A brief review of the 140-year history and activities of the Geological Committee of Russia and its successor, the A. P. Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute is given; it is the leading state institution in the country engaged in regional geological studies of the subsoil. State geological mapping has gone from first systematic geological studies and first geological maps to creating the digital multi-scale geological mapping model of the subsoil of the Russian Federation, which includes updated centralized information databases of primary geological materials, data on minerals and a multivolume monographic (in the form of explanatory notes) description of geology, tectonic evolution, and metallogenic potential of our country.

Mineralogical and petrographic characteristics of hematite-magnetite ore discovered by two oil prospecting wells in the dome of the Nepa-Botuoba anteclise at a depth of about 1,5 km are discussed for the first time. Geological conditions of two deep-seated iron deposits are identified; they suggest that the latter probably belong to the Archean-Proterozoic ferruginous quartzite formation. The important role of this formation in the Early Vendian geomorphogenesis is shown. Results of U-Pb dating of zircons from granitoids surrounding ferruginous quartzite obtained from three wells are presented. The derived ages corresponding to the crystallization of melts parental for granitoids (2005 ± 12, 1969 ± 13, and 1857 ± 6 Ma) indicate their Early Proterozoic age. On the basis of the obtained materials, probable relationship of the described formation with the Late Archean-Early Proterozoic Borsalinsky Series, widespread in the Aldan Shield, was suggested.

The evolutionary model of the Amur-Khanka riftogen, the largest recent riftogenic structure of eastern Asia, is discussed. The studies were carried out in the framework of the regional model developed by the author and the basic model of nonlinear wave geodynamics. The Amur-Khanka riftogen position in the regional structure is shown. The fault systems of the Pacific and Alpine-Himalayan mobile belts structurizing the riftogen are identified. The pattern of the reverse-shear interaction between these systems is studied. Three stages are revealed in the evolution of the riftogen including the EoceneMiocene, the Pliocene-Pleistocene and the Holocene. Structurization features of the central, northern and southern parts of the riftogen and its western and eastern marginal zones are shown. Examples that illustrate major Holocene transformations of the Amur-Khanka riftogen are given.

The obtained evidence of hot heterogeneous accretion of the Earth led to a fundamentally new solution to genetic problems of kimberlites and diamonds. According to these data, the impact heat generation during the accretion resulted in the formation of a global magmatic ocean. It is shown that the formation of kimberlites and their diamonds because of its fractionation is responsible for all numerous kimberlite features.

The presented article contains an analysis of the statutory-and-regulatory and organizationaland-methodological provisions for monitoring of specialized storage facilities, which are a new tool for improving the system for the formation and use of a fund of physical storage of primary geological information about the subsoil as an integral part of state geological information resources. First results of the organization and implementation of monitoring of the specialized storage facilities are given.

Technological aspects of using the spectral analysis of hyperspectral data are discussed. They make it possible to identify areas of hydrothermal-metasomatic wallrock alteration during forecasting and at initial stages of exploration. A new technology was used in the studies, including the creation of a library of spectra of reference altered rocks widespread in the area of a known deposit or an ore field, spectral analysis of hyperspectral remote basis, identification and analysis of the spatial distribution of hydrothermal-metasomatic rocks. The sequence of studies is given on the example of gold targets of the Ulinsky Trough, the Okhotsk-Chukchi Volcanic Belt (Khabarovsk Territory) located within the O-54-XIV sheet. As a result of the work, spectrometric anomalies were identified as indicators of ore occurrences, which made it possible to localize exploration areas.

In the present contribution, the Pudozhgorskoye deposit is used as an example to show that magmatogene titanomagnetite ores in the differentiated intrusives of the Ludicovian gabbro-diabase formation are a promising source of scandium, a critical strategic metal. The inferred bulk Sc₂O₃ resources of the deposit (ore – 316,689 Mt, Sc₂O₃ – 38,82 g/t) are estimated at 12,3 kt. Pyroxene-amphibole concentrate (67,77 Мt, Sc₂O₃ – 125 g/t), which can be separated from silicate tailings in ore processing (187,52 Мt), contains recoverable Sc₂O₃ resources of 8,4 kt, as well as other resources, kt: Li₂О – 5,5; ZrО₂ – 13,5; TR₂O₃ – 15,1, of which 8,2 kt YTR₂O₃. Geological exploration is recommended to study Karelia’s titanomagnetite targets in more detail and to calculate and approve the reserves of the major and abundant minor commercial elements of complex ores.

Patterns of sulphur behavior in the Early Precambrian atmosphere, characterized by high conductivity of ultraviolet irradiation and, accordingly, a reducing character as compared to the presentday atmospheric level, are discussed. Such conditions are characterized by the emergence of primary inorganic bioforms during the formation of thiosulphate chemical compounds with organometallic forms and the production of reducing forms of sulphur. These inorganic bioforms could give rise to early lifeforms on the planet and contribute to the formation of authigenic and non-authigenic sulphide mineralization in the oldest Paleoarchean (3,8–3,4 Ga) sedimentary-volcanogenic rock complexes.

Ore deposits, associated with ultramafic-mafic magmatism (henceforth ODUM) include nickel sulfide deposits containing copper, platinoids (PGE-platinum group elements) and minor gold. Platinoid-bearing oxide-silicate nickel laterite deposits, which formed during tropical weathering of ore-bearing ultramafic bodies are discussed for comparison. ODUM deposits were widespread during the Earth evolution in all continents.
Present-day trends in geological exploration for ore deposits in ultramafic-mafic igneous formations are comparable to the market value of mining operations for metals in the above-mentioned types of deposits. The estimation approach to the exploration of such ore deposits requires significant costs, especially considering their possible mining duration. It is necessary to create special evaluative analytic reviews for metal resources in ore-bearing structures and reserves in particular ore deposits.

The history of setting-up of Geology of Uranium Deposits and Radioecology VSEGEI Department, the leading organization in regional uranium metallogeny, which carries out predictive metallogenic studies for uranium in Russia and foreign countries, is considered. The development of a new independent scientific discipline – regional metallogenic analysis – with the active participation of department’s specialists, contributed to the creation of a reliable uranium resource base of the country.