The second issue of “Ores and Metals” journal was published.

The “Deposit forecasting, prospecting, assessment and exploration methods and techniques” section presents results of studies performed by the Russian specialists, including young geologists, in prospective gold districts. O. V. Vladimirtseva, RGGRU postgraduate, N. N. Bondarenko, L. V. Shatilova and I. A. Gvozdeva (TsNIGRI) analyzed gold samples taken in Verkhoyansk district, Republic of Sakha, from Adycha river midstream placers; despite considerable long-term prospecting and exploration, primary sources of many placers were not revealed there, their ore formation type was not defined and the role of intermediate reservoirs was not clarified. This relevant study is based on a classical method developed in TsNIGRI by L. A. Nikolaeva, PhD: updating native gold genesis based on its typomorphic features. Their conclusions were thoroughly validated by the authors in the paper “Typomorphic features of native gold, Snezhny stream, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)”. The paper “Forecast for concealed gold mineralization within Central Kolyma region based on a set of geological and geophysical features by identification method” reviews the results of a relatively new approach to identification of gold deposit localization features. A. V. Karamyshev, K. S. Fedorova and A. V. Tarasov, PhD (VSEGEI) complemented a set of forecasting features with a balanced combination of indirect geophysical parameters and direct geological data converted into statistically interpreted quantitative variables. The proposed method is based on image identification algorithm and involves division of numerous study targets into 2 classes: “ore” deposits, which are most similar to the known standard ore clusters, fields or deposits in terms of all the analyzed features, and conventionally “barren”; to characterize them, host environment including an area beyond the selected standard deposits is assessed.

The first paper in “Ore deposit structure” section is written by A. V. Melnikov and V. A. Stepanov; it is entitled “The geological position of unique gold nuggets discovered in New South Wales (Australia) and the Amur region (Russia)”. Based on a detailed study of “Holterman Plate” nugget discovered in Australia (Hill End gold deposit) in the 19th century and a group of large gold nuggets discovered in 1966 in Yasnensky ore placer cluster (North Bureya metallogenic zone of the Amur province) as well as results of comparative analysis related to geological structure and gold mineralization at discovery sites, the authors suggest that the potential exists for discovering an economic gold deposit within Gar-2 placer, on the right bank of the namesake river in the Amur region. M. L. Moskvitina, B. B. Damdinov, L. B. Damdinova and A. D. Izvekova published extensive data on ore mineral composition at Zun-Kholba deposit discovered in 1955 in their paper, “Mineral associations of quartz-sulfide ores, Zun-Kholba gold deposit, Eastern Sayany”. Data is presented on some of its features including gold mineralization genesis. T. V. Seravina, V. V. Kuznetsov, T. P. Kuznetsova and S. L. Elshina (TsNIGRI), authors of the paper, “Silver-lead-zinc deposits in volcanogenic associations of the Cheremshansky ore cluster, Dalnegorsky ore district”, presented the results of lithological-facial and paleostructural analysis related to polymetallic ore localization conditions within Cheremshansky ore cluster; these studies were conducted there for the first time.

In the “Diamond deposit structure” section, N. I. Gorev, A. Yu. Kolesnik, E. V. Protsenko and E. I. Nikolenko, authors of the paper, “Formation history of Middle Paleozoic kimberlites of the Alakit-Markha field, Western Yakutia”, pointed out that major kimberlite bodies and all the primary deposits within Alakit-Markha kimberlite field are polyphase suggesting their polychronous nature. The authors focused on how this fact should be considered in prospecting. The final paper in this section, “Diamonds from the Ukugut series of the Nyurbinskaya placer, Nakyn kimberlite field”, by T. V. Kedrova, I. N. Bogush and N. N. Zinchuk provides a detailed description of mineralogical and optical-spectroscopic characteristics of diamonds from deposits of this series, shows diamond location patterns in sedimentary deposits and concludes about distribution halos of crystals from kimberlite pipes.

The new issue continues to publish memories by A. A. Konstantinovsky about his family life in besieged Moscow in autumn 1941, war losses and the Victory Day.

“Ores and Metals” journal published heartfelt congratulations on anniversaries of our colleagues, prominent Russian geologists.

“Memory” section is devoted to beautiful people and great specialists, B. A. Yatskevich, B. K. Mikhailov, A. A. Cheremisin, B. Ya. Vikhter and A. G. Volarovich, who passed away.

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