Vol 72, No 3 (2017)

In this paper we provide a literature review of the geological and geographic problems that were successfully solved via the application of the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission data. GRACE is a gravitational satellite mission whose purpose is the precise mapping of variations of the Earth’s gravity field. The data have high resolution, which provides the opportunity to solve many geological and geographical problems.

The U–Pb (LA–ICP–MS) age of detrital zircons from the Upper Cambrian–Lower Ordovician terrigenous rocks of the Baidarata Allochthon, which is located in the northern part of the Polar Urals, is determined. The analysis of the youngest zircon population indicates a broad occurrence of the Uralides in this area rather than Pre-Uralides, as was considered previously. The Bedamel island-arc rocks (rather than Timan orogen) were probably the major provenance for the studied sequences. The results of statistical processing of the U–Pb ages of zircons from coeval rocks of Arctic regions suggest similar provenances for the Baidarata Allochthon and Novaya Zemlya and Severnaya Zemlya archipelagoes.

This study presents the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of tailing dumps at the Krasnorechenskaya concentration mill (Primorskii krai, Russia). Primary ore minerals and newly forming mineral assemblages were also investigated. According to the obtained data, the possible reserves of the major elements accumulated in these tailings were estimated. It was shown that the tailing dumps at the Krasnorechenskaya concentration mill are potentially promising for secondary recovery. The tailing sediment has natural geochemical stratification and the specific correlations of elements are typical for each selected layer.

The origin of the subsea uplifts of the Rugozerskaya bay and the Great Salma strait is discussed in this article. It was found that the present-day bottom surface of the investigation area imitates the post-glacial terrain. This was determined by accumulative glacial formations that were emulated with post-glacial sedimentation processes. All modern bottom uplifts are similar to the ancient post-glacial terrain. Most presentday bottom surface depressions are similar to post-glacial surface inequalities, but the configuration of modern closed kettles could be changed via glacial–marine sedimentation and other processes.

The results of the study of the temperature deformations for different types of frozen soils due to rapid temperature variations in cooling–heating cycles have been described. The difference in the patterns of the temperature deformation for step-like and single variations of temperature has been established. The dependence of the temperature deformation of frozen soil on the soil type, the total moisture, and the number of the cooling–heating cycles has been studied.