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Precambrian psammitic rocks of the Patom Highland as constituents of metasedimentary groups belong to the quartz-polymictic family, which is divided in each group into the following five petrochemical types: (A) highly silicic quartz sandstones, (B) silicic quartz sandstones, (C) alkali silicic quartz sandstones, (D) Fe-Si polymictic sandstones, and (E) Fe-Al-Si polymictic sandstones. The mineralogic-petrographic classification elaborated by Shutov (1967) may be applied to the calculated quantitative mineral and component compositions of metasandstone protoliths. According to this classification, the petrochemical types A–E may be correlated with monomictic (A′), oligomictic (B′), and mesomictic (C′) sandstones, feldspar-quartz graywacke (D′) and graywacke proper (E′), respectively. Quartz-polymictic sandstones make up the direct petrographic (mineralogic-petrographic) series A′-B′-C′-D′-E′ and the almost mirror inverse series E′-D′-C′-B′. The direct series A′-E′ represent the transgressive branches of sedimentary cycles that begin with the crustal redeposited products of chemical weathering, including high-Al schists and monomictic (A′) and oligomictic (B′) quartz sandstones. As the humid climate became arid, the sandstones gave way to the mesomictic sandstones C′ and to the polymictic sandstones D′ and E′ in the middle sections of sedimentary cycles. The polymictic sandstones mark culminations of tectonic activity that led to the formation of high mountains. The inverse series E′-B′ begin from the periods of mountainous topography and characterize regressive branches of sedimentary cycles that mark the decreasing tectonic activity. Polymictic sandstones E′ and D′ are replaced by oligomictic sandstones B′ in these branches. Thus, petrographic or mineralogic-petrographic series reflect the compositional evolution of psammitic rocks between epochs of peneplanation. The termination of these epochs and resumption of orogenic movements are documented by deposition of the Teptorgo-Mama, Kadalikan, and Bodaibo sedimentary groups. The onset of tectonic events fell on the terminal Paleoproterozoic, Early Riphean, and the Middle-Late Riphean. The composition of sedimentary rocks underwent progressive changes during the tectonic evolution of the continental margin of the Siberian Craton and the concomitant variation of paleoclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimodal metapelites of complex (sedimentary-epigenetic) origin were found at the base of the Upper Riphean Zhuya Group, which disconformably overlies the Lower-Middle Riphean Kadalikan Group. The substrate of these rocks is represented by relatively low-aluminous mudstones of the Valyukhta Formation, which bear evidence of physical disintegration replaced upsection by chemical decomposition. The altered mudstones compose a weathering crust with the typical fissure, clastic, rubble-grus (lithomarge), and fine-clastic (dispersed) zones. Rocks of the lithomarge zone are enriched in silica, which was removed from the dispersed zone during the formation of the chemical weathering crust. During partial erosion of this crust, detrital quartz and fine-dispersed (mature) clay material penetrated the fissured mudstones. The bulk of detrital quartz was precipitated in the lithomarge and clastic zones. Fine-dispersed clay matter was accumulated in lower parts of the fissure zone. Mudstones subjected to different-depth epigenetic alterations are transformed into sericite-bearing shales of in the fissure zone, quartz-bearing shales in the clastic zone, siliceous-quartz shales and clay-like siliceous-quartz rocks in the rubble-grus zone, and sericite phyllites in the fine-clastic zone. These rocks, developed after mudstones of the Valyukhta Formation, represent different-depth indicators of the weathering crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]