Authors:
 
O.A.Belkina
N.A.Konstantinova
N.E.Koroleva
V.A.Kostina
I.N.Urbanavichene

Laplandia Minerals, Apatity, 2004


    Both the Khibiny and Lovozero mountains are situated in the western part of the Kola Peninsula. These mountains are relatively low, rising approximately 800-1000 meters above the surrounding hilly plain.
The climate is determined by the latitude, is affected by the ice-free Barents Sea and warm air masses advancing from the Atlantic during the cold period, as well as by local conditions. Thaws are frequent in winter, whereas in summer frosts are not uncommon, especially in early June and late in August. Morning frosts and snowfalls may happen all of a sudden even in July. The winter lasts about 6.5 months at the foot of the mountains and ca. 8 months at the plateau. The ‘midnight sun’ period extends from the end of May till mid-July. Both the Khibiny and Lovozero mountains were formed in the Tertiary period as the result of tectonic uplifting of Paleozoic alkaline intrusions. The intrusions are essentially comprised of nepheline syenite of the Devonian age. The relief was produced by erosion, ploughing and accumulating activity of ancient glaciers. The main features of the relief are flat tops (plateaus) with rough borders, divided by trough valleys and lateral and terminal moraine deposits. Mountain passes are crossing the troughs, whereas in the radial direction the massif is crossed by river valleys. The soils are derived from nepheline syenite eluvium, and they are stony, shallow, poor and cold.
    It is safe to say that plants of the Khibiny and Lovozero mountains are among their best attractions. They form fancy covers on the slopes, river valleys, and rocky gorges.
This publication is prepared to meet the demand for an illustrated guide to the world of the Khibiny plants. The mountains accommodate over 440 species of vascular plants, 400 species of bryophytes and 350 species of lichens, but the guide book includes only the most peculiar and rare of them. Specimens of all of them are deposit
in the herbarium of the Polar Alpine Botanical Garden in the city of Kirovsk, whose staff have been studying the plants and plant communities for over 70 years now.

В книге приведено описание морфологии, свойств и состава 325 минералов, достоверно установленных в Хибинском щелочном массиве, сопровождаемое более чем 300 оригинальными результатами рентгенофлуоресцентного микроанализа, 330 цветными и РЭМ-фотографиями лучших образцов из музейных и частных коллекций. Подробно охарактеризованы 70 наиболее интересных жил и минерализованных участков, обнаруженных в пределах массива.