U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Data Series 743

Lead Isotope Determinations from Sulfide Mineral 

Occurrences—Russian Far East

Lead Isotope Determinations from Sulfide 

Mineral Occurrences—Russian Far East

By Stanley E. Church, Nikolai A. Goryachev, and Vladimir I. Shpikerman

Data Series 743

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

KEN SALAZAR, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

Suzette M. Kimball, Acting Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2013

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 http://www.usgs.gov or call 1–888–ASK–USGS.

For an overview of USGS information products, including maps, imagery, and publications, 

visit http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod

To order this and other USGS information products, visit http://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:

Church, S.E., Goryachev, N.A., and Shpikerman, V.I., 2013, Lead isotope determinations from sulfide mineral 

occurrences—Russian Far East: U. S. Geological Survey Data Series 743, 3 p.
iii

Contents

Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................1

Deposit Information.......................................................................................................................................1

Samples and Analytical Techniques...........................................................................................................1

Results .............................................................................................................................................................2

Acknowledgments.........................................................................................................................................3

References Cited............................................................................................................................................3

Table

1. Compilation of geologic, lead isotope, mineral deposit type, and sample 

mineralogic data for samples from the Russian Far East ................................................. link
iv

Conversion Factors

SI to Inch/Pound

Multiply By To obtain

Length

microliter (μL) 0.000034 centimeter (cm)

milliliter (mL) 0.3382 millimeter (mm)

liter (L) 33.82 meter (m)

liter (L) 0.2642 kilometer (km)

Mass

milligram (mg) 0.000035 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

gram (g) 0.03527 ounce, avoirdupois (oz)

1 nanogram (ng) equals 1.0 x 10-9 gram.

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as follows:

°F=(1.8×°C)+32

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as follows:

°C=(°F-32)/1.8
Introduction

The lead isotope database for sulfide deposits and occurrences in the Russian Far East was funded by the Mineral 

Resources Program, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in conjunction with the collaborative studies of mineral resources 

by the Russian Academy of Sciences and the U. S. Geological 

Survey (Nokleberg and others, 1996). Comparisons of these 

data with similar lead isotope data from Alaska published 

in Church, Delevaux, and others (1987) and Gaccetta and 

Church (1989) provide a basis for the following three-fold 

project objectives:

1. To utilize lead isotope signatures, in conjunction with 

regional mapping, to assess the relative ages and to categorize the types of mineral deposits studied,

2. To relate the lead isotope and trace-element geochemical 

signatures of specific deposits and occurrences to oreforming processes, and

3. To use the lead isotope data to correlate lithotectonic terranes within the northern Cordillera (Alaska, Yukon Territories and British Columbia in Canada, and the western 

Cordillera of the United States).

The report by Church, Gray, and others (1987) shows 

how this fingerprinting methodology can be applied to trace 

the offset of lithotectonic (or lithostratigraphic as labeled 

by some authors) terranes.The lead isotope data presented 

in table 1 represent the work completed on sulfide mineral 

deposits located in the Russian Far East from 1993 to 1995, 

when this study was terminated due to lack of funding. The 

lead isotope data are reported here for use by investigators who may find them of value in mineral exploration. No 

attempt is made to summarize the voluminous literature on 

these mineral deposits.

Deposit Information

Geologic and site information on each specific deposit 

or occurrence has been provided largely by the sample 

contributors on the field form used for sample submission. 

All sites have been evaluated by comparing the data provided against the data in the USGS Mineral Resource Data 

System (MRDS; accessed June 29, 2010 at http://tin.er.usgs.

gov/mrds/). Specific geologic information about the deposit 

or occurrence was also obtained from published literature 

referenced therein. Contributors were given the opportunity to 

modify the descriptive data in the tables. This process should 

have minimized errors. The deposit classification used in this 

report is from the compilation by Cox and Singer (1986) and 

is included here only for the purpose of dialogue. There is no 

widespread agreement among geologists on the classification 

of deposits into model types. 

