Septarian stone of ornamental and jewelry quality from a quarry of construction materials at the city of Artyom in the Primorsky Krai

The article describes a comprehensive analysis of septarian stone of ornamental and jewelry quality from a quarry of construction materials in the neighborhood of Artyom city in the Primorsky Krai. Septarian stone originates from the bottom sublevel of the Early Triassic Olenekian level. The analysis shows that septarian stone consists mostly of calcite (more than 76 mass%). Septarian stone also includes quartz, albite, illite, chlorite, kaolinite, dolomite, barite, microcline, pyrite and sphene. Impurities of Sr and V feature increased contents. Mineralization of mud cracks proceeded by stages, with successive stratification of calcite of different structure, color, size and morphology of crystals, without corrosion and replacement of the latter. The gemological characteristics of septarian stone and their determinants, which should be taken into account when processing septarian stone, are obtained. The color of calcite is governed by the structure and transparency of the mineral layers, by the size and morphology of the mineral crystals, by the color of the bottom layer, and by the contents of Fe and Mn. The mineral and chemical compositions of septarian stone allow identifying micro inclusions and impurities. Septarian stone features a wide range of dimensions, high ornamentality, beneficial process characteristics and eco-friendliness. Septarian stone occurs together with ornamental and jewelry quality ammonite, which adds to a variety of semi-precious stones. It is possible to extract septarian stope as a by-product in the course of mining operations at the test quarry without extra material expenses.

Petrochenkov D. A., Baraboshkin E. Yu., Fedoseev D. G. Septarian stone of ornamental and jewelry quality from a quarry of construction materials at the city of Artyom in the Primorsky Krai. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2024;(7):61-77. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/ 0236_1493_2024_7_0_61.

The study was supported under the state contract with the Lomonosov Moscow State University, and was carried out using equipment purchased within the framework of the Lomonosov Moscow State University Development Program.

D.A. Petrochenkov, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Assistant Professor, Head of Chair, Sergo Ordzhonikidzе Russian State Geological Prospecting University (MGRI-RSGPU), 117997, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: p-d-a@mail.ru,
E.Yu. Baraboshkin, Dr. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Professor, Lomonosov Moscow State University (MGU), 119991, Moscow, Russia, e-mail: ejbaraboshkin@mail.ru,
D.G. Fedoseev, Cand. Sci. (Geol. Mineral.), Researcher, Far Eastern Geological Institute, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (DGI DO RAN), 690022, Vladivostok, Russia, e-mail: dmitry_fedoseev@bk.ru.

D.A. Petrochenkov, e-mail: p-d-a@mail.ru.

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