The long-term regional geological study of the Russian Federation subsoil at the All-Russian Geological Research Institute of A. P. Karpinsky resulted in establishing an original array of geological and cartographic data for the country’s territory, which has geological maps sets of three generations (scales of 1 : 200,000 and 1 : 1,000,000), integrated and review maps of the Russian Federation and its continental shelf (scale of 1 : 2,500,000), including the geological map, deep structure and geophysical anomalies maps, Early and Late Preсambrian maps, etc. This data set located on the Institute’s website as part of the national geological and cartographic resource Digital Twin of Russian Subsoil is a unique record including geological structure of the Volga-Ural oil and gas province, its sedimentary cover stratigraphy, and the region’s tectonic evolution, which the paper describes briefly. The current work on the Volga-Ural region geological mapping, which is aligned with monitoring the State Geological Map (scale of 1 : 1,000,000), involves detailing and updating geological, geochemical, stratigraphic, and other data. The studies aid in connecting geological characteristics of the territory and its oil and gas potential, which enables the region to retain an important role in the Russian oil and gas industry for the long run.

The paper presents results of geological, geomorphological, and geoarchaeological studies in the Narva-Luga Klint Bay (the Narva Bay coast, the Baltic Sea) in 2011–2022. Detailed geological and geophysical studies using groundpenetrating radar profiling, handle drilling, outcrop exploration, grain size analysis, and optically stimulated luminescence identified the previously unknown accumulative landform — Kuzemkino palaeospit. Analysis of the obtained field and laboratory materials and the digital relief model revealed that the identified accumulative form is a remnant of a fluvioglacial delta formed during the Pandivere glacier retreat. In the Holocene, the fluvioglacial delta sediments reworking by the waters of the Ancylus Lake and Littorina Sea led to form the largest coastal barrier form in the region — the Kudruküla palaeospit as well as a large lagoon system. In the period after the Littorina transgression maximum, ancient man began to actively populate the accumulative landform Kuzemkino palaeospit, as evidenced by the discovery of long-term Neolithic sites there.

The paper establishes the Archean (2643  ±  43  Ma) and Proterozoic (1804  ±  15  Ma) ages of zircon megacrystals from the Nyurba kimberlite pipe, as well as analyzes their typomorphic features. The Archean zircons are characterized by the lacking Late Karelian overgrowth zones, elevated concentrations of yttrium (Y  >  100  ppm), rare earth elements (ΣREE >  100 ppm), and heavy rare earth elements (Lu/Gd >  1) compared to the Late Proterozoic zircons (Y >  100  ppm) , rare earth elements (ΣREE >  100 ppm), and heavy rare earth elements (Lu/Gd >  1) compared to the Late Proterozoic zircons (Y>  100  ppm; ΣREE < 50 ppm; Lu/Gd >< 1; Lu/Gd < 1). The obtained data suggest that these zircons originate from metamorphic rock units located in separate blocks or metamorphic zones, which indicates preservation of the Archean formations. The study evidences deformation in zircon crystals, which may serve as key morphological markers of deep-seated melt emplacement. Novel findings confirm preservation of the Ar - chean block of the Tyung terrane basement, which support the Clifford-Janse rule: commercial diamondiferous kimberlite bodies of the Nakyn field are confined within the Archean block. The presence of the Late Karelian overgrowths on the Arc - hean zircons from the xenolith basement of diamondiferous kimberlites in the Central Siberian diamond-bearing province demonstrates a large-scale uneven tectono-thermal transformation of the Tyung terrane for 1.8–2.1 Ga, which should influence the productivity of kimberlite fields or individual deposits.

The authors studied the Upper Jurassic — Lower Cretaceous deposits of  the Paromes Formation in the Pechora River basin found in the Izhma and Kedva rivers outcrops (Komi Republic). These works contributed to clarifying the Mesozoic block of the Mezen series sheets legend of the State Geological Map (scale of 1 : 1,000,000). Field work aided in collecting a diverse collection of macrofauna, with bivalves dominating, as well as fewer ammonoids and belemnites included. Exploring the gathered macrofauna led to find and describe a new species of ammonoids Epivirgatites mesezhnikovi sp. nov., which is characteristic of the Epivirgatites nikitini zone in the Volgian Regional Stage. The new species of ammonoids accompanied rich assemblages of bivalves Buchia fischeriana (d’Orbigny), B. russiensis (Pavlow), B. mosquensis (Buch), B. spp., Pinna sp. indet., Liostrea sp. indet., and belemnites Cylindroteuthis (Cylindroteuthis) ex  gr. lepida Sachs et Nalnjaeva, Lagonibelus (Holcobeloides) volgensis (d’Orbigny), Lagonibelus sp. The work resulted in collecting an extensive collection of macrofauna, which updated the complex paleontological characteristics of the Paromes Formation and especially the Epivirgatites nikitini zone of the Volgian Regional Stage.