Samples and Analytical Techniques

We report analyses from several types of sulfide samples: 

first, analyses made on those that contain galena (lead sulfide, indicated by GN in the sample mineralogy column) or 

tetrahedrite (TT) that could be hand separated, and analyses on 

either mixed sulfides. In addition, lead isotope determinations 

have been made largely on samples containing mixed sulfide. 

Where mixed sulfides were analyzed, we report the lead concentration determined in the sample either by direct-currentarc emission spectrography on the powdered sulfide material 

or that determined in the solution used for lead isotope analysis by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Previous studies 

of mixed sulfides, or of separate sulfide minerals that had 100 

part per million (ppm) or more of lead, indicate that the lead 

isotope data obtained from this type of sample were comparable to those obtained from galena (for example, Church and 

others, 1986; Gulson, 1986).

Several different chemical procedures were used on 

samples analyzed in this study. Galena has been handpicked 

for analysis where possible. Galena samples were prepared 

for analysis by digestion with ultrapure warm 16 Molar (M) 

HNO3

 (2–5 milligrams (mg) of galena in 1 mL). The samples 

Lead Isotope Determinations from Sulfide Mineral 

Occurrences—Russian Far East

By Stanley E. Church,1 Nikolai A. Goryachev,2 and Vladimir I. Shpikerman3

1

U.S. Geological Survey

2

Russian Academy of Sciences, Magadan, Russian Federation

3

Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation
2 Lead Isotope Determinations from Sulfide Mineral Occurrences—Russian Far East

were then diluted to 10 mL with deionized water, analyzed by 

atomic absorption spectrometry to determined the approximate 

lead concentration (±10 percent), and sufficient solution pipetted out so that 1 microgram ( μg) of lead was available for 

isotope analysis (usually about 1‒10 microliter (μL)). 

Mixed sulfides were digested in hot ultrapure 12M 

HCl, 16M HNO3

, or aqua regia, depending upon the sulfide 

minerals present. The solution was decanted, evaporated to 

dryness, and converted first to the chloride medium and then 

to the bromide medium. Lead was isolated from other cations 

using anion exchange resin (AG-1, Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., 

https://www.bio-rad.com/) in the bromide medium. Analytical 

blanks were less than 2.5 nanogram (ng) and have a negligible 

impact on the reported lead isotope ratios. The sample was 

loaded on the anion exchange resin (AG-1) in 0.75M–1.0M 

HBr, washed with l.0M HBr, and then with 1.5M HC1. The 

lead was then eluted with 6M HC1. 

Molybdenite samples were digested in hot ultrapure 

6M HC1. A white precipitate, probably Mo3

Cl4(OH)2∙2H2O, 

formed and the lead remained in solution. The solution was 

decanted, evaporated to dryness, and converted to the HBr 

medium. Lead was purified by anion exchange (AG-1) in the 

bromide medium. 

Samples containing high concentrations of Sb-bearing 

sulfides required special preparation because antimony is also 

adsorbed onto the anion exchange resin (AG-1) in the bromide 

medium. These samples (tetrahedrite-bearing samples) were 

digested in ultrapure 12M HC1 in quartz beakers. The sample 

was then evaporated to dryness, driving off much of the 

volatile SbCl3

 and leaving lead in the residue. The sample 

residue was dissolved in HBr and final separation of the lead 

was done by anion exchange (AG-1) in the bromide medium. 

Following the primary separation of lead from other 

cations using the HBr column procedure, lead samples 

were further cleaned in a small HCl anion exchange column 

prior to analysis. Rarely was it necessary to electroplate the 

lead samples obtained prior to mass spectrometric analysis, 

however, when necessary, electro-deposition on a platinum 

anode was also used; blanks from the electroplating step were 

<1ng and were neglible.

