Deiak M. Modern water-chemogenic formation of mud volcanoes of Kerch Peninsula

The results of detailed research of the modern water-chemogenic formations of mud volcanoes of Kerch Peninsula has been proposed. The peculiarities of the distribution, forms of the exhalations, and the main regularities of the sedimentogenic mineral formaton in subaerial conditions have been defined on basis of field, laboratory and experimental data. The main forms of the neocrystallizations are crusts, botryoidal and flower-shaped aggregates, dendrites, earthy masses. They are formed along the ways of mud volcano water discharge. Modern water-chemogenic formations of mud volcanoes are polymyctic. They consist of minerals of borate class (borax, tincalconite, probertite), carbonate class (calcite, dolomite, trona, northupite, gaylussite, pirssonite, nesquehonite), sulfate class (gypsum, epsomite, hexagydrite, pentahydrite, thenardite, mirabilite, astrakhanite, sanderite), nitrate class (nitratine), chloride class (halite). Such mineral types as northupite, gaylussite, pirssonite, nesquehonite, sanderite have been defined for the first time for the territory of Ukraine. The formation of the water-chemogenic minerals is caused by the intense evaporation of the mud volcano waters and salt formation in the summer. This process has a seasonal nature. Sequence of the mineral crystallization is controlled by the degree of mineralization of mud volcanoes waters, air temperature and humidity and salt solubility. Polymyctic aggregates pass into solution during precipitation. The solution penetrates in grounds and causes there salinization and formation of such new minerals as boronatrocalcite, luneburgite, calcite, gypsum, jarosite).