).90 x 320 Meters (Figure o).
Mining operations penetrated into the top kimberlite layer
destroyed by weathering at a de th of 3.5 to 4 meters and only
in some sections hard and solid rocks were encountered. Despite
the depth of erosion the upper part of the pipe is built as
follows: X
A delluvial and eluvial stratum is formed of fine-grained
sands and some varved clays or gravel kimberlite with scales of
bluish-green chlorite, and grains of pyrope and ilmenite. it
Includes rare rubble of hard kimberlites as well as rounded and
sharp angular fragments of surrounding rocks. Delluvial depos-
its are greenish-Frray and greenish-yellow. InLerstratification
is occasionally observed in the direction of the dip. In the
peripheral parts of the pipe the delluvial structure changes some-
what. Large fragments and carbonaceous blocks of the Ust .hut
formation conspicuously predominate here, sometimes forming a
continuous delluvial bed up to 1 to 1.5 meter thick which covers
the eluvial kimberlite.
At a depth of two to three meters greatly weathered kim-
berlite was encountered. It is formed of friable rocks that
disintegrate rarely into detritus and gravel. The rocks are
The description of the pipe is taken from the report of
mining teams.
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greenish-gray, yellowish-green, dark green and sometimes light-
blue; they-are rich in bluish-green chlorite and pyropes and,
to a lesser degree, in ilmente. The size of the fragments in-
creases with the depth. The rocks are marked by a pattern of
thin (up to 0.5 centimers) apophyses filled out with calcite.
In areas that were not as much affected by erosion a series of
vertical cracks was observed which rarely are genlty Inclined.
Southeast (110 to 120 degrees) and southwest (210 to 230 degrees)
cracks are in predominance. Along the crach~s, iron lends the
kimberlite an orange and rusty coloring. Deeper down the iiimber-
lite becomes increasingly solid gradually turning into monolith
rock. The cross-section of the kiniberlite reveals that its
structure is not homogenous. Two types of rocks can be recog-
nized clearly: snail elastic kimberlite tuff and coarse elastic
kimberlite breccla.
Small elastic kimberlite tuff fills most of the pipe
except its extreme southeastern part. Several varieties of tuff
which differ in color and mineral composition should be discussed
in more detail.
The first variety is a grayish-green massive rock formed
of unevenly disseminated rounded grains of live-green and light-
green serpentine which frequently "consists of non-eroded pseudo-
morphs after olivine. It encloses individual, flet, crystals
(five to seven millimeters large) of bluish-green chlorite and
rounded winered and mayve grains of pyrope. The size of the mauve
grains varies from, one to five millimeters.., The grains of pyrope
are usually crumbling and easily split into small bits. They are
surrounded by a thin greenish kelyphitic halo. The enclosure of
small (up to 0.5 r4entimeter3) rounded, angular and irregular
grains of ilumenite with a characteristic tar luster occurs less
frequent. Numberous fragments of small-grained kimberlite. rang-
ing from 015 to three centimeters were observed ih the rocks.
Fragments of country rock are less frequent.',"- Occasional banding
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caused by the interstratification of varities of coarse and
fine-grained tuffs was noted.
The second variety is distinguished by the dark color of
its basic mass and the brownish-green color of the serpentine.
The rocks are shot .through with extremely fine carbonaceous
serpentine apophyses and minerals are enclosed in a halo of an
aggregate of carbonaceous serpentine.
The two varieties of grayish-green and dark-green kimber-
lite form the whole central and northwestern section of the pipe
which show deep erosion.
The third variety is a light greenhsh-yellow porous and
blistered rock. Its structure bears great rese,nble.nce to that
of the above varieties but Its basic mass i's?lighter and the grains
of olivine are smaller (pseudomorphs). In addition, an almost
complete absence of b'liaish-green chlorite Is conspicuous. The
presence of a somewhat large number of fragments of country rock
than in the above varieties should be noted. Individual clearly
ferruginous sections of light kimberlite are yellowish-brown.
