The Ushkatyn-III deposit is located in Central Kazakhstan, 300 km west of Karaganda. It is ascribed to the weakly metamorphosed Atasu-type hydrothermal–sedimentary ore deposits. The Upper Devonian (D3fm2) carbonate sequence of this deposit comprises stratiform barite–lead, iron, and manganese orebodies. The study was focused on the iron– and manganese–bearing deposits. New data were obtained on the content of major (Si, Ti, Al, Fe, Mn, Mg, Ca, Na, K, P), trace (Li, Be, Sc, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ge, As, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Cd, Sn, Sb, Cs, Ba, Hf, W, Tl, Pb, Th, and U), and rare-earth elements (REE) in all rocks of the ore-bearing unit. It is shown that all rocks, including host limestones, are enriched in Mn, As, Zn, Ba, and Pb, while normalization to aluminum revealed excessive Li, Be, Sr, Y, Mo, Cd, Sb, W, and Tl contents relative to the terrigenous part of sediment. REE variations point to a change of redox settings for accumulation of initial metalliferous sediments. Geological and geochemical data show that the genesis of the barite–lead, iron and manganese ores is related to the evolution of a single hydrothermal system. The ores were formed near or on the seafloor surface: the barite–lead ores are confined to venting sites on reefal buildups, while iron and manganese ores are formed from matter dispersed in the water column at some distance from hydrothermal vents.

Transfer functions for reconstruction of the duration of ice-free period at stations in the Chukchi, East Siberian and Laptev seas have been developed by comparison of hydrometeorological data and the chemical composition of bottom sediments accumulated during observation period. It has been established that in addition to the previously discussed processes through which the ice cover affects the chemical composition of bottom sediments (primary bioproductivity and redox conditions of bottom waters), there are several mainly local processes developed on the East Siberian shelf. These are the changes of terrestrial aqueous and solid runoff; coastal abrasion rate; current structure and water exchange through the Bering Strait between the Pacific and Arctic oceans; and intensity and direction of the ice/iceberg rafting of sediments. It is shown that some typical elements (Br, Ca, As, Fe, Ga) can be used as universal geochemical proxies for qualitative reconstruction of ice conditions.

The petrography, major, and trace elements concentration of the sandstones from the Zhanjin Formation in Qiwu area, south Qiangtang Basin, have been studied to determine their provenance, intensity of paleo-weathering and depositional tectonic setting. Petrography indicates that the composition and texture maturity of the sandstones are moderate. The detrital composition of Zhanjin Formation samples are dominated by quartz (70.1–80.3, average 74.1%) and feldspar (18.3–26.5, average 21.9%), but is low in lithic fragment (1.4–8.6, average 3.9%). The sandstone can be classified as arkose and litharenite arkose. The detrital model composition reflects that these sandstones are probably derived from a passive continental margin. The index of chemical variability (ICV), and Th/Sc vs. Zr/Sc discrimination diagram suggests that the compositional maturity and recycling were moderate to low. The index of alteration (CIA) and the A–CN–K diagram indicated that the intensity of weathering in the source area was low. The Al2O3/TiO2 vs. SiO2, Th/Sc, Co/Th, La/Sc, Cr/Th ratio values of the Zhanjin sandstones indicated that the sandstones were mainly derived from felsic source rocks. The Gondwana passive continental margin belt is probably the primary provenance area as evidenced by petrography and geochemistry features of the Zhanjin Formation. All kinds of tectonic discrimination diagrams based on major elements showed a rift setting for Zhanjin sandstones, which is consistent with the general views of study areas.

