Titova N. Material composition of solid emissions of the Kerch Peninsula mud volcanoes and its significance for lithologic and genetic reconstructions

The thesis presents the results of detailed studies of the material composition of solid emissions of Kerch Peninsula mud volcanoes. Based on field and laboratory studies particle size, lithologic and mineral composition, age affiliation of major components of the solid phase were defined and lithological-genetic reconstruction of the Cenozoic territory was made. Roughly detrital material of mud breccia of the Kerch Peninsula mud volcanoes is generally 2-4%, the bulk of emissions is presented by psamit, silt and pelitic fraction. In rough debris fractions in different amounts were set: sandstone, siltstone, limestone, mudstone, marl, iron ore, clay-carbonate nodules (clay siderite), fragments of calcite, as well as specific clay-carbonate rocks with cone in cone texture. In stratigraphic scale these rocks correspond to the Cretaceous, Paleogene and Neogene age. In addition, in the products of mud volcanoes of the Kerch Peninsula we set over one hundred minerals of authigenous and terrigenous origin. Among the minerals of mud volcanic genesis previous studies and we defined: sulphides (pyrite, sphalerite, cinnabar, realgar, orpiment), borates (luneburgite, tincalconite, kernite, borax, probertite, boronatrocalcite), carbonates (calcite, dolomite, throna, northupite, gaylussite, pirssonite, nesquehonite, thermonatrite, soda) sulfates (gypsum, astrakhanite, epsomite, anhydrite, barite, celestine, hexagydrite, pentahydrite, sanderite, thenardite, mirabilite, alunite, jarosite) nitrates (nitratine), chloride (halite). The raw material of mud clay of mud volcanoes are rocks of Maikop series (clays, siltstones, sandstones) that undergone significant changes in eruptive channel. The main processes of these changes is kaolinization and carbonatization. Mud volcanoes of Kerch Peninsula originated in the Oligocene period and their further development was cyclical. Four main splashes of mud volcanic activation are identified: middle-upper Maikop, Chokrak-Karagan, Sarmatian and Kimmeran. Mud volcanoes for the Kerch Peninsula are morph generators and their activities has significantly influenced litho genetic processes in the region.