Rhaetian diamond placers in Siberia

Large diamond placers have been discovered in a Rhaetian basal horizon (Upper Triassic) in the north of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) in the drainage areas of the Eekit, Nikabyt, Kelimyar, and Bur Rivers. In typomorphic features the found diamonds and indicator minerals of kimberlites are completely similar to those from Carnian basal horizons but, in contrast to them, are well sorted, and pyropes show features of mechanical wear. Analysis of the geologic evolution of the study area, morphology of diamonds and indicator minerals, and composition of the latter showed that the Rhaetian productive sediments resulted from the erosion of Carnian placers. (C) 2010, IGM, Siberian Branch of the RAS. Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.