On the map, this variety of kimberlite represents a semi-circle
with a width of about 50 meters bordering on the pipe in the
southeast at in its most uplifted part. It is most lixely that
the above-mentioned light kimberlite forms the altered upper
part of the pipe which was affected by erosion in the center and
in its northwestern part.
The second type of timberlite -- the coarse tuffobreccia
-- is repre-sented by two varieties.
The first variety i s encountered southeast of the pipe
near the contact. The light gray greatly altered basic mass of
th.e rock contains numberous irregularly disseminated grains and
.fragments of serpentinous olivine, laminae of bluish-green chlor-
ites, and rounded grains of pyrope and ilmenite. The quantity
of chlorite greatly exceeds the quantity contained in the first
type of kimberlite.. The presence of a.great quantity (30 p.er-
cent) ?of angular and rounded fragments of country rock is an-
other chara'cterl.stic.. property.
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The second variety is encountered in the center of the
pipe, near the upper part of the Khabardin River. The rocks
are clearly marked by the presence of breccia, with patches show-
ing the presence of quartz and even.of secondary quartzite.
In the kimberlites werfound inclusions of related ultra-
basic rocks, crystalline schists (eclogites, eclogite-like rocks,
and crystalline schists of the Pro-Cambrian), sedimentary rocks
of the Lower Paleozoc and traps. -
Among related inclusions which are, as a whole not very
common in Siberian kimberlite (with the exception of kimberlite
inclusions) lite peculiar greatly altered inclusions with por-
phyrite-like crystalline pyropes are found in individual sections
of the pipe "Pair". - Evidently they have formed from of the ultra-
basic rocks (See Chapter II). The inclusions of eclogite-like
rocks and crystalline schists of the Pre-Cumbrian Ere which are
very common in the kimberlite of the Daaldyn District are rarely
Among foreign inclusions, carbonaceous rocks of the U~st
Kut formation as well as diabases strongly predominate in this
area. Inclusions of Quartzite and other altered rock that cannot
be identified under field conditions are rare. Their quantity
is rather small and amounts to an average of about 5-10 percent
in comparison with the surrounding kimberlite.
Sedimentary rocks are formed of dolomites and marls. Their
.fragments are usually rounded and, less often, angul,a-r. Their
sizes vary, from only a few millimeters to 10 to 16 centimeters.
There are also slightly altered or almost unaltered sedimentary
rocks their original structure having remained Intact(fine oolitic,
stromatolitic, etc. structure,).. Sometimes a fine bluish-green
rim of metamorphic rock surrounds these fragments. In addition,
there are differences in chart. However, actual contact cherts
were not discovered by petrographic survey.
It is interesting that in the central section of the pipe
inclusions of argillaceous rocks alternate with sharp angular
argillite fragments, some of them washed down to clay and othebs
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very dense and with chart. These rocks bear a strong resemblance
to deposits of the Lower. Jurassic period which may be found dir-
ectly in the vicinity of? the pipe. The size of the visible part
of the xenolith is 1.5 by 1.3 meters
As a rule Diabase fragments have an aphanitic texture or
other fine textures. They are angular and.,occasionslly, rounded.
The size of the fragments reaches 20 to 25 centimeters iii diameter.
Large diabase rocks were encountered, their size reaching 1.5 by
0.35 meters. These rocks are almost not affected by kimberlite
magma. The kimberlite is somewhat harder around the inclusions
and seems to be "soldered" to the inclusions.
Foreign inclusions are distributed irregularly in the kim-
berlite mass. It should be pointed out that, as a whole, the
greatest number of carbonaceous country rock was observed along
the periphe1e.l parts of the pipe. Accumulations of diabase
fragments are encounted in the contact area and in the center
of the pipe.
