METASOMATICALLY ALTERED ANDESITES, DIABASES AND SILICON-CARBONATE ROCKS (SAY CHAPCHA-KESKIN, SOUTH-WESTERN SPURS OF THE CHATKAL RANGE)

In world practice, special attention is paid to the study of the geochemical characteristics of weathering crusts and oxidation zones as the main criteria in forecasting, prospecting, and evaluation work, which is based on identifying the relationship between the geological structure and the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements. At present, in such developed countries of the world as the United States of America, the Russian Federation, and the People's Republic of China, special attention is paid to the restoration of the paleogeographic conditions of the development of discontinuous formations that led to the formation of weathering crusts and oxidation zones, the geological structure, mineral composition of oxidation zones, and geochemical features of the distribution of minerals, their constituent elements, which are the basis for forecasting, exploration, and evaluation features of the probability of development of hidden mineralization at depth. In this regard, the study of the mineralogical and geochemical features of weathering crusts and oxidation zones makes it possible to scientifically substantiate the potential of areas for the formation of rare and precious metals.