Major and trace element distribution in the bottom sediments of Lake Maloe located on the Kuybyshev Isthmus, Iturup Island, was analyzed using the method of principal components. It was established that the geochemical characteristics of Lake Maloe sediments reflect a change from marine and lagoonal to fresh-water sedimentation environments. According to geochemical data, the erosion and weathering products of proximal rocks supplied detritus in the sedimentary basin. Marine facies (up to 6400 yr ago) are characterized by the increased contents of carbonates, the high salinity index Sr/Ba, and the low contents of nickel, biogenic silica, and organic matter. The element composition is clearly correlated with grain-size composition. The CIA index and Rb/Sr ratio indicate that the coarse-grained varieties, regardless of their genesis, are less chemically altered. They are enriched in detrital components, which comprise all elements, except for SiO2 and phosphorus. Marine regression at ca. 6400 yr ago was followed by lacustrine environment, which provided the predominant accumulation of biogenic silica and organic. The aeolian activity related to climatic cooling and marine regressions led to the formation of coarse-grained interlayers in silty sequence, which are clearly expressed by geochemical characteristics. The fresh-water facies show a distinct grain-size rhythmicity traced by Al2O3/(CaO + Na2O) ratio.

The Paleoproterozoic Jiao-Liao-Ji Orogenic Belt is a part of the Eastern Block, North China Craton. The Shuangcha rock mass has been recently recognized in Laohe group of Jiao-Liao-Ji Orogenic Belt, and it consists of mainly porphyritic monzonitic granite and porphyritic K-feldspar granite. We present detailed studies of petrography, geochronology and geochemistry of Shuangcha rock mass to constrain the petrogenesis and tectonic evolution features of the Jiao-Liao-Ji Orogenic Belt. The mineral of the Shuangcha granite consists of K-feldspar, plagioclase, quartz and a small amount of biotite ( 350 ppm) and 10,000Ga/Al ratios (average 2.69), which are typical features of A-type granite. The Shuangcha A-type granites can be further subdivided into A2-type subgroup based on some geochemical features, such as high Y/Nb ratios (0.99~3.14, average 1.84). Petrographic and geochemical studies have shown that the Shuangcha granites were the product of partial melting of quartzo-feldspathic rocks under a high temperature (>899°C), low pressure and anhydrous environment. Based on geochemical studies of Shuangcha granites, spatial and temporal distributions of regional magmatism and metamorphism records, the Jiao-Liao-Ji Orogenic Belt was in a typical post-collision extension setting in late Paleoproterozoic period (1.82~1.88 Ga) probably triggered by the slab breaks off.

The paper summarizes data on germanium and gallium concentrations in natural magmatic melts as follows from analyses of mineral-hosted inclusions and quench glasses in volcanic rocks. Germanium concentrations in melts vary from 0.96 to 17.6 ppm (1472 determinations). The geometric mean germanium concentration in silicate melts is 1.56 ppm, which is quite close to the clarke value. Concentrations of gallium in magmatic melts vary from 0.47 to 495 ppm (8755 determinations). The geometric mean of gallium concentration in silicate melts is 19.0 ppm, which is also close to the clarke value. Germanium concentration in hydrothermal fluids ranges from 0.01 to 930 ppm (405 determinations), and the geometric mean value is 17.0 ppm. Concentrations of gallium in fluids vary from 0.02 to 320 ppm (441 determinations), with a geometric mean of 2.0 ppm. The possible reasons for the differences in germanium and gallium concentrations in natural melts and fluids are discussed.

Oxygen isotope composition was studied in 33 monomineralic fractions of olivine from plagioclase lherzolite, dunite, troctolite, and olivine gabbronorite of the Yoko-Dovyren layered massif. The δ18O values of the least altered rocks not contaminated with crustal materials range within 5.8 ± 0.2‰ (n = 27). These values for the dunite contaminated with carbonate material are notably higher and average at 6.2 ± 0.3‰. This is similar to characteristics of the Bushveld and Jinchuan mineralized complexes. Using the COMAGMAT-5 model, the temperatures of equilibrium of 98% crystals with late portions of the residual melts were evaluated at 1131–1266°C (1176 ± 34°C on average). These estimates are viewed as the closing temperatures of the cumulate systems with respect to the efficient exchange of 18O and 16O isotopes between olivine and mobile melt/fluid. For the uncontaminated systems, the δ18O values of the parental melt calculated using the modeled temperatures are 6.6 ± 0.2‰, and are 7.1 ± 0.3 ‰ for melts with signatures of crustal contamination. Such relations are consistent with insignificant (no more than a few percent) contamination of the parental magmas with carbonate materials from the host rocks.

