Book Description

"The major purpose of this volume is to provide a comprehensive synthesis of the regional geology, tectonics, and metallogenesis of Northeast Asia for readers who are unfamiliar with the region and for researchers who desire detailed information on the region. The major parts of the volume are (1) an introductory chapter; (2) a chapter on methodology of regional metallogenic and tectonic analysis; (3) a chapter on mineral deposit models for the region; (4) five chapters that describe the regional metallogenesis and tectonics of the region from the Archean through the Present for successive time stages; (5) a chapter on a metallogenic and tectonic model for the region; and (6) three appendixes, including on a description of the project and products, a description of map units for the Northeast Asia geodynamics map, and a summary table of metallogenic belts for the region. An important goal of the volume is to demonstrate how a high-quality metallogenic and tectonic analysis, including construction of an associated metallogenic-tectonic model, greatly benefits other mineral resource studies by (1) synthesizing of mineral-deposit models, (2) improving prediction of undiscovered mineral deposits as part of quantitative mineral-resource-assessment studies, (3) assisting land-use and mineral-exploration planning, (4) improving knowledge of regional geology; (5) improving interpretations of the origins of host rocks, mineral deposits, and metallogenic belts, and (6) suggesting new research. Research on the metallogenesis and tectonics of such major regions as Northeast Asia requires a complex methodology including (1) definitions of key terms, (2) compilation of a regional geologic base map that can be interpreted according to modern tectonic concepts and definitions, (3) compilation of a mineral-deposit database that enables a determination of mineral-deposit models and clarification of the relations of deposits to host rocks and tectonic origins, (4) synthesis of a series of mineral-deposit models that characterize the known mineral deposits and inferred undiscovered deposits in the region, (5) compilation of a series of metallogenic-belt belts constructed on the regional geologic base map, and (6) construction of a unified metallogenic and tectonic model. The Northeast Asia study area consists of eastern Russia (most of eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East), Mongolia, northern China, South Korea, Japan, and adjacent offshore areas. Major cooperative agencies are the Russian Academy of Sciences; the Academy of Sciences of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia); VNIIOkeangeologia and Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation; the Mongolian Academy of Sciences; the Mongolian University of Science and Technology; the Mongolian National University; Jilin University, Changchun, People's Republic of China; the China Geological Survey; the Korea Institute of Geosciences and Mineral Resources; the Geological Survey of Japan/AIST; the University of Texas, Arlington; and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). This study builds on and extends the data and interpretations from a previous project on the Major Mineral Deposits, Metallogenesis, and Tectonics of the Russian Far East, Alaska, and the Canadian Cordillera conducted by the USGS, the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, and the Geological Survey of Canada. The major products of the Northeast Asia project are described in appendix A."--Executive summary.