Conducting Lithospheric heterogeneities as a Criterion of predictive assessment for promising diamond areas (on the example of Siberian kimberlite province)

Abstract

Results of magnetotelluric tests, carried out in Siberian kimberlite province, are examined from the viewpoint of structural control over location of kimberlite fields and bunches of kimberlite pipes. It is demonstrated that the key factors controlling occurrence of kimberlite magmatism are: deep systems of rift-driven fractures; areas of their intersection within high-ohmic blocks of Earth crust; conducting permeable areas, located at the intersections of deep faults. Various-rank objects of kimberlite magmatism are characterized by a certain combination of geoelectric heterogeneities, differing in resistance, lateral sizes and depth. The province is situated within the boundaries, limited by isolines 180-220 km of current asthenosphere; kimberlite areas – within the contours of high-resistance regional heterogeneities. Fields and bunches of kimberlite pipes are concentrated within boundaries of conducting subvertical zones. These factors can be used as criteria of predictive assessment for promising diamond areas of the ancient platforms.