**3.1. The geological history of development of structures**

In recent years, some common patterns of geological structure formation of Central Asian belt have been addressed in a number of publications from the theoretical standpoint of mobilism [6–10]. Particular attention has been given to determining the role of the mantle in tectogenesis, magmatism and ore formation processes, sources of magmatic melts and ore matter, clarifying geotectonic positions, age and ore content of granitoid batholiths and their connection with large Siberian and Tarim mantle plumes. General orientation of evolution of geology and metallogeny of the Greater Altai and skirting structures (Gorny Altai and Chingiz-Tarbagatai) occurred over a long geological history (from Precambrian to Quaternary time) in various geodynamic regimes and conditions.

In the Precambrian, near-fault intrusions of hyperbasites were accompanied by mineralization of magmatic formation under oceanic rifting conditions—Cr, Ni, Co, Cu (Charco-Gornostaevsky belt). In the early stages of caledonides and hercinides, stratiform iron-manganese, polymetallic, and copper-pyrite volcanogenic sedimentary deposits of the Ural and Rudno-Altai types (Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cu, Au, Ag, etc.) were formed under rift-arc island geodynamic conditions (Chingiz-Tarbagatai, Rudny Altai).

Predominantly small intrusions and dikes of the gabbro-diorite-granodiorite-plagiogranite series are localized under collision geodynamic conditions, productive for copper-nickel sulfide, copper-porphyry and gold mineralization—Ni, Co, Mo, Au, Ag, etc. (Chingiz-Tarbagatai, Zharma-Saur, Western Kalba, the Rudny Altai). Southeastern zones formed in the process of lithospheric plate collision with oceanic and continental earth crust types are fixed by a system of deep crust–mantle faults, ophiolite belts, blocks of metamorphic rocks and thrust-melange structures which have ore-controlling importance. They are accompanied by many minerals (Cr, Ni, Co, Cu, Hg, Au, etc.), including large gold deposits (Bakyrchik, Vasilkovskoe, Suzdalskoe, etc.) [11, 12].

The post-collisional (orogenic) situation in the Permian was characterized by the activation of intra-plate tectonics and powerful development of granitoid magmatism, which is associated with deposits of rare metals and rare earths (Ta, Nb, Be, Li, Sn, W, Mo, TR, and so on). Deposits of rare metals are concentrated in the Kalba-Narym zone, Zharma-Saur, the Gorny Altai and other regions of Central Asia (China, Mongolia, the Urals, and so on) [13–15].

In the Cimmerian cycle, residual weathering crusts of nontronite profile (Ni, Co) accumulated in the Chara zone, kaolinite-hydromica (Au) in Western Kalba and Zharma-Saur, kaolinite (Ti, Zr) in northern Prizaisan (Karaotkel deposit) under continental rifting conditions. Deposits of coal and oil shale were formed in intermontane depressions (Karazhyra, Kenderlyk). Deposits of various minerals including placer gold, ilmenite, monazite, cassiterite and other minerals were formed in a Mesozoic-Cenozoic platform cover.
