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RU
Vol 280
Pages:
16-26
In press
Article
Geology

Investigation of “Kolchedan amber” with IR spectroscopy

Authors:
Pavel I. Alekseev1
Evgenii A. Vasilev2
About authors
  • 1 — Ph.D. Senior Researcher Empress Catherine ΙΙ Saint Petersburg Mining University ▪ Orcid
  • 2 — Ph.D., Dr.Sci. Leading Researcher Empress Catherine ΙΙ Saint Petersburg Mining University ▪ Orcid ▪ Elibrary ▪ Scopus
Date submitted:
2025-09-19
Date accepted:
2026-04-28
Online publication date:
2026-06-17

Abstract

This work is devoted to the study of fossil resins from the collection of the Mining Museum using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Samples of amber from the Iset River in the Middle Urals, collected in the early 19th century and known as “Kolchedan amber”, were examined. For comparison, fossil resins from other localities in Northern Eurasia were studied: the Peschanka River on the coast of the Barents Sea, the Amderma River on the Yugorsky Peninsula, and the Khatanga River on the Taimyr Peninsula. The obtained data indicate that “Kolchedan amber” belongs to an independent and widespread type of fossil resin in Northern Eurasia, the finds of which are confined to Cretaceous deposits. Previously, this type of resin was identified as “krantzite” for the locality on the Iset River or as “retinite” for localities on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. A comparison with other mineral species of fossil resins is carried out in this work. An analysis of the absorption peaks in the IR spectrum suggests that, according to K.Anderson’s resin classification, “Kolchedan amber” belongs to Class I, which is represented by resins with a predominance of labdane-type diterpenoids. A distinctive and most characteristic feature of the IR spectrum of “Kolchedan amber” is a “comb” consisting of three approximately equal absorption peaks at 936, 909, and 888 cm–1. An analysis of the systematically significant features of the IR spectrum indicates that the most likely biological source of this type of fossil resin was plants from the Pinaceae family. An additional argument supporting such a biological origin is the comparison of the diagnostic region of the IR spectrum of “Kolchedan amber” with the spectrum of amber from Axel Heiberg Island in the Canadian Arctic, which originated from the resin of the genus Pseudolarix.

Область исследования:
Geology
Keywords:
Mining Museum fossil resins IR spectra Kolchedan amber source of amber
Funding:

None

Go to volume 280

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