As already mentioned, the kimberlite pipe "stir" tears
through the sedimentary rocks of the Ust Kut formation formed
by small oolitic argillaceous or sandy dolomites. The kimberlite
contact with the country rocks is very conspicuous. The kimber-
lite reaches a thickness of three to five meters in the zone of
contact whore it turns into a porous clayey mass. Ferric oxide
lends it an orange coloring. It is difficult to estimate -the
constrpction of this zone at greater depth* since mining operatl.ons
have penetrated into a depth of only two meters. Sedimentary
rocks near the contact are slightly altered within a zone of two
to three meters; they gradually turn preen ish-yellow in the vic-
inity of the kimberlite and, are conspicuously light near the con-
tact. Dolomite oblites harden and their structure changes.
For the time being, "Mir" is the richest diamond-bearing
.pipe. During prospecting and surveying work diamonds were dis-
covered directly in the primary rocks, 3.:e. in the kimberlite
(Fig. 7 & 8).
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The age of the "Mir" kimberlite pipe could not be-deter-
mined if we based ourselves on the correlation between the kimber-
lite and the surrounding sedimentary .-oaks since we would only
identify rocks of post Lower Ordovician age. I3owever, the occur-
ence of a great quantity of trap fragments in the kirnberlite leads
w
to the assumption that the pipe originates with the post Permian
or even post Triassic period since the intru stion of tr?aprock
on this territory took place primarily in the Triassic -- inas-
much as they tear through the deposits of the productive (R1) and
and the tuff (P2-T) formations.
It is impossible to determine the possible maximum age of
the kimberlite pipe "Mir",since direct contacts with the Jurassic
deposits cannot be traced. At the same time, it should be noted
that the correlation of the rocks of the Lower Jurassic with the
ki;nberlite pipe "Kollektivnaya", discovered in 1956 in the same
district, seems to indicate that the kimberlites formed in before
the Lower Jurassic Era.
It is interesting that the determination of the geological
correlation between the Paleozoic and the Mesozoic rocks in the
site of the--pipe "Mir" leads to impoirtant conclusions as to the
depth of erosion.
If we assumed that the kirnberlite formed in trio pre-Jurassic
or post-Permian period, the effect of erosion would be very'deep
s,nec the deposits- of the productive and tuff formations at the
edge of the southeast border of the Tung iska Syncline are not
very thicx and could not have 100 to 150 meters in pre-Jurassic
times.
On the basis of rata availabl."e we may state thF.,t the eros-
ion' affected the pipe "Mir" at a maximum depth of about one hundred
meters and, probably, even less.
GEOLOGICAL OUTLINE OF THE DAALDYN REGION
The Daaldyn diamond-bearing regiozi is located In the basin
of the Daaldyn River, a left- tributary of the Markha River, on
the territory of the Olenek, Administrative district of the Yakutsk
ASSR.
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 Physico-geographically the area is located within the
boundaries of the Central Siberian elevation. In the north it
on the area of the Vilpyi-Olenek watershed. The inclined
borders
ondulated relief with numerous small benches at the slopes Of
the mounds, due to the lithologic peculiarities of the rocks
jhat form the basin of the Dsaaldyn River, is characteristic of
t
,can
the area. Only in the west in the basins of the rivers S.lty
and Alls-Urei-h small truncated mesas of traprocks were observed.
Structurally, the Da.raldyn district is located at the north
northeastern edge of the Tunguska Syncline. It borders in the
north on the southern slope of the Anabar Mountain Range and is
associated with the Viluyi-Tunguska zone of fractures.
The eolo;-ical structure of the paaldyn diamond-bearing
region is compaarativel simple (Figure 9). Carbonaceous rocks
of the Lower Paleozoic period are very common and actually occupy
the entire territoyr. In several spots these deposits are marked
es.
by intrusions and trspdykes as well as by kimberlite pipes.
The Lower Paleozoic deposits dating from the Lower Ordovi-
cian are divided in three series.
