In 2010 Polar Marine Geological Expedition successfully carried out the activities on 8 state agreements made with the department of Depths Exploration, in the continental shelf and in the World Ocean (“MORGEO”). The activity directions traditionally embraced Arctic, Antarctica and the World Ocean. Besides, the subject and research works were carried out on a number of
agreements with institutes VNIIOceangeologiya, AANII and other organisations.
ARCTIC
I. In the second quarter of 2010 the works on the project “Geologial additional research of North-Eastern regions of archipelago Spitsbergen (2007-2010) were successfully finished. The final geological report was prepared, containing a set of geological maps (scale 1:200 000) of North-Eastern egions of archipelago Spitsbergen. For the first time a union stratigraphiс column was made for North-Eastern Land including mid-upper-Riphean, Vendian, Paleozoic and Mesozoic deposits. The informational-analitical review “Geological structure and mineral resources of archipelago Spitsbergen” was prepared. It is demostrated that the most perspective of the archipelago mineral resources are oil and gas manifestations demanding further research for the evaluation of the resources and economic efficiency of their mining.
II. In 2010 the office studies on the project “State geological map scale 1:1 000 000, T-45-48” (2007-2011) were continued. Some issues of the explanaory note for the SGM-1000/3 set are made up; the work was continued on making up and specification of the authors’ models of geological maps (scale 1:1 000 000); composing of the anticipatory geophysical basis SGM-1000/3 was concluded. The most important result of the carried out works was the discovery of the potential oil-and-gas bearing structures in the Voronin trough area and in the Western part of Vilkitsky strait. It was determined that for the Kara Sea area there is a possibility of Mesozoic-Caenozoic sediments mapping by the contents of the washed up palynological complexes.
III. In the second quarter of 2010 the works started on the project “Geological additional of the North-Western Is-fjord coast and Western Gren fjord coast (archipelago Spitsbergen)” (2010-2012). In September 2010 the first field season on the North-Western Is-Fjord coast was finished; the field works on geological additional research were carried out on the area of 1 thousand square kilometers. The field geological maps and schemes were made up, as well as the detailed stratigraphic sections of Triassic, Jurassic, Early Cretaceous and Quaternary formations; a new dike of alcaline-ultrabasic rocks, related to kimberlites, was discovered; manifestations of gypsum and phosphorites of mineragenic interest were described.
ANTARCTICA
I. In the 4-th quarter of 2010 the works on the project “Geological-geophysical research and evaluation of rock areas of MacRobertson mineral and raw potential of the Antarctica depths and marginal seas (Davis Sea, mountaneous regions of MacRobertson Land) in 54 RAE”
(2008-2010). In the limits of the project a set of geophysical and interpretational maps (scale 1:2 500 00) of Davis Sea basin was made; the total area of the basin is 235 thousands of square kilometers, and about 30 thousands of it is the poorely studied shelf area; the hydrocarbon potential of the researched part of the basin is evaluated as 2,2 billions of tons of standard coal. Sets of final maps, schemes and geological-geophysical sections on the investigated regions were made: Prince Charles mountains, subglacial lake Vostok and the belt of route station “Progress” – station “Vostok”. A new geological information is acquired on the Antarctica mountainous and central regions on the area of approximately 16 thousands of square kilometers, allowing to judge about the main features of the structure and mineragenic specialisation of the investigated regions.
II. During the first six months of 2010 the field and marine works on the project “Geological-geophysical research and evaluation of mineral-raw materials of the Antarctica depths and its marginal seas (the Eastern part of Durville Sea, mountainous regions of Princess Elizabeth Land) in 55 RAE» (2009-2011) were fulfilled. A set of preliminary geophysical and interpretational maps of the Eastern part of Durville Sea (scale 1:2 500 000) was made was made; on the field stage the sedimental cover parameters and underlying basement were revealed; the total area of the basin is 215 thousands of square kilometers, the maximal thickness of the cover is 12 kilometers, the volume of the sedimentary material is about 1 million cubic kilometers; the preliminary evaluation of the resource potential is 3 billions tons of standard oil. The field geological maps, sections and schemes of Westfall oasis (Princess Elizabeth Land) (scale 1:2 000 – 1:100 000) were made; a platinum-bearing gabbro-norite complex was preliminarily evaluated. By the data of aerogeophysical survey a field set of geophysical and interpretational maps was made for Leopold and Astrid Coast (scales 1:500 000 – 1:100 000) A new geological information on mountaineous and central regions of the Antarctica was obtained on the area of approximately 19 thousands of square kilometers.
III. In the 4-th quarter of 2010 the activities began on the project “Geological-geophysical research and evaluation of mineral-raw material potential of the Antarctica depths and the marginal seas (Western part of Weddel Sea, mountaineous regions of MacRobertson Land and Princess Elizabeth Land) in 56 RAE” (2010-2012). The design estimate documentation was prepared, and the field and marine activities were organised. The field detachments, participating in land works, were sent to the Antarctica on board R/V “Akademik Fiodorov” on Novemer 9, and the marine group om board R/V “Akademik Karpinsky” set on thу cruise on December 15 2010. According to the geological task, it was to fulfill the complex geological-geophysical works in the Eastern part of Weddell Sea, on MacRobertson Land, Princess Elizabeth Land, subglacial lake Vostok area, and on the belt of route station “Progress” – station “Vostok” (Eastern and Central Antarctica).
THE ATLANTIC OCEAN
I. In the 4-th quarter of 2010 PMGE successfully fulfilled the works on the project “Geological-geophysical research in order to spot the sites perspective for HPS in the axial zone of MAR (in the limits of 11° – 12° 30´ N) and the prospecting work on the site 13° 31´ N (2008-2010). On the regional site “11° – 12° 30´ N” the main features of the geological structure were revealed as well as the local areas perspective for the HPS beds. On a detailed area “13° 31´ N” the geological structure of the ore node “Semyonov” was researched. Well-founded recommendations were given on the advisability and succession of the further works.
II. In the first six months of 2010 the marine works were carried out on the project “Search works on site “20° 08´ N” and geological-geophysical research in order to discover the manifestations of HPS in the axial zone of MAR (in the limits 19 15 – 20 05 N) (2009-2011). In the limits of the regional site for 20° 08´ N. Named “Zenith-Victoria” 3 ore bodies were discovered. They consist of sulphuric ores of marcasite-pyrite composition and copper pyrite varieties of mainly marcasite-pyrite-chalcopyrite composition and are characterized by almost full absence of zinc mineralization.