Rare minerals found in the Caucasian Reserve

The results of geological and mineralogical studies carried out in the area of ​​the Imeretinskie Lakes within the framework of scientific cooperation between the Caucasian Reserve and the A.E. Fersman Mineralogical Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences have been published. The agreement on such interaction was signed by the parties in 2020.

“According to the results of the study, 5 mineral species were immediately identified by specialists for the first time in Russia: biverite-(Zn), buttgenbachite, doyleite, munakataite and, probably, pseudoboleite. Finding one of them is most likely the second in the world. A number of other rare minerals have been found and described,” the Caucasian Reserve reported on its website.

According to experts, the discovery of munakataita indicates the expediency of continuing work at the Imereti site to search for Se-bearing mineralization. Scientists also consider it interesting to study the mineralogy and other areas in the reserve.

“In general, the finds of selenates on the territory of the Russian Federation are, in principle, the first. Prior to this, isolated finds of selenites-oxidized ores of dumps were recorded. It is on the Imereti lakes that rare hypergene (i.e., arising in the hypergenesis zone, in the most superficial part of the earth's crust, at low temperatures and pressures) minerals that have specific formation conditions are common,” the reserve says in a statement.

The results of the study in the Caucasian Reserve formed the basis of a number of publications printed in professional buildings.