Varieties of Fossil Resins of the West Central Asia and Features of Their Molecular Structure

Abstract

This article provides the first modern overview of fossil resin finds in West Central Asia – far beyond the traditional resin-bearing areas, both in Russia and in northern Western Europe. Based on little-known facts and random references scattered in the geological literature, the main locations of fossil resins have been revisited and described, and the level of their study has been assessed. Peculiarities of molecular structure of fossil resins of Priaralie using IR spectroscopy has been studied for the first time. It is shown that the resins of this region, previously described as amber (in modern understanding – succinite), are not such, but are represented by exclusively fragile varieties – retinite, gedanite and do not represent practical interest as jeweller raw material.