Geology and Undiscovered Resource Assessment of the Potash-Bearing Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins, Belarus and Ukraine
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Global Mineral Resource Assessment Geology and Undiscovered Resource Assessment of the Potash-Bearing Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins, Belarus and Ukraine Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5090–BB U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey This page intentionally left blank Global Mineral Resource Assessment Michael L. Zientek, Jane M. Hammarstrom, and Kathleen M. Johnson, editors Geology and Undiscovered Resource Assessment of the Potash-Bearing Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins, Belarus and Ukraine By Mark D. Cocker, Greta J. Orris, and Pamela Dunlap, with contributions from Bruce R. Lipin, Steve Ludington, Robert J. Ryan, Mirosław Słowakiewicz, Gregory T. Spanski, Jeff Wynn, and Chao Yang Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5090–BB U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey William H. Werkheiser, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2017 For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment—visit https://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS. For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, visit https://store.usgs.gov/. Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner. Suggested citation: Cocker, M.D., Orris, G.J., and Dunlap, Pamela, with contributions from Lipin, B.R., Ludington, Steve, Ryan, R.J., Słowakiewicz, Mirosław, Spanski, G.T., Wynn, Jeff, and Yang, Chao, 2017, Geology and undiscovered resource assessment of the potash-bearing Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins, Belarus and Ukraine: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2010–5090–BB, 116 p., and spatial data, https://doi.org/10.3133/sir20105090BB. ISSN 2328-0328 (online) iii Acknowledgments This publication represents the work of the authors, assisted by an assessment oversight committee, technical reviewers, GIS specialists, and figure preparers, as well as others familiar with stratabound and halokinetic potash-bearing salt deposits. The authors are grateful to Michael Zientek and Jane Hammarstrom of the USGS who provided scientific and logistical guidance through the late stages of the USGS global potash assessment. Bruce Lipin (USGS), Greg Spanski (USGS), Steve Ludington (USGS), Chao Yang (Saskatchewan Geological Survey), Mirosław Słowakiewicz (Polish Geological Institute), and Robert J. Ryan (Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources) participated in the three-part assessment of the halokinetic structures in the Dnieper-Donets Basin. Chao Yang, Mirosław Słowakiewicz, and Robert J. Ryan also provided insights into potash deposits in their respective countries. USGS colleagues Michael Zientek, Steve Box, Rob Robinson, and Cliff Taylor served as an assessment oversight committee to evaluate the assessment results for tract 150haK0042b prior to final manuscript preparation. Cliff Taylor (USGS) and Brad Van Gosen (USGS) reviewed early versions of the Pripyat tract and of the assessment of tract 150haK0042b. Steve Box (USGS) and Tim Klett (USGS) reviewed the entire manuscript. Pamela Cossette (USGS) reviewed the GIS portion of the manuscript. Kathleen Johnson and Michael Zientek served as the series editors and reviewed and edited the entire manuscript prior to publication. Deborah Briggs and Leila Gass assisted in georeferencing and digitizing of maps and drill holes and preparation of GIS shapefiles and geodatabases. Jim Bliss provided guidance in the use and interpretation of statistical results. Deborah Briggs, Leila Gass, Robert Miller, Connie Dicken, Hannah Campbell, Drew Luders, Michael Landkammer, Logan Matti, J.R. Bell, Joe Miles, Heather Parks, and Kassandra Lindsey assisted in preparation of figures This page intentionally left blank v Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................3 Structure of this Report .......................................................................................................................3 Potash ....................................................................................................................................................3 Considerations for Users of this Assessment ..................................................................................6 Terminology ............................................................................................................................................6 Political Boundaries .............................................................................................................................8 Chapter 2. Geologic Overview of the Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins and the Donbass-Pripyat Rift ........................................................................................................................9 Introduction............................................................................................................................................9 Basin Tectonics, Structure, and Architecture .................................................................................9 Pre-Rift ...........................................................................................................................................9 Syn-Rift ..........................................................................................................................................9 Post-Rift .......................................................................................................................................15 Chapter 3. Evaporite Stratigraphy and Potash-Bearing Strata ..........................................................17 Upper Devonian (Frasnian and Famennian) ...................................................................................17 Frasnian Salt (Lower Salt) ........................................................................................................17 Mezhsolevaya Sequence .........................................................................................................19 Famennian Salt (Upper Salt) ....................................................................................................19 Secondary Geologic Effects on Potash-Bearing Strata ...............................................................25 Dissolution Effects on Devonian and Permian Salt Formations .........................................25 Dissolution by Surface Water or Brine ..................................................................................25 Subrosion or Subsurface Dissolution .....................................................................................25 Karst Structures .........................................................................................................................26 Alteration Related to Ascending and Descending Brines ..................................................26 Barren Areas Resulting from Upwelling Brines (Leach Anomalies or Salt Horses) ......26 Thermal Metamorphism and Hydrothermal Alteration .......................................................28 Paleogeography and Formation of the Upper Devonian Salt Formations ........................28 Cisuralian Evaporite Stratigraphy and Potash-Bearing Strata ...................................................29 Cisuralian Salt.............................................................................................................................29 Paleogeography .........................................................................................................................30 Seawater Composition and Temperatures ............................................................................30 Chapter 4. Development of Halokinetic Salt Structures ......................................................................35 Chapter 5. Assessing Undiscovered Potash Resources ......................................................................43 The Assessment Process ..................................................................................................................43 The Three-Part Assessment Method ..............................................................................................43 Information Used to Assess the Tracts ...........................................................................................43 Assessment Depth ..............................................................................................................................44 Known Resources of Potash .............................................................................................................44 Data Availability for Permissive Tracts of the Pripyat and Dnieper-Donets Basins ................44 vi Contents—Continued Chapter 6. Qualitative Assessment of Tract 150sbK0042a, Permian (Cisuralian) Evaporites— Dnieper-Donets Basin, Belarus and Ukraine .............................................................................47