No 8 (2024)

Upper Ordovician carbonate deposits in the Northern Urals are the most common in the Ilych River basin. At the same time, the sections drilled here, which are the objects of this study, have a fragmentary character and tectonic boundaries, which led to significantly different ideas about the age of some strata and, as a result, to the ambiguity of their sedimentation conditions. The lithological-facies, paleoecological and paleontological studies revealed that the section of the Upper Ordovician carbonate deposits in the Northern Urals was represented by two formations, the Bolshaya Kosya reef and four thickness covering three tiers of the International Stratigraphic Scale of the Upper Ordovician — Sandbian, Katian and Hirnantian. The analysis of the spatiotemporal relationships of 36 lithotypes isolated in these sediments showed that they were grouped into 10 paragenetic associations of rocks reflecting the change of sedimentation conditions from a deep-water ramp with the accumulation of terrigenous calcareous silts (Sandbian) to a carbonate shelf with a clearly defined brow and the formation of a reef shoal on it (Middle Katian) and further to a shallow ramp with the widespread development of erosion processes and the formation of sandbanks (Late Katian-Нirnantian).

The Belovezhian stage is a part of the Middle Pleistocene of Belarus. It is located between the Narevian and Berezinian glacial stages and consists of three substages: Borkovian, Nizhninian and Mogilevian. Belovezhian stage corresponds to the Muchkapian one in the stratigraphic scheme of the Pleistocene of the European part of Russia, which is also subdivided into the Glazovian, Podrudnyanian and Konakhovian substages and located between the Donian and Okian glacial stages.

Generalization and analysis of the results of accumulated palynological and geological studies indicate that the Borkovian, Nizhninian and Mogilevian substages can be assigned a higher status — stages. Arguments in favor of such a division are presented in this paper. This point of view was repeatedly expressed earlier, but was not accepted in the modern stratigraphic scheme of the Pleistocene of Belarus.

Another topical issue of the stratigraphy of this part of Pleistocene, considered within this article, is the validity of the Korchevian substage within the Narevian glacial stage. According to the available palynological data, the deposits of the Korchevian substage are characterized by a similar sequence and features of pollen zones as the Mogilevian accumulations within the Belovezhian stage, and therefore their age should be determined as Mogilevian.

To substantiate the conclusions, a detailed interregional correlation of the studied deposits with the corresponding deposits of other regions of Europe by pollen zones was carried out and presented in this article.

A short essay about German chemist Wolfgang Ostwald and his book "The World of Neglected Dimensions" provides information about the life and work of the scientist and discusses some results of research breakthrough into the world of neglected dimensions. Attention is drawn to the importance of studying the protomineral world, called "new world of neglected dimensions". Modern instrumental possibilities for the study are noted.

A unique collection of Silurian stromatoporoids of the Urals by O. V. Bogoyavlenskaya arrived at the A. A. Chernov Geological Museum. The author of the collection is a recognized leader in the study of this group of fauna, the results of her research were included in the development of many regional stratigraphic schemes. A huge amount of factual material from the Silurian deposits of the Urals was collected for the first time in one collection, which now, after revision, replenished the funds of the Geological Museum of the IG FRC Komi SC UB RAS.