Series of bituminous limestone: formed by brown and dark-
gray thick and thin-bedded rocks with several layers of lime-
stone eonglomrates. In the center, a peculiar layer of clotted
arg;.llaceous limestone (marl) was found. In the underlying part
of the series trilobite fauna was encountered. Somewhat further
down there are patches of dark brown limestone with abundant tri-
lobite fauna. The visible thickness of the deposits is about
of mottled levels of red and rusty-colored fine argillaceous lime-
occur commonly. Frequently, this layer is superseded by f'acies
limestone, calcareous sands, c onglo-nrates and oolite limestone
and is very developed. Underlying interbedded yellowish and gray
The limestone conformably covers the underlying rocs
1-o meters.
stone, gray limestone and conglornrate.
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 Fine white and yellowish porous limestone-occurs some-
What higher; it forms characteristic blocks that resemble tomb-
stones on the surface of the slopes. Still hither it turns into
mottled limestone interbedded with coarse layers of limestone
and light dolomite-like algeel limestone. This is topped by
two layers of mottled limestone), the lower containing rich tri-
lobi.te fauna. The total thickness of the limestone series ranges
from 150 to 160 meters.
The tipper part of the layer of Lower Paleozoic deposits
contains mostly dense fine-rreined dolomites, greenish argillaeous
dolomite-J, fine-grained yellowish limestone and oolito dolomite
limestone. These rocks form thin strat that are interbedded and
include Dryers of' nt erstrati tied conglomerates and algael dol-
oini.tes. All these rocks Are jointed in a series of dolomite
and limestone. The thickness of this series varies from 30 to
110 meters.
The deposits of the Lower Paleozoic are typically littoral
sediments and in some parts lagoon sediments that were tran-pportdd
to a shallow basin where they were exposed to differentiated
oscillations; as a result of these oscillations the individual.
beds are thin and there is local faulting; in the accumulation
of sediments as well a s alterations In the rock fact es.
The traprocks are formed of medium and fine-grained
aphanitie olivine dlabase. They are twos t common in the southwest
and west of the district in the basin of the $ytykan River and
the upper parts of the Markha River. Blanket intrustoriss predorn-
inate over dykes.
Blanket intrusions form three layers: at 1,60 meters above
the sea level -- the thickness amounts to tan meters, at 380 to
490 meters above the sea level -- 120 meters and at 550 to 050
meters -- 80 to 100 meters. The outcrops of dyke traps are poor
because of heavy overburden.
Trap intrusions are of Permian-Triassic age by analogy
with other districts of the Siberian platform.. It shoui.d, how-
ever, be emphasized that the site of the kimberlit~ pipes is
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is located beyond the strip of the maximum occurrence of traps.
Carbonaceous deposits of thle Lower .Paleozoic run usually
almost horizontal with a slight inclination in the southwest
toward the central part of the Tunguska Syncline.
A more detailed study of tectoncis reveals that the
entire lower series of bituminous limestone and the bottom of
the calcaveous series of rocks is disrupted forming slight folds
of a width varying from two to three and up to 150 to 200 meters.
The inclination of thb wall varies from two to five and up to
80 degrees. The axes of the folds are, as a rule,,' aligned toward
the northwest and the north _northwest and less frequent in north-
eastern direction. In the upper part of the dolomite and calcar-
eous series larger and greater inclined folds were observed which
result from the outcropping of markers at various hypsometric
levels.
A num er of large tectonic fissures were encountered in
the region, primarily in northwestern di rection. Some kimber-
late pipes T"Kroshka," "Leningradskaya," "Geophizichesitaya,"
and others) are connected with these fissures.
At several points in the watersheds a pattern of small
clefts that r1,n northeast and northwest were noted. They are,
evidently, connected with young structures.
Geology of' Kitub erlit e Pipes
Diammond-bearing kimberlites form tubular bodies (pipes),
which tear through the carbonaceous series of rocks of the Lower
Paleozoic. These rocks were found only in one, area in 1954
(pipe "Zarnitsa").
In the summer of 1955 teams 167 -and 201.E of the Amakin
Expedition as well as some members of the Easter_?n Geophysical
Expedition discovered kimberlites in many parts and on a large
territory of the Daaldyn District.