The example of an oil and gas condensate field in the northern part of the West Siberian oil and gas basin in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug demonstrates how applicable the regional data are for sedimentation process awareness in the region to study and how important it is to delve into all multi-level data to build a reliable 3D geological model basis. The comprehensive analysis of heterogeneous geological and geophysical data resulted in developing a sedimentation model of the Upper Tyumen Formation layer. Tidal plain conditions in the littoral zone in areas with predominant clay and mixed sandy-clay sedimentation formed the Middle Jurassic layer in the study area. The bulk of sand bodies are confined to point bars formed as a result of lateral accretion. Mudded channels limit the bar bodies. The qualitatively interpreted seismic data led to identify the layer facies features corresponding to the electrofacies analysis data and core facies. The obtained data confirm the prognostic value of the sedimentation model to be used as a reliable basis for a future 3D geological model.

Predictive assessment of geotechnical conditions for developing mineral deposits is topical. There are identified objects where the following hazards may arise: deformations and quarry wall slip, roof caving of underground mines, and rock extrusion into the mined-out space. The analysis determines a set of criteria for predicting geotechnical hazards in the region’s mines and quarries. There are two large groups of well represented faults in the ore field: regional fault structures that intersect the entire ore field area and extend far beyond it, as well as local faults mainly developed in the upper part of the region’s fault wings, and having different sizes and directions. Disjunctive fault dislocation combinations determine the ore field structure in the Central Kyzylkum ore deposits. The ore-bearing stratum specifies heterogeneous interbedding, irregular secondary alterations, differences in physical and mechanical properties, which complicate geotechnical conditions of the deposit development. The analyzed and summarized geotechnical data contributes to creating a predictive assessment map of mineral deposits geotechnical conditions.

The paper presents a comparative review of lithological pattern standards used abroad and in the Russian Federation. There is a difficulty in employing foreign standards in the graphical representation of basin modeling results. The author provides the main characteristics of the lithotype editor from the modeling software. The potential to customize visualization of the basin models was evaluated. The  author describes the process of pattern adaptation from the standard of graphic arts for the State Geological Map (scale of 1 : 200,000) to all lithotypes included in the software library. It is proposed to use coloured lithological patterns to increase the informative value of the lithotype distribution model visualization. There are additionally defined patterns for the graphic representation of mixed lithotypes used in both conventional and unconventional petroleum systems. Software-adapted lithological patterns can be used both for constructing the simplest one-dimensional models of boreholes and for complex, continuously operating three-dimensional basin models. Illustrative differences between the adapted patterns from the standard of graphic arts for the State Geological Map (scale of 1 : 200,000) and standard software library serve as an example of visualizing a one-dimensional basin model for the Kola Superdeep Borehole.

The paper addresses geochemical characteristics of South European Russia, which assess prospects for uranium potential in order to expand the uranium mineral resources base in the region. The research corresponded to providing a geochemical basis for the L-38 sheet of the geological map (scale of 1 : 100,000). Soils and sediments were tested over a 10 × 10 km network. In the samples, the inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric method determined contents of mobile forms of uranium and other elements (60 in total). Identification of nine areas promising for discovery of commercial uranium deposits, including the pa - leodoline type, represents a practical value of the research. The research findings are important, since they forecast expansion of the uranium raw materials base in a well-developed and accessible region with known deposits, but with limited reserves of strategic mineral raw materials.

The Geokhimicheskoe ore occurrence is located 1–1.5 km west of the Tau - shan deposit, within the southeastern exocontact zone of the Aktosty intrusive massif. The study aims to comprehensively analyze geochemical halos associated with gold mineralization in the Kuldzhuktau region (Uzbekistan) in order to identify their spatial and compositional characteristics, establish indicator elements reflecting mineralization processes, and substantiate promising directions for precious metal prospecting. Factor analysis was applied to process multi-element geochemical data from 620 samples. The results demonstrate that average gold concentrations exceed background levels by up to 1,200 times; Au, As, Ag, and W are identified as key pathfinder elements. Additional ore-localizing features include “through-going” anomalies of As, W, Sb, Mo, and Ag. The constructed additive Au + As anomaly mo del proved to be most effective in delineating promising flanking and deep-seated zones. The established geochemical zoning, which reflects sequential formation of miner - al assemblages, is confirmed as a critical criterion for predicting mineralization. The generated geochemical anomaly maps effectively highlight areas with high gold potential, providing guidance for further gold prospecting efforts.

South Africa locates both primary sources of diamonds (kimberlite pipes) and the pipe washout induced placers. Notably, the range of the region’s placers is incredibly wide: from alluvial to coastal-marine, marine, and wind-formed. In the paper, the author attempted to analyze nitrogen traces content and carbon isotope composition in the region’s diamonds to develop a new method for determining primary sources of the region’s placer diamonds. Although researchers (both foreign and Russian ones) characterized the diamond properties, they did not analyze connections between placer diamonds and pipes, using these parameters. The current paper is novel in this respect. This method of comparing placer diamonds and their sources requires further development by applying a wider data range both for this region and verifying it on primary and placer diamond sites in other regions.