It's no secret that the basis of economic growth of any country in the world is the extraction of mineral resources. Geologists in their scientific works present a detailed description of what the most important deposits mineral. Numerous studies prove that the most important mineral deposits on the continents have a number of certain differences from other accumulations of natural resources.
The most large deposits fossils are distributed throughout to the globe. From a scientific point of view, areas where mineral deposits are located are closed areas called basins. Such accumulations of useful resources are characterized by a complex process of rock movement.
In world practice, significant bets have been made on the extraction of useful resources and minerals, and each of the participating countries in this rating occupies a corresponding position. Such “competitions” at the global level are explained by the fact that still not all explored mineral basins can be properly exploited and have a beneficial effect on labor activity person in this industry.
There are understandable patterns in the distribution of mineral deposits. As for the origin, all useful resources of Mother Nature are classified into sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous.
The oil product is the leader in the ranking of profit sources. In particular, oil production in North America is a fundamental component on this continent. At the same time, scientists state that the main oil reserves have already been exhausted. In this regard, geologists are making attempts to search for new deposits beyond the Arctic Circle.
A significant part of the oil fields was formed in six regions of the world and is included in inland territories and continental margins: the Persian Gulf - North Africa; Gulf of Mexico - Caribbean Sea; islands of the Malay archipelago and New Guinea; Siberia; Alaska; North Sea; Sakhalin Island with adjacent shelf areas.
World oil reserves amount to more than 133.5 billion tons. Most of them are in Asia. It is also known that the largest oil fields are located in countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait, Iran, and Venezuela.
IN South Africa and Yakutia the main original igneous fossil deposits are distributed. The maximum reserves of chromites are recorded in Turkey, South Africa and the Urals. It is known that Northern Sweden is the largest deposit of Karuna magnetite ores. Particular attention is paid to deposits of various minerals. It is known that the unique Khabinskoye deposit is a storehouse of apatites.
Hydrothermal mineral formations are associated with various ore deposits. The Ural iron ore skarn deposits have gained particular popularity.
It is important to have an understanding of the largest placer gold deposits. It is pleasant to note that one of the leading positions in this type of mineral extraction is occupied by the Southern Urals and Siberia.
Another expensive and necessary type of mineral for humanity is coal. Two major coal basins are located in the United States.
The largest deposits of rock salt are concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico region (Kansas and Texas).
The correct use and extraction of mineral resources in the last century made it possible to make the countries of the post-Soviet space undisputed leaders in various industries. With all the positive aspects and prospects, the modern mining industry needs constant modernization, serious capital investments, modernization of processing plants and plants.
The results of special calculations by specialists in this industry indicate that the value of useful resources is about 27 trillion dollars.
With the improvement of the mining process, technical progress increases, production volumes increase, labor intensity decreases, and profits of specialized enterprises increase.
The largest mineral deposit in the country is the path to economic growth and the development of many industries. However, it is important to remember to protect the environment. The main requirements put forward to mining enterprises are strict adherence to labor protection and full provision of environmental safety.
Diamonds, the hardest natural material, are mined in Russia
Minerals are Russia's main wealth. The well-being of the people and the solution to many economic issues depend on this area. Natural resources provide both the country’s internal needs for raw materials and the ability to supply them to other countries.
Russia has the most powerful potential of mineral resources in the world, which allows it to occupy a leading place on the planet in terms of explored reserves of the most important minerals. Reserves natural resources distributed very unevenly throughout the country. Most of them are concentrated in Siberia, the main storehouse of the country.
Russia is the leading country in terms of reserves of coal, iron ore, potassium salts and phosphates. In addition, it is common knowledge that our country has many oil fields. Oil and natural gas are the basis of the country's fuel and energy balance. Oil and gas fields are concentrated in 37 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The largest oil reserves are concentrated in the central part of Western Siberia.
Russia is also the world leader in iron ore mining. The world's largest iron ore deposits are located in the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA) region. Just three KMA iron ore mines provide almost half of the total volume of ore mined in Russia. There are smaller iron ore deposits in Kola Peninsula, in Karelia, the Urals, the Angara region, South Yakutia and other areas.
Russia has reserves of various non-ferrous and rare metals. In the north of the Russian Plain and in the mountains of southern Siberia there are deposits of titanomagnetite ores and bauxite. Copper ores are concentrated in the Northern Caucasus, the Middle and Southern Urals, and Eastern Siberia. Copper-nickel ores are mined in the Norilsk ore basin.
Gold is mined in the depths of Yakutia, Kolyma, Chukotka, and the mountains of Southern Siberia. Our country is also rich in sulfur, mica, asbestos, graphite, and various precious, semi-precious and ornamental stones. Table salt is mined in the Caspian region, the Urals, the Altai Territory and the Baikal region. Diamonds are also mined in Russia - the hardest natural material.
Did you know that diamonds and coal have the same chemical formula and are the same in chemical composition? In addition, they vary from colorless to dark gray. In Russia, diamonds were first discovered in the Middle Urals, then in Yakutia and later in the Arkhangelsk region. The Urals are famous for their precious and semi-precious stones. Emeralds, malachites, jasper, aquamarines, rock crystal, alexandrite, topazes and amethysts are found here.
Russia supplies the world market with 30-40% of produced gas, more than 2/3 of oil, 90% of copper and tin, 65% of zinc, and almost all the raw materials for the production of phosphate and potash fertilizers.