All of the lead isotope data presented in table 1 

have been analyzed using the silica-gel emitter method 

(Cameron and others, 1969). Approximately 0.5 μg of lead 

was taken up in approximately 10 μL of dilute colloidal 

silica gel, loaded onto a rhenium-ribbon filament, and 

evaporated to dryness. The filament is then loaded into 

a solid-source thermal ionization mass spectrometer and 

heated to 1,150‒1,350°C for data acquisition. Analyses by 

Ken Ludwig (listed as KL in the Analyst column of table 1) 

were made using a VG Instruments Sector 54, 7-collector 

mass spectrometer run in “static” mode. Analyses by Robert 

Vaughn (listed as RV) were run on a single collector, NBStype 12-inch solid source mass spectrometer described in 

Gaccetta and Church (1989). Analyses of National Institute 

for Standards and Technology Standard Reference Material 

981 (NIST SRM 981, Common Lead Isotopic Standard) were 

used to monitor mass fractionation during mass spectrometry 

(Cantanzaro and others, 1968; Todt and others, 1996). 

The lead isotope data have all been corrected for thermal 

fractionation using the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) 

SRM-981 common-Pb standard (Catanzaro and others, 

1968) and are corrected for mass discrimination of 0.11 ± 

0.04 percent per amu. Results are generally accurate, at the 

2 sigma level, to within ± 0.1 percent/mass unit or better; 

analytical errors are reported in table 1. 

Results

The analytical data are summarized in table 1. 

Geologic data are summarized from Nokleberg and others 

(1996). Site descriptions for most of the samples analyzed 

are listed therein by Site Number. Standard abbreviations 

are used for geologic time periods for the age of the host 

rock and the time of mineralization. Minerals are listed in 

decreasing order of abundance based on visual analysis of 

hand specimens. 

Mineral abbreviations used in the column marked 

Mineralogy are: 

ang, anglesite; ank, ankerite; asp, arsenopyrite; Au, gold; 

Ag, silver or mixed silver-bearing minerals; bg, boulangerite; 

bar, barite; bn, bornite; Bi, bismuth-bearing minerals; cal, 

calcite; cc, chalcocite; ch, chrysocolla; cn, cinnabar; cp, 

chalcopyrite; cr, chromite; cs, cerussite; cu, cuprite; cv, 

covelite; dl, dolomite; ep, epidote; fl, fluorite; gn, galena (GN 

where a handpicked separate is used for chemical analysis); 

gt, garnet; hm, hematite; lm, limonite; ma, malachite; mar, 

marcasite; mly, molybdenite; mt, magnetite; po, pyrrohotite; 

px, pyroxene; py, pyrite; qz, quartz; REE, rare-earth 

minerals; rut, rutile; Sb, antimony-bearing minerals; sch, 

scheelite; si, siderite; sl, sphalerite; Sn, tin-bearing minerals; 

ss, smithsonite; st, stibnite; stn, stannite; sulfosalts, mixed 

sulfosalt minerals, tt, tetrahedrite (TT where a handpicked 

separate is used for chemical analysis); and tu, tourmaline.

Age abbreviations used in the columns marked Geologic 

Host Age and Mineralization Age are: 

Era Period

} Mesozoic K Cretaceous

 J Jurassic

 ^ Triassic

| Paleozoic P Permian

 * Pennsylvanian

 M Mississippian

 D Devonian

 S Silurian

 O Ordovician

 _ Cambrian

= Precambrian, probably Neoproterozoic(?)

Subdivisions of periods are designated as early (e), 

middle (m), and late (l).
References Cited 3

Acknowledgments

The two Russian co-authors, Nikolai A. Goryachev and 

Vladimir I. Shpikerman, did not visit all of the deposits or 

occurrences from which we have reported analytical data. 

Many geologists have contributed samples for this compilation. To them, we express our thanks for providing samples 

and field information for each of these mineral occurrences.

References Cited

Cameron, A.E., Smith, D.H., and Walker, R.L., 1969, Mass 

spectrometric analysis of nanogram quantities of lead: 

Analytical Chemistry, v. 41, p. 525‒526.

