Obukhov Formation Explained

Obukhov Formation
Period:Eocene
Type:Geological formation
Otherlithology:Sand, Clay, Amber, Glauconite, Quartz
Underlies:Mezhigorje Formation
Overlies:Early Eocene Basement
Thickness:2–7 m (6.6–23.0 ft)
Location:Ukrainian Crystalline Shield
Region:

The Obukhov Formation is a geologic formation in Belarus and Ukraine that dates to the Late Eocene;[1] the Obukhov Formation is equivalent to the Prussian Formation of Russia.

Rovno amber is found in this formation,[2] and 90% of amber collected from the Obukhov Formation is extracted illegally and the trade is controlled by armed organised crime groups.

Geological context

The Late Eocene Rovno amber is hosted in the Obukhov Formation, and it underlies the Early Oligocene Mezhigorje Formation.[3] The formation is found along the northwestern margin of the Ukrainian Crystalline Shield exposed in the Rivne region of the Ukraine and across the border near Rechitsa in the Gomel Region of Belarus.[4] The granite basement rock was overlain by sandy to clayey deposits that were host to alluvial amber.

The two formations total between 2- in thickness, both containing interbeds or mixtures of brown coals and carbonized vegetation. Both formations are sandy to clayey in texture, with the Obukhov Formation having more clayey glauconite-quartz plus sandy loess.[5]

References

  1. Engel . M.S. . Perkovsky . E.E. . 2006 . An Eocene bee in Rovno amber, Ukraine (Hymenoptera, Megachilidae) . American Museum Novitates . 3506 . 1–11 . 10.1206/0003-0082(2006)506[0001:aebira]2.0.co;2 . 84073810.
  2. Book: Perkovsky . E. E. . Biodiversity of Fossils in Amber from the Major World Deposits . Zosimovich . V. Y. . Vlaskin . A. P. . 2010 . Siri Scientific Press . 978-0-9558636-4-6 . Penney . D. . 116–136 . Chapter 7: Rovno amber.
  3. Perkovsky . E. E. . Rasnitsyn . A. P. . Vlaskin . A. P. . Taraschuk . M. V. . 2007 . A comparative analysis of the Baltic and Rovno amber arthropod faunas: representative samples . African Invertebrates . 48 . 1 . 229–245.
  4. Perkovsky . E. E. . 2017 . Rovno Amber Caddisflies (Insecta, Trichoptera) from Different Localities, with Information about three New Sites . Vestnik Zoologii . 51 . 1 . 15–22 . 10.1515/vzoo-2017-0003 . free.
  5. Perkovsky . E. E. . Zosimovich . V. Y. . Vlaskin . A. P. . 2003 . A Rovno amber fauna: a preliminary report. . Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia . 46(Supplemental) . 423–430.