Volyn megablock
The Volyn megablock is a geological structure of the Ukrainian Shield. It is bounded to the west and north by marginal fault systems, while its eastern boundary follows the Brusyliv deep fault, which separates it from the Rosyn–Tykych megablock. To the south, it is limited by the Teteriv and Andrushivka faults, beyond which lies the Dniester–Bug megablock. This region is characterized by a relatively thick crust reaching up to ~50 km, predominantly of femic composition. An exception is the Korosten massif, where the crust is thinner (about 36 km) and has a more sialic character.
In the modern geological structure of the Ukrainian Shield, the western and northern boundaries of the Volyn megablock coincide with marginal faults, while its eastern boundary follows the Brusyliv deep fault, which separates it from the Ros–Tykych megablock. The southern boundary is formed by the Teteriv and Andrushivka faults, beyond which the Dniester–Bug megablock is located. The Volyn megablock is characterized by a relatively thick continental crust—up to 50 km—mainly of femic composition, except for the Korosten massif, where the crust is thinner (about 36 km) and of sialic type.
The Volyn megablock is mainly composed of Paleoproterozoic formations. Archean rocks are represented by the Dniester–Bug series, which includes diaftorized schists, pyroxene and amphibole–pyroxene rocks, as well as plagiogneisses. Archean units are relatively rare and occur mostly as xenoliths within intrusive and ultrametamorphic granitoids. Most regionally metamorphosed rocks belong to the Teteriv and Klesiv series of the Paleoproterozoic. Locally, older formations such as the Vasylivska suite and the Novohrad-Volynska sequence are also present.
The Teteriv series is subdivided into three suites. The lower (Vasylivska) suite consists of biotite gneisses and schists containing garnet, sillimanite, cordierite, and graphite. Sm–Nd dating indicates an age of about 2.4 billion years. The middle (Horodska) suite is composed of biotite gneisses with graphite inclusions (e.g., the Burtinske deposit) and reaches a thickness of about 2000 m. The upper (Kocherivska) suite has a carbonate composition, including calc-silicate rocks, marbles, and amphibole–diopside gneisses, with thicknesses up to 6000 m. These rocks formed under amphibolite-facies regional metamorphism (560–660 °C, 3–5 kbar) between 2.08 and 1.95 Ga. The Teteriv series forms the Teteriv and Kocheriv synclines.
The Novohrad-Volynska sequence forms the Novohrad-Volynska syncline and is composed mainly of volcanic rocks, including metamorphosed tuffs, tuffites, diabases, and andesitic porphyrites. Zircon dating indicates an age of approximately 2.43 billion years.
The Klesivska series, representing the upper part of the stratigraphy, includes klesovites, leptitic gneisses, and metamorphosed diabases and andesites. It formed as a result of high-temperature amphibolite-facies metamorphism, with an isotopic age of 2.02–1.97 billion years. It occurs as erosional remnants (inliers) within the Osytsky granitoids dated at about 1.99 billion years. The thickness of the series ranges from 4000 to 5000 meters. The formation of the Klesivska series is believed to be associated with the Ovruch–Mikashevichi volcanic–plutonic belt (Volyno–Polissia belt).
The ultrametamorphic and magmatic formations of the Volyn megablock include the Sheremetiv, Berdychiv, Zhytomyr, Buky, Narcysiv, and Prutiv complexes of the Kryvyi Rih domain, as well as the Osnytsia, Horodnytsia, Kyshyn, Kamianyi, Korosten, and Perzhany complexes of the Klesiv domain. Dyke complexes of both the Klesiv and Ovruch domains are also widely developed.
The oldest formations are the plagiogranitoids of the Sheremetiv complex. The Berdychiv complex formed as a result of granitization of the Dniester–Bug series. Its garnet-bearing rocks have a limited spatial distribution. The Zhytomyr complex, formed through ultrametamorphism of the Teteriv series, is typical of the Volyn megablock and consists of medium-grained granites and migmatites with muscovite, known in the areas of Horodnytsia, Myropil, and south of Zhytomyr. Pegmatites, aplite–pegmatites, and quartz veins are common. The isotopic age of the complex is 2.08–2.02 Ga. The Zhytomyr granites are associated with ore occurrences of precious metals, mica, and ceramic raw materials.
Later, the Buky and Prutiv intrusive complexes were formed. The Buky massif (near the village of Buky) is a multiphase gabbro–monzonite complex with quartz diorites and granodiorites, with an isotopic age of about 1.99 Ga. The Prutiv complex is composed mainly of gabbros, gabbro-norites, pyroxenites, and peridotites. Together with coeval dike swarms, these complexes form a Mesoproterozoic trap association dated at 1.99–1.98 Ga, indicating the tectonic stability of the platform at that time.
The Osnytsia complex (1.99 Ga) is represented by diorites, granodiorites, and granites formed as a result of the granitization of the Klesiv series. Recent studies suggest the synchronicity of the formation of the Osnytsia and Zhytomyr granites. The closely related Kysyn alkaline–ultrabasic complex (1.95 Ga) includes ultramafic rocks of the Zhdanivka massif, associated with metasomatic alterations and ore occurrences of precious metals, copper, and uranium. K–Ar isotopic dating indicates an age of about 1945 Ma for phlogopite and 1890 Ma for amphiboles. The Mukhariv and Novohrad-Volynskyi massifs are sometimes distinguished as separate complexes.
The Kysyn complex (1.95 Ga) unites massifs of subalkaline biotite and biotite–amphibole granites. The Kamianka complex consists of basic and ultrabasic intrusions hosting copper, nickel, and platinum mineralization.
Sedimentary-related intrusive formations of the Volyn megablock, belonging to the upper parts of the Klesiv and Ovruch series, formed during a subplatform stage. During this time, an orthogonal system of graben–syncline structures developed, accompanied by intensified magmatic activity, the formation of the Korosten pluton, the Perzhany metasomatic zones, and dyke swarms. This magmatic activity is associated with the collision between the Sarmatian and Fennoscandian proto-continental terranes.
The Ovruch series fills the Ovruch and Vilcha rift-related depressions, overlying the granites of the Korosten and Zhytomyr complexes as well as the gneisses of the Teteriv series. Among its subdivisions, the Zbrankivka suite (effusive rocks, diabases, schists, and trachyandesites) and the Tovkachivka suite (red quartzites and pyrophyllite schists) are distinguished, separated by a stratigraphic unconformity. Their age ranges from 1770 to 1700 Ma.
The Korosten pluton — the central massif of the Precambrian basement of the megablock — was formed in several phases between 1800 and 1737 Ma and includes anorthosites, rapakivi granites, labradorites, and granite porphyries. It is associated with deposits of piezoelectric quartz, gemstones, titanium ores, and apatite–titanium mineralization. At the end of the Paleoproterozoic, subalkaline granites and potassium metasomatites of the Perzhany complex formed, containing rare-metal and polymetallic mineralization, including beryllium and other rare metals.
Dyke complexes are widespread throughout the shield. Two age generations are distinguished: the Klesiv generation (basic diabases and pyroxenites) and the Ovruch generation (quartz porphyries). They form a diagonal belt system in the Novohrad-Volynskyi, Yemilchyne, Horodok, Tomashhorod, and Horyn regions.