Structurally these kimberlite fields are probably assoc-
iated with the deep fractures that mark a large zone in the north-
the effects of magma are visible. This zone borders on the
west area of the Markha River Where most faulting occurs and
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 right bank of the Daaldyn FUver next to a pattern of small
fissures in the Ordovician series and lies within the boundaries
of the kimberlite bodies found in ,this area. The fissures are
visible on aerial photographie s and have been discovered in the
course of surveying and magnitometric works.
A total number of 22 kimberlite pipes was discovered in
the Daaldyn region. Mining operations have not as yet penet-
14
rated into pipes round through magnetic surveys.
The study of the kimberlite pipes was being conducted dur-
ing their discovery in the course of surveys. It goes without
have not been studied equally well.
saying,, thurefore, that they
For the time being, the kimberlite pipe "Zornitsa" has been in-
vestigated more or loss thoroughly. Mining operations penetrated
into a depth of ten to 12 meters. Some :nc+terigl was gathered
on the pipes "Udaehnaya," '-Lenincrrads-caya," "Mol.odeztiynaya,U
"DolgOzhdannaya," and "Dalnaya," by a me twork of prospecting
pits and crenches at a depth of 2.5 to three inet?rs. The pipes
It "F " "Sosednaya, ? " Osennaya," "Syty1cam,'-
"yaliarnaya, .~Ialiutka,
"Zagsdoehnaya," and "Novi di.maya," have been hardly studied with
only and individual mining operations that penetrated into a
depth of one to two meters.
The above kLmberlite pipes are located on a large terri-
tory (in an area of about 25 by GO square kilometers) with well
mar.:ed outlines of the kimberlite fields.
Ki:tiberlit e pipes vary in different sizes. Their diameters
vary from 40 to 50 meters (pipe "ialiutka") and reach 600 met-era
(pipe "Zarnitsa" ). The pipes are usually rounded or somewhat
elongated, frequently the outlines are bizarre.
The pipes that have been discovered so far are located
in watersheds, along slopes and in river beds. They are hardly
visible. It is impossible to discover the pipe through aerial
photography, and only very rarely can their outlines be identii-
f ied. Geophysical investigs.ti ens conducted in 1955 in the Daaldyn
diamond-bearing region have produced very favorable results in
the discovery of kimberlite pipes. } .. -
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/02/25: CIA-RDP81-01043R001800150007-5
Below is a short description of the kimberlite. pipes
located in the area.
Pipe "Zarnitsa"
"Zarnitsa." was the first pipe discovered in August 19511
In the Daaldyn region during prospect operations for pyropes.
It Is located on the flat turfy surface of a watershed between
-
two small streams-that flow into the Daaldyn River.
The size-of the pipe is 573 by 532 =peters. The icimberlite
pipe has the shape of an isometric body (Figure 10). The relief
of the pipe is invisible, it simply follows the elevated horizontal
p.rot'ile of the watershed.
As a result of harsh dlimatic conditions the surface of
the kimberlites is hardly altered. No weathering zones of "yellow
and blue 'oil" which are characteristic of South African pipes
have been observed here.
The basic erosion was brought about by frosts that con-
tributed to the disintegr N > 1737 and 1.767 > N ? 1.75J~.
1.751r > N > 1:710 and 1-737
1.75b Z N < 1.767
1.767> N
1.767 7 N > 1.75)1
Judged by its indices of refraction and color the-,garnet
belongs to the py'rope almandine variety with a content of approx-
imately 30 to 40 percent almandine. ? It is a rather interesting
fact that these xenoliths are characterized by garnets for which
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/02/25: CIA-RDP81-01043R001800150007-5
the indices of refraction are not the lowest and which are redepos-;
ited in the kimberlite originating, evidently, with othe rocks --
maybe ultrabasic rocks of the type described above. Chemical
analyses revealed that the garnets from eluvium (Figure 72)
contain calcium and chromium. However, the content of chromium
is rather low In garnets that resemble the garnets in eclogites,
The presence of andradite (up to ten percent) raises the index
of refraction so that the almandine content is considerably lower
than shown by the Winchell diagram (20 percent).
