The new ludwigite-group mineral savelievaite, ideally Mg2Cr3+O2(BO3), was found in the chromitite body at the Malaya Kharamatalou river valley, Voikar–Syninskiy ultrabasic complex, Polar Urals, Russia. Savelievaite and Cr-enriched ludwigite occur in clinochlore veinlets and are associated with earlier magnesiochromite, spinel, chromite, pargasite, diopside, forsterite, serpentine, magnetite and pentlandite. Savelievaite forms prismatic, acicular or fibrous crystals up to 0.05 × 0.4 mm, usually assembled in radiating or chaotic clusters up to 1 × 1.5 mm across. It is opaque, black to greenish-black. The lustre is vitreous for prismatic crystals and silky for fibrous aggregates. D(calc.) = 3.91 g cm–3. Under the microscope in reflected light, savelievaite is grey, non-pleochroic, with weak bireflectance and anisotropism. The chemical composition (wt.%, EMPA, Fe2+:Fe3+ ratio by stoichiometry) is: MgO 34.88, FeO 10.83, NiO 0.36, B2O3 16.80, Al2O3 2.97, V2O3 0.21, Cr2O3 21.97, Fe2O3 12.40, TiO2 0.43, total 100.85. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 5 O apfu is (Mg1.72Fe2+0.30Ni0.01)Σ2.03(Cr3+0.57Fe3+0.31Al0.12Ti0.01V3+0.01)Σ1.02B0.96O5. Savelievaite is orthorhombic, space group Pbam, a = 9.2631(6), b = 12.2298(8), c = 3.0104(2) Å, V = 341.04(4) Å3 and Z = 4. The strongest reflections of the powder X-ray diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are: 5.101(100)(120); 2.551(90)(240); 2.524(88)(201); 2.163(36)(250); and 2.033(55)(321). The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data and refined to R1 = 0.0405. Savelievaite is isostructural with ludwigite, Cr3+ is concentrated at the M4 site. The mineral is named in honour of the Russian petrologist and geologist Dr. Galina Nikolaevna Savelieva (b. 1936). Ludwigite, ideally Mg2Fe3+O2(BO3), and savelievaite form a continuous isomorphous series in which Cr3+ content varies from 0 to 0.60 apfu. Occurrences of Cr-enriched (>1 wt.% Cr2O3) varieties of ludwigite are mainly related to ultrabasic complexes. The Cr-richest (>10 wt.% Cr2O3) ludwigite–savelievaite-series members are found in chromite ores at the Voikar–Syninskiy complex and Volchiegorskoe and Tatishchevskoe deposits, both in the South Urals.

Molybdenite from two porphyry copper mineralisation sites within the South Urals was studied by electron microprobe (EMPA), micro x-ray diffraction (μXRD) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) methods. Elevated contents of rhenium (0.2 to 0.4, sometimes up to 1.1 wt.%) form linear zones from several to tens of micrometres wide and up to hundreds of micrometres long parallel to the elongation of molybdenite flakes. In most cases Re-rich zones are composed of the rhombohedral (3R) polytype of molybdenite, while the rest of the molybdenite flakes with ca. 0.1 wt.% of Re consist of hexagonal (2H) molybdenite. In rare cases Re-rich zones are confined to grain boundaries of molybdenite-2H. It is shown that both μXRD and EBSD are the most appropriate tools to distinguish different polytypes within a single grain of molybdenite.

The carved wooden object uncovered from the Shigir peat bog in the Sverdlovsk region towards the end of the nineteenth century remains one of the oldest, known examples of monumental anthropomorphic sculpture from anywhere in the world. Recent application of new analytical techniques has led to the discovery of new imagery on its surface, and has pushed the date of the piece back to the earliest Holocene. The results of these recent analyses are placed here in the context of local and extra-local traditions of comparable prehistoric art. This discussion highlights the unique nature of the find and its significance for appreciating the complex symbolic world of Early Holocene hunter-gatherers.

Mineralogical, electron microprobe analysis and laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry data from molybdenite within two porphyry copper deposits (Kalinovskoe and Birgilda) of the Birgilda-Tomino ore cluster (South Urals) are presented.† The results provide evidence that molybdenites from these two sites have similar trace-element chemistry. Most trace elements (Si, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Ag, Sb, Te, Pb, Bi, Au, As and Se) form mineral inclusions within molybdenite. The Re contents in molybdenite vary from 8.7 ppm to 1.13 wt.%. The Re distribution within single molybdenite flakes is always extremely heterogeneous. It is argued that a temperature decrease favours the formation of Re-rich molybdenite. The high Re content of molybdenite observed points to a mantle-derived source.

