The paper is devoted to tectonics, as well as formation and distribution regularities of various types of minerals within the Garabagh and East Zangazur economic regions (components of the Garabagh historical-geographical region of Azerbaijan), territorially confined to the southeastern margin of the Lesser Caucasus mountain-fold system. It is shown that tectonically the region belongs to the southeastern segment of the Artvin-Garabagh uplift (megazone), consisting of Lok-Garabagh, Goycha-Hakari and Gafan secondary structural zones and plunging northeast and southeastwards under recent continental molasses of the Middle Kur and Lower Araz superimposed depressions. It is noted that various types of metallic (ore) and non-metallic minerals are developed in the region. Minerageny of the metallic minerals characterizes geological regularities of the formation and distribution of various types of the ore minerals within the structure of metallogenic zones (corresponding to the same-named tectonic zones of the Artvin-Garabagh megazone) and ore districts of the region. Metallogenic zones were distinguished on the basis of tectonic-geodynamic zoning, geological evolution history and genetic types of the known ore deposits, and the ore bearing potential of separate geological formations within the Lesser Caucasus system. Minerageny of the non-metallic mineral deposits reflects the revealed placement and occurrence regularities of various non-metallic raw materials during the certain periods of geological evolution. The potential for increasing the list of industrially significant deposits is determined by numerous manifestations of ore and non-metallic mineral raw materials.

Keywords: Lesser Caucasus, Garabagh and East Zangazur economic regions, tectonic zoning, minerageny, metallogenic zone, ore district, metallic (ore) and non-metallic (non-metallife­rous) minerals

REFERENCES

Geology of Azerbaijan (chief ed. Ak.A.Ali-zadeh). Volume VI. Economic minerals. Nafta-Press. Baku, 2005, 578 p. (in Russian).

Geology of Azerbaijan (chief ed. Ak.A.Ali-zadeh). Volume IV. Tectonics. Nafta-Press. Baku, 2005, 506 p. (in Russian).

Geology of Azerbaijan (chief ed. Ak.A.Ali-zadeh). Volume I. Stratigraphy, lithology, tectonics.  Nafta-Press. Baku, 2015, 532 p. (in Azerbaijani).

Geology of Azerbaijan (chief ed. Ak.A.Ali-zadeh). Volume III. Magmatism, solid minerals, hydrogeology, geological engineering. Nafta-Press. Baku, 2015, 382 p. (in Azerbaijani).

Hasanov T.Ab. Ophiolites of Lesser Caucasus. Nedra. Moscow, 1985, 240 p. (in Russian).

Ismail-Zadeh A.J., Kangarli T.N. Geodynamic environment of the formation of ore complexes and metallogenic epochs of the Eastern Caucasus. In the book: The modern problems of geology and geophysics of Eastern Caucasus and the South Caspian depression. Nafta-Press. Baku, 2012, pp. 132-145.

Khain V.Ye. Regional geology. Alpine-Himalayan belt. Nedra. Moscow, 1984, 344 p. (in Russian).

Khain V.Ye. Tectonics of continent and oceans. Nauchni Mir. Moscow, 2001, 606 p. (in Russian).

Mineral-products resources of Azerbaijan (chief ed. V.M.Baba-zadeh). Ozan. Baku, 2005, 808 p. (in Russian).

Mustafayev G.V. Main features of Azerbaijan’s metallogeny. Nafta-Press. Baku, 2002, 231p. (in Russian).

Shikhalibeyli E.Sh. Geological structure and history of tectonic development of the eastern part of the Lesser Caucasus (tectonic structure and magmatism). Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the Azerbaijan SSR. Baku, 1966, 263 p. (in Russian).

Shikhalibeyli E.Sh. Geology and mineral resources of Nagorno-Karabakh of Azerbaijan. Elm. Baku, 1994, 284 p. (in Russian).