Kimberlite Structural Environments and Their Productivtiy in the East Siberian (Yakutian) Province

The dependence of the distribution pattern of kimberlites on the structural framework of the platform basement was first revealed in the South African province. This dependence has been known since 1966 as Clifford’s rule and has been applied to many other kimberlite provinces. J. B. Dawson [1] tried to consider the kimberlite clusters of the Yakutian province from the same stand-point. but his attempt appeared to be only partly successful, since a relevant tectonic scheme for the Siberian Platform basement was not established. The author approach to the problem is based on the assumption that the structural framework of the Siberian Platform basement can be considered as a system of Archaean cratons and Late Archaean - Proterozoic mobile belts. Paleotectonic schemes for the Devonian and Triassic were taken into account as well. The areas of clusters of kimberlites and related rocks were plotted on maps showing the integrated structural scheme, with discrimination also of the ages determined for these kimberlitic rocks. Analysis of the final scheme has shown that a) all three areas of diamondiferous kimberlites in the East Siberian province have an on-craton position, b) the off-craton areas contain only non-diamondiferous kimberlites as well as numerous alkali-basic and alkali-ultrabasic intrusions and ring-complexes accompanied by carbonatites, some ultrapotassic intrusions, dikes of lamproitic affinity, and basaltic vents, c) occurrences of kimberlites and related rocks are controlled by tectonic lineaments parallel to the margins of imposed aulacogenes and synclinal basins that developed in. response to the activity in the Verkhoyansk mobile belt which evolved as a long-living spreading zone.