Catanzaro, E.J., Murphy, T.J., Shields, W.R., and Garner, 

E.L., 1968, Absolute isotopic abundance ratios of common, 

equal-atom, and radiogenic lead isotopic standards: Journal 

of Research, National Bureau of Standards, v. 72A, 

p. 261‒267.

Church, S.E., Delevaux, M.H., and Gray, J.E., 1987, 

Pb-isotope data base for sulfides from Alaska, March, 1987: 

U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 87‒259, 44 p.

Church, S.E., Gray, J.E., Delevaux, M.H., and LeHuray, A.P., 

1987, Lead-isotope signatures of Devonian-Mississippian 

massive sulfide deposits in Alaska and their significance 

to mineral exploration, in Elliott, I.L. and Smee, B.W., 

eds., GEOEXPO/86 Exploration in the North American 

Cordillera: Ontario, Assoc. Exploration Geochemists,

p. 132‒141.

Church, S.E., LeHuray, A.P., Grant, A.R., Delevaux, M.H. 

and Gray, J.E., 1986, Lead-isotopic data from sulfide 

minerals from the Cascade Range, Oregon and Washington: 

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, v. 50, p. 317‒328.

Cox, D.P., and Singer, D.A., eds., 1986, Mineral deposits 

models: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1693, 379 p. 

Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/b1693/.

Gaccetta, J.D., and Church, S.E., 1989, Lead isotope data base 

for sulfides from Alaska, December, 1989: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 89‒688, 60 p, 

http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr89688.

Gulson, B.L., 1986, Lead isotopes in mineral exploration—

Developments in economic geology: Elsevier, New York, 

245 p.

Nokleberg, W.J., Bundtzen, T.K., Dawson, K.M., 

Eremin, R.A., Goryachev, N.I., Koch, R.D., Ratkin, 

V.V., Rozenblum, I.S., Shpikerman, V.I., Frolov, Y.F., 

Gorodinsky, M.E., Melnikov, V.D., Ognyanov, N.V., 

Petrachenko, E.D., Petrachenko, R.I., Pozdeey, A.I., Ross, 

K.V., Wood, D.H., Grybeck, Donald, Khanchuck, A.I., 

Kovbas, L.I., Nekrasov, I.Y., and Siderov, A.A., 1996, 

Significant metalliferous and selected non-metalliferous 

lode deposits and placer districts for the Russian Far East, 

Alaska, and the Canadian Cordillera: U.S. Geological 

Survey Open-File Report 96‒513A, 325 p.,

http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr96513A.

Nokleberg, W.J., Bundtzen, T.K., Eremin, R.A., Ratkin, V.V., 

Dawson, K.M., Shpikerman, V.I., Goryachecv, N.A., Byalobzhesky, S.G., Frolov, Y.F., Khanchuk, A.I., Koch, R.D., 

Monger, J.W.H., Pozdeev, A.I., Rozenblum, I.S., Rodionov, 

S.M., Parfenov, L.M., Scotese, C.R., and Siderov, A.A., 

2005, Metallogenesis and tectonics of the Russian Far East, 

Alaska, and the Canadian Cordillera: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1697.

Todt, W., Cliff, R. A., Hanser, A. and Hofmann, A. W., 1996, 

Evaluation of a 202Pb –205Pb double spike for highprecision lead isotopic analysis, in Basu, A. and Hart, S. R., 

eds., Earth Processes—Reading the Isotopic Code: American 

Geophysical Union, Geophysical Monograph 95, p. 429–437.
Publishing support provided by: 

Denver Publishing Service Center

For more information concerning this publication, contact:

Center Director, USGS Central Mineral and Environmental Resources 

Science Center

Box 25046, Mail Stop 973

Denver, CO 80225

(303) 236-1562

Or visit the Central Mineral and Environmental Resources Science 

Center Web site at:

http://minerals.cr.usgs.gov/
Church, S.E.— Lead Isotope Determinations from Sulfide Mineral Occurrences—Russian Far East—Data Series 743