Accessory minerals such as apatite, rutile and ore mineral
are rare and are, usually, included in the basic minerals of the
rocks. In the ki?nb erlite of the pipe "Udacnaya" a fissure
in the garnet is filled out with a fine prismatic actinolite
variety (Figure 27). The peripheric parts of the fissures in the
garnet are filled out by extremely fine prisms of actinolite
that accrete perpendecularly to the walls of the tissuros. The
pleochroism of the actinolite ranges from light-green in Ng to
light yellow in Np, cNg is about 200.
Many xenoliths are marked by peculiar acicular inclusions
of a mineral in the garnet. These inclusions are located under
an angle of 600 in relation to each other (Figure 28). Some-
in the aeieulae the extinction is oblique its angle reaching
25-26 degrees so that there is no question of rutile. For
that reason, the mineral should be investigated pore thoroughly.
like pattern lend this mineral the appearance of rutile. However,
which testifies to birefringence. This charact?r.stic as well
as the acicular form of the crystals and the occasional lattice-
ies should be noted as well as the extreme thinnes of the crystal
has a positive elongation. The index of refraction. is clearly
higher than in garnet.
The high colors of the interference up to he second ser-
can be recognized when the mineral greatly magnified, In larger
units a'gre?nish-yellow pleochroism can be detected. The mineral
times this pattern is changed. A long and fine prismatic acicular form
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2013/02/25: CIA-RDP81-01043R001800150007-5
Rocks with Disthene: This rock belongs to the group
that is rather rich in plagioclase but differs because it con-
.tains disthene. The texture of the rock. is granoblastic por-
phyroblastic, in some sections nematoblastic and even fibro-
blastic.
The rock is formed of garnet, monoclinal pyroxene, plagio-
clase, disthene, scapolite and individual grains of apatite and
ore mineral. Considerable quantities of pyrope garnet are present
with N 1.738 - 1.751 - 1.767. Usually they are found in the
form of large irregular porphyroblasts. Less often they are
idiomorphic. The surface of the garnet Is smooth and lustrous.
ko] yphite rims are characteristic of most grains of garnet.
It is an interesting fact that the clusters of-distbepe usually
abut against the Kelyphite halo without penetrating into the
-
garrie t . The grains of Barnet, without a kelyphite rim are in-
truded by disthene like the other minerals. (Figure 29).
Second in quantity is plagioclase in the form of irreg-
ular blades which are often fractured. Scapolite that replaces
plagioclase is greatly developed. Clayey minerals often develop
along the fracturers.
Plagioclase is twinned, and narrow polysyntnetic twins
occur commonly. Everywhere the rrrains of plagioclase are pe-
netrated by clusters of disthene aciculae. The -inclusions often
contaLn grains of monoclina]. pyrocene, g*arent and apatite. Two
tests with grains of plagioclase included on the Fedorov 'device
produced No. 50, that is acid labradorite.
Di stherie characterizes the rocv.
it develops in the form
of fine apha;nit-c xyloid aggregates, conic clusters as well as
divergent "suns" (Figure 30) so that the Identification of the
mineral is uncertain. Disthene primarily associated with grains
and accumulations of garnet: Disthene'frequently forms the out-
side rim around them (the inside rim is kelyphitic). The dis
thene aciculae are characterized by 'cleavage of (100) with a
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normal that almost, coiticide's with the axis of .Np.
3
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The measuring, of the - dz sthene aciculae through the F'ed-
orov device produced 2V from plus-80? to plus 89? which dis-
tin;;uishos it from typical disthenes.
Diablastic texture was notices where disthene along with
cnonoelinal pyroxene Pave penetrated disintegrated texture.
ivionoclinal a
F yroxene Is enoounted in considerable quan-
tities in xenomorphic grains with a good parallel cleagave 2V -
plus 63?, c'rig = ) 0 - b1?.