Embreyite from the Berezovskoe, Urals, Russia, was studied by the means of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), single-crystal XRD, infrared spectroscopy and microprobe analysis. The empirical formula of embreyite obtained on the basis of microprobe analysis is Pb1.29Cu0.07Cr0.52P0.43O4 (without taking into account the presence of H2O). An examination of single-crystal XRD frames of the tested crystals cut from embreyite intergrowths revealed split reflection spots of weak intensities, even after a long exposure time. The crystal structure of embreyite (monoclinic, C2/m, a = 9.802(16), b = 5.603(9), c = 7.649(12) Å, β = 114.85(3)o and V = 381.2(11) Å3) has been solved by direct methods and refined to R1 = 0.050 for 318 unique observed reflections. The powder XRD patterns of the holotype embreyite and the fresh material studied are close in both d values and the intensities match the pattern calculated from the structural single-crystal XRD data. The unit-cell parameters were re-calculated for the holotype sample using a new cell setting and corresponding hkl indices. The crystal structure of embreyite is based on layers formed by corner-sharing mixed chromate-phosphate tetrahedra and PbO6 distorted octahedra. The interlayer space is filled by disordered Pb2+ and Cu2+ cations. Generally, the crystal structure of embreyite can be referred to the structural type of palmierite. {Pb[(Cr,P)O4]2]} layers in embreyite are similar in topology to those in yavapaiite-type compounds. The general formula of embreyite can be represented as (Pbx$M_y^{2 +} $□1–x–y)2{Pb[(Cr,P)O4]2}(H2O)n, where M2+ = Cu and Zn and 0.5 ≤ x + y ≤ 1, or, in the simplified form: (Pb,Cu,□)2{Pb[(Cr,P)O4]2}(H2O)n. The simplified formula of embreyite is similar in stoichiometry to vauquelinite and may explain the existence of the solid-solution series. The determination of the crystal structure of embreyite may also help to resolve the crystal chemical nature of cassedanneite. The XRD pattern of cassedanneite contains a distinct reflection with d = 13.9 Å, forbidden for the embreyite unit cell. This feature may indicate the doubling of the c unit-cell parameter of cassedanneite in comparison with embreyite. We assume that cassedanneite has structural similarity to embreyite with, presumably, a disordered distribution of Cr and V.


The military nuclear activities in the former Soviet Union led to unique contamination and resulted in high cumulative exposures. A proper assessment is needed for mitigation and for the further development of radiation protection. Environmental samples from areas affected by large radioactive releases into the Techa river starting in 1948 and by fall-out from the explosion of a tank containing high level waste in 1957, were independently analysed by two Russian groups and by our team in 1992-93. Soil, sediments, milk and fish samples were split into three aliquots and analysed for 90Sr,137Cs and plutonium. Soil values in areas accessible to the local population were up to 16 kBq kg-1 for 90Sr, up to 26 kBq kg-1 for 137Cs and up to 12 Bq kg-1 for 239Pu, respectively. Milk generally contained low levels ranging from <1 to 25 Bq kg-1 for 90Sr, 1 to 14 Bq kg-1 for 137Cs and <0.1 Bq kg-1 for plutonium. Pike from the Techa river, however, showed15,000 Bq kg-1 90Sr. In 1993, 750 in vivo measurements of 90 Sr/90Y were performed in individuals of communities situated downstream of Majak which had incorporated large activities of 90Srfrom using the Techa river as drinking water supply. To help validate a large body of Russian measurements, a transportable body counter which measures the scull content of 90Sr/90Y directly from high energy β's emitted from the front of the head and also indirectly via Bremsstrahlung was developed. Although the highest activities (37 kBq) were found in persons having lived at the river Techa during the early releases, considerable 90Sr contamination, often accompanied with elevated 137Cs burdens, were also found in younger persons indicating recent ingestion. Chronic and recent contamination will add to the uncertainties involved in the assessment of bone marrow doses from 90Sr as a crucial element in dose reconstruction for the Techa river cohort. A first visit to the medical school and health institutions in Semipalatinsk and to a village having been heavily contaminated by an atmospheric bomb test at the Polygon yielded sometimes contradictory information but indicated high cumulative exposures in several Kazakh settlements adjacent to the test site.