Unique titanium Deposits of Timan: genesis and age issues

Abstract

The article critically analysesthe hypotheses about the formation, age, and sources of material of large Timan titanium deposits, which were previously considered ancient buried placers formed along the weathering crusts of the Riphean shales. We discuss an alternative hydrothermal-metamorphic hypothesis about the formation of these deposits and the source of ore material. It is established that the incoming zircon of different ages (570-3200 Ma), as well as two other geochronometers, rutile and monazite, underwent a thermal effect common for all varieties as a result of a hydrothermal process about 600 Ma ago. According to modern concepts, the closing temperature of the U-Pb system in rutile exceeds 500 °С, which suggests high-temperature conditions for the hydrothermal processing of rutile during the formation of the considered deposits in the Riphean.