While gold partitioning into hydrothermal fluids responsible for the formation of porphyry and epithermal deposits is currently well understood, its behavior during the differentiation of metal-rich silicate melts is still subject of an intense scientific debate. Typically, gold is scavenged into sulfides during crustal fractionation of sulfur-rich mafic to intermediate magmas and development of native forms and alloys of this important precious metal in igneous rocks and associated ores are still poorly documented. We present new data on gold (Cu-Ag-Au, Ni-Cu-Zn-Ag-Au, Ti-Cu-Ag-Au, Ag-Au) alloys from iron oxide deposits in the Lesser Khingan Range (LKR) of the Russian Far East. Gold alloy particles are from 10 to 100 µm in size and irregular to spherical in shape. Gold spherules were formed through silicate-metal liquid immiscibility and then injected into fissures surrounding the ascending melt column, or emplaced through a volcanic eruption. Presence of globular (occasionally with meniscus-like textures) Cu-O micro-inclusions in Cu-Ag-Au spherules confirms their crystallization from a metal melt via extremely fast cooling. Irregularly shaped Cu-Ag-Au particles were formed through hydrothermal alteration of gold-bearing volcanic rocks and ores. Association of primarily liquid Cu-Ag-Au spherules with iron-oxide mineralization in the LKR indicates possible involvement of silicate-metallic immiscibility and explosive volcanism in the formation of the Andean-type iron oxide gold-copper (IOCG) and related copper-gold porphyry deposits in the deeper parts of sub-volcanic epithermal systems. Thus, formation of gold alloys in deep roots of arc volcanoes may serve as a precursor and an exploration guide for high-grade epithermal gold mineralization at shallow structural levels of hydrothermal-volcanic environments in subduction zones.

This paper presents the results pertaining to studying the properties of the photocatalytically active composition of strontium bismuthate SrBi_2.70O_5.05, SrBi_2.90O_5.35, and SrBi_3.25O_5.88 and bismuth carbonate (BiO)₂CO₃ in molar ratios 1/0.67, 1/0.56, and 1/0.37, respectively. These compositions are obtained through pyrolytic synthesis from organic precursor complexes of strontium and bismuth with sorbitol. It has been established that the synthesised powder materials absorb the light of the visible range up to 500 nm owing to the presence of a narrow-gap semiconductor strontium bismuthate. The presence of a wide-band semiconductor (BiO)₂CO₃ ensures an effective separation of electron-hole pairs. The diffuse reflection spectra (DRS) of compositions differ from the analogous spectra of a mechanical mixture of these semiconductor phases with the same composition, which allows one to assume the heterostructural structure of the semiconductor system. The same heterostructure is confirmed by the results of mapping. Catalytic particles that are synthesised at a temperature of 500°C containing 27 mass% (BiO)₂CO₃ (corresponding to SrBi_2.9O_5.35/(BiO)₂CO₃ = 1/0.56) have the greatest activity with respect to the photodecomposition of methylene blue (MB). The possibility of controlling the optical properties and photocatalytic activity of the composition is depicted due to the joint formation of the strontium bismuthate phase and the bismuth carbonate phase.

The Ildeus mafic–ultramafic complex represents plutonic roots of a Triassic magmatic arc tectonically emplaced into the thickened uppermost crust beneath the Mesozoic Stanovoy collided margin. The mafic–ultramafic complex cumulates host Ni-Co-Cu-Pt-Ag-Au sulfide-native metal-alloy mineralization produced through magmatic differentiation of subduction-related primary mafic melt. This melt was sourced in the metal-rich sub-arc mantle wedge hybridized by reduced high-temperature H-S-Cl fluids and slab/sediment-derived siliceous melts carrying significant amounts of Pt, W, Au, Ag, Cu and Zn. Plutonic rocks experienced a pervasive later-stage metasomatic upgrade of the primary sulfide–native metal–alloy assemblage in the presence of oxidized hydrothermal fluid enriched in sulfate and chlorine. The new metasomatic assemblage formed in a shallow epithermal environment in the collided crust includes native gold, Ag-Au, Cu-Ag and Cu-Ag-Au alloys, heazlewoodite, digenite, chalcocite, cassiterite, galena, sphalerite, acanthite, composite Cu-Zn-Pb-Fe sulfides, Sb-As-Se sulfosalts and Pb-Ag tellurides. A two-stage model for magmatic–hydrothermal transport of some siderophile (W, Pt, Au) and chalcophile (Cu, Zn, Ag) metals in subduction–collision environments is proposed.

This paper studies the composition and properties of shells of bivalve mollusks (Crenomytilus grayanus, Callista brevisiphonata, and Mizuhopecten yessoensis) from coastal discharges with a view to the possibility of their use in photocatalytic water treatment systems. The clam shells are considered in terms of application in the form of a powder material as a precursor for creating photocatalysts, and also as a carrier of photocatalytic coatings. It was shown that the main phase composing the shell material was calcium carbonate in two crystallographic modifications—calcite and aragonite. The presence of inorganic impurities in all studied clam shells did not exceed one mass percent. The main share was made up of elements included in the composition of calcium carbonate, which confirmed the high bio-indifference of the materials under study. Depending on the physiological and environmental features of the structure of clam shells, different contents of the organic component in their composition were observed. The granulometric characteristics of crushed clam shells (average diameter, specific surface area, and distribution modality) were studied. It was shown that the maximum values of bending strength of 5 MPa and compressive strength of 2 MPa are characterized by Mizuhopecten yessoensis shells with the lowest porosity of 2.91%. The features of sorption and photosorption processes of both whole and crushed shells in relation to four organic dyes at different temperatures and degrees of illumination were studied. Based on crushed shells of Mizuhopecten Yessoensis and titanium dioxide, functional materials (Ca_xTi_yO_z) were obtained, and their morphology and photocatalytic properties were studied. An example of the practical use of clam shells as a carrier of a photocatalytic coating is given.

Intermetallic alloys in the Ni–Al system strengthened through inclusions of molybdenum and tungsten borides by means of sequential exothermic reactions in a two-layer charge are fabricated. NiAl and Ni₂Al₃ intermetallic phases and molybdenum (Mo₂B₅) and tungsten (W₂B₅) borides are identified in alloys by the methods of X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. It is established that Mo₂B₅ and W₂B₅ inclusions are characterized by high values of microhardness (Mo₂B₅—24.4 GPa and W₂B₅—29.2 GPa).