Apetitie in the for:n of small Irregular -rains and ord
mineral Is present as an accessory minerals.
Roc-cs rich in hornblende: alone, with pyropo and mono-
clinal pyroxene hornblende and sometimes bioLite playan essential
role in these rocks. The texture Is ne:natovgranoblastic and In
some a,eas lepidogranoblastic. Mlonociinal pyroxene is occasion-
ally ,found as well as small quentit yes of biotit e, pseuodo.norphs
of a kaolin mineral bfter plagioclase, clacite, apatite and ore
mineral.
Pale-preen hornblende with slight pleochroism in ligher
shades is in predominance. The angle of optical axes .ia 2V =
minus 73?, oNg. = 20`. Indices of refraction: Ng' = 1.68lj,
rdp' = 1.:61,.; Ng' - Np' _ 0.020, wnieh corresponds to t,5 percent
iron component.
Biotite is present in the form of large scales, its
pleochrolam ranging from a brownish-orange in (Ida) to a slightly
yellow (almost colorless) in.Nip. Gr-ably deforned and even split
scales have been found, inclusions of ore mineral and sometimes
of grains of apatite, rutile and pseudomorphs.of serpentine after
a mineral are occasionally present. The Index of refraction of
the blotite: Na = 1-.615 which proves. its low iron content,
MQnoQlinal pyroxene is found in the form of fine light
green xenomorphic grains w.Lth pronounced parallel cleavage. The
angle of the optic axial- angle: 2V = plus 61~
Ng' = 1..712; Np' w 1.690; Ng' -, Np' = 0.022.
Along the fractures Individual groins of pyroxene =are ':re-;
r .iacea oy a greenish-brown chi_o'ite-like mineral so_netimis
'V'::,/ail-hers tie r.oL c!ettrly o,)Lline+l t?nd roe resent nn Llld,st.,nct Tense
.'Hiny (;?1.'-,)re 115) or !..n of F,.o,-,-hous s.
!r) '!I1 0S CFB~.~=, +11 Cr'.'itt 1n 0. such t`olycry r,, a11.Lrle
clue Lers to bers of tic
l)rl tx'n;j of ructl)res ,),' tt.ese clt),)Lt:rs Lt.E. r inner stroc-
t'ir'e er,rl he eter)i:ted. ? to rule, t,:e L(t'iiv.L,,ib1c 'AS
in t e ''or.;: of ..n+, d ;'?t-11 C? 11'.x0- "v iet: -)ecusionally over':i11
enr~-1 o y c,lor' =;n3 1 r'(;r'L '+.lt:?n',!ty ;[' _ncL1 tr0i13
r vet, -.J Lt,: _er. z+ , 1 ? (: -k)ro;:n, y( llu.,-brown or
. , . _:i'? , n") vs yi, . ;,,,ail'ovs! yi, ~2).
+irL c 1 , i r,(, n . n , lest to t' i s ' (, t, -) by ;;', ne 1,oreign sehol, r" (see
known as'thell.?ls't (co'")-c- ;L?' early' _ -LIue'j iit. .Jnds) r t'to)rt" In the
s l;er _c- 1 or ienresced (fi' U). T',ey rcser,ole t e vf:r?iety of :1_anonas
extre')cly f, re(, n i ?,r-netly eon('cnLr'ic dit. oc)rls. . E.yr , re either
i'r'e ~olycr,y~at; llirlc cit)gters are, r?st)t,lly, qt;, r'e).. t,es .f'
riC'tn as 01 L t color r)si)ally iecr?etises.