The paper presents data on contents of the platinum group elements (Pt, Ir, Pd, and Ru) and Au in Fe–Mn nodules of different morphology and in their separate layers from the Cape Basin, Atlantic Ocean. The Layer-by-layer analysis of the Fe–Mn nodules and crusts shows that the platinum group elements (PGE) are accumulated in the ferromanganese oxyhydroxide layers relative to the clayey nuclei and the substrate of the crust. Among oxyhydroxide layers, PGE are more significantly concentrated in the hydrogenetic (sedimentation) layers of the nodules than in layers with predominant oxic and suboxic diagenetic material. Gold is demonstrated not to be accumulated in the Fe–Mn nodules. The reason for the predominant accumulation of platinum relative to palladium in nodules is the oxidative sorption on manganese oxyhydroxides suspended in seawater. An increase in the growth rate of the nodules due to the input of diagenetic material from sediments is accompanied by an increase in the Mn/Fe value in the nodules. The increase of Mn/Fe value in nodules is shown to be associated with a decrease in the Pt/Pd ratio, which indicates a dominant role of the hydrogenetic input of PGE to the nodule. The contents of iridium and ruthenium correlate with the contents of platinum and cerium.

The first data on the isotopic composition and elemental ratios of nitrogen, carbon, and noble gases in samples from the early stages of the formation of the Guli Complex (Maimecha-Kotui igneous province, Polar Siberia), obtained using the method of stepwise crushing, are reported. The 40Ar/36Ar ratios in the crushing steps vary from the values close to atmospheric (~296) in the meimechite sample to 5000–6000 in pyroxenite and melilitolite; the latter correspond to the estimate for the mantle source of carbonatite from the Guli massif, according to the Ne–Ar systematics. The bulk nitrogen isotopic composition (δ15N) in the studied rocks varies from +3.7 to –5.9‰, showing a regular increase in δ15N with increasing nitrogen concentration; the range of δ15N variations in crushing steps is even wider: from +6.7‰ in pyroxenite to –15.4‰ in meimechite. The data obtained for the ultrabasic rocks of the Guli Massif suggest a significantly lower contribution of the subducted nitrogen of organic origin in comparison with the alkaline–ultramafic rocks of the Kola alkaline province and associated carbonatite, as well as with the Guli carbonatite and some Indian alkaline–ultramafic complexes with carbonatite. The N/36Ar ratios in the trapped mantle component of the ultramafic rocks are 4–8 times lower than that in the associated carbonatite. This, most likely, indicates different fluid sources, or the preferred escape of nitrogen from the fluid phase at the early stages of the formation of the Guli Massif.

The Karasu Stream is located in the province of Sakarya in Turkey. It flows into the Black Sea with an output of 10 m3/s. Chemical compositions of surface and ground waters change following interaction with geological units and chemical weathering at the surrounding rocks. This change may be realized as passing of the ions mobilized from the rocks and soil into the water. Hence, concentrations in natural waters of some ions that may negatively affect human health may increase. Some of heavy-metal concentrations in the Karasu Stream water were slightly higher than the world average values. High ions contents in the Karasu Stream water are related to geological origin. The ions such as Al, Sb, As, Ba, Cr, Se, Pb, Fe and Zn in the Karasu Stream waters increases by chemical weathering of the rocks and water - rock interaction. The amount of aluminum (Al) in the Karasu Stream water (823 μg/L) is higher than the drinking water limit values (200 μg/L) of the World Health Organization, Environmental Protection Agency, European Union and Water Intended for Human Consumption. Hence, the Karasu Stream water might need to be treated.