(bruwhni' }.t-b l; ci< or -ien!~Iel.' 'ruovy) . !'ru n Lc.e cc::rter Out:aL-r?,i the
crJsr.?~ls or t',e p;rNi ns ;rro'r:n ' .'ot)ncj ? ct, ), center tyre "st,ally iar;t
it'r- v))l~r hL?.c" r- r-,in:s of jit,rtonrl. ~i'e early 1r t'ar's of eltr.er t,~e
.rl 'ertcr.Lc t routed t e co'.ter, t - L i't -?,r.iod Lt' one or several
De )ending= on t;,e t'orin of the layers of ~--rovwtr; on the traces of r.-hom-
t:)e outlines of oc; a_tedral fzaccs acquire a shield-shaped form.
['he di tri[;onal var?lety r;,ss frequently rounded angles and
of ~7,n octahedral die-ronds may be either triFonttl or iitri:.onal.
1.v 'rer4 -)f -rowth and the la)niriae treat fora in the l;rocess of l.-rowth
it, he s t;lref=dy been .Mentioned that ti,e o), tline s of the
to iec-.~edrons:
:-eculitsrit Les in the i'oi'--t Lion of rt:ces
?'orns C t b e 1:,yers of , rowtt-t grid ,t.ri' t.iorl on t.- e ft-,ces ui' rno:)bo-
bododechhedronst), eitr?;;r parallel or sheaf'-liKe striae.--
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the crystals tare crarucLer_,-t_c of tr,ese c.lustors.
 letter intersected by R seal:?.
The 'bllowe:rs of the "thc ory of dissolving" expalinp the
f'or?mL o?. of sheflr.'-like strif,tion by processes of dissolvlnr., thr t
affect thhe'cr7stfnl from the top to the center of t:!e edge Lind from
tie edrrc toward t.ne center of the uuetatiedral plane,-i. fhe seamy, is
con--.dercd to be F; ,,ecul1z,r "w.: L,~rl.Lne" Lr17_,t shows trie min-
i.nn.m rt+te t:L Lich 'i ssolvin tet'es p Le;ce fro c. t_.e top u1' tr/e octfahe-
dron rio.:nclyd. `1':,c i?r- " ent zLt~zaf;pin,- 'nc1 snil'ts(vri:ich often sr1;
very conspicuous) of t.:is line in 0,.e direction ..:i one or t: e tops
(A.A. rcukharenlto, 1.. `5) Js 1~o cx~2l::ined by this tc'eory.
Con. r~ ry to t !F rc ool of ti.ouc-ht, 0..... i,ns:ielc3i (11-?':
excl?in, the f.)rni _on if d:.sLr_ 'onc1 layers in the proce?sc :i' rc.',ti:
by t e ; ecrtliL r p"o:'ei"Lies of their texture.
Vcr_~1 tel. cat:"t r t?ecf-ii e :rtrit-tion is extre,nely com_tion and
F r u )-;t cr ntc-is . f 'he 1 .;:;ponds t one stare i develop-
'lent or .,no: her.
lnvcrscly prallel -re ri -nlnr .,oilo:-:s on Uctol.edrvl 1-':ices
TrIen.'ulnr itollown that rre ciLne:' icive_ael,; i?arF-llel or
r`ro;-v inversely .n rei; Lion to tr.c octf;i,e:final face (with ti e vertexes
directed LoAt3rd t'ie edr?es end tic cd!res tow---rd toe vertexes of' the
faces) .?ere frequently o1JscL'vcd on octahedral faces of r1.6-,nonr1 .
At. t L:Iles, they represent a r" thor it'rf-e t-ru;itl, tl., t cciip-Les an
esreritiai -t:rt if the ff;ce ..hile they Llzo occur in the form of ex-
trernely fine for,n: lions tli,~.t 1:)o li'~ ; J 1~
- ''l: ~+a:l'.. _ i?n:7,.^u--l'-. .:,7,~`' . k.:S~~;.: i.`r? ?+P6. a`~~.7T",1~"??? '?:c~a~-.~ 1y e ' ' .-,:::_? :,
e:S S ~,?%%vv:: i ~C' _.:+.r '1 ,fv C~,~~yc ....?,.~.?.'.~,"',-,.rr' a, y+". iii ~t~?~.:-C..'+' +