Minerals of Russia
Russia is one of the largest powers in the world in terms of total natural resource potential. It is especially rich in minerals. Among the countries of the world, Russia is the leader in reserves of fuel and energy resources.
The mineral resources complex of the Russian Federation provides about 33% of GDP and 60% of federal budget revenues.
Russia receives more than half of its foreign exchange earnings through the export of primary mineral raw materials, primarily oil and natural gas. The Russian Federation contains a significant portion of the world's proven reserves of the most important types of minerals (diamonds, nickel, natural gas, palladium, oil, coal, gold and silver). The population of Russia is only 2.6% of the total population of the Earth, but our country provides more than half of the world's production of palladium, a quarter of nickel, natural gas and diamonds, over 10% of oil and platinum.
Mining and processing of mineral resources forms the basis of the economy of all the most prosperous constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In many peripheral regions of Russia, mining enterprises are city-forming enterprises and, including service organizations, provide up to 75% of jobs. Oil, natural gas, coal, ferrous, non-ferrous and precious metals, diamonds provide a stable socio-economic situation in the regions of the north of the European part of Russia, the Urals, Western Siberia, Kuzbass, the Norilsk mining hub, Eastern Siberia and the Far East.
The distribution of mineral resources throughout the country is associated with the characteristics and differences in tectonic processes and the conditions for the formation of minerals in previous geological eras.
Ore minerals are confined to the mountains and ancient shields. In foothill troughs and on platform troughs, and sometimes in intermountain depressions, there are deposits of sedimentary rocks - oil and gas. The position of the deposits is approximately the same coal, but coal and oil rarely occur together. Our country ranks one of the first in the world in terms of reserves of many minerals (and first in terms of natural gas reserves).
The cover of the ancient platform on the East European Plain contains various minerals of sedimentary origin.
Limestone, glass and construction sands, chalk, gypsum and other mineral resources are mined in the Central Russian and Volga Uplands. Coal and oil are mined in the Pechora River basin (Komi Republic). There are brown coals in the Moscow region (west and south of Moscow) and other minerals (including phosphorites).
Iron ore deposits are confined to the crystalline foundation of ancient platforms.
Their reserves are especially large in the area of the Kursk magnetic anomaly, where high-quality ore is mined in quarries (Mikhailovo deposit, Belgorod group of deposits). A variety of ores are confined to the Baltic Shield on the Kola Peninsula (in the Khibiny Mountains). These are deposits of iron ore (in the Murmansk region - Olenegorskoye and Kovdorskoye, and in Karelia - Kostomuksha), copper-nickel ores (in the Murmansk region - Monchegorskoye). There are also deposits of non-metallic minerals - apatite-nepheline ores (Khibinskoe near Kirovsk).
The Urals still remains one of the important iron ore regions of Russia, although its reserves have already been severely depleted (Kachkanarskaya, Vysokogorskaya, Goroblagodatskaya groups of deposits in the Middle Urals, as well as Magnitogorsk, Khalilovskoye, Novo-Bakalskoye in the Southern Urals, etc.).
Rich iron ores Siberia and the Far East (Abakanskoye, Nizhneangarskoye, Rudnogorskoye, Korshunovskoye fields, as well as fields in the Neryungri region in the south of Yakutia, in the Zeya River basin in Far East and etc.).
Copper ore deposits are concentrated mainly in the Urals (Krasnoturinskoye, Krasnouralskoye, Sibaevskoye, Blavinskoye, etc.) and, as noted earlier, on the Kola Peninsula (copper-nickel ores), as well as in the mountains of southern Siberia (Udokan), etc.
In the area of development of deposits of copper-nickel ores, as well as cobalt, platinum and other metals in the north of Eastern Siberia, a large city of the Arctic grew - Norilsk.
Recently (after the collapse of the USSR), in different regions of Russia it is necessary to begin the development of deposits of manganese, titanium-zirconium and chromium ores, the concentrates of which were previously completely imported from Georgia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Siberia and the Far East are regions of the Russian Federation exceptionally rich in ore and non-metallic minerals.
The granite intrusions of the Aldan Shield are associated with reserves of gold (placer deposits in the basins of the Vitim, Aldan, Yenisei, and Kolyma rivers) and iron ores, mica, asbestos and a number of rare metals.
Industrial diamond mining has been organized in Yakutia. Tin ores are present in the Yana Highlands (Verkhoyansk), in the region of Pevek, Omsukchan (on the Kolyma Highlands), and in the Far East (Dalnegorsk).
Polymetallic ores (Dalnegorskoe, Nerchinsk deposits, etc.), copper-lead-zinc ores (in Rudny Altai), etc. are widely represented. Deposits of non-ferrous metals are also represented in the Caucasus Mountains - the Sadonskoye lead-pink deposit (Republic of North Ossetia) and the tungsten-molybdenum deposit in Tyrnyauz (Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria). From deposits and areas of distribution of raw materials for chemical industry(non-metallic) it should be noted: Kingiseppskoye in the Leningrad region and Vyatsko-Kamaskoye in the Kirov region (phosphorites), in lakes Elton, Baskunchak and Kulundinskoye, as well as in Usolye-Sibirskoye (table salt), Verkhnekamskoye deposit - Solikamsk, Berezniki (potassium salt) and many others.
In the south of Western Siberia there are large reserves of coal.
The vast Kuznetsk coal basin is located in the spurs of the Kuznetsk Alatau. It is this pool that is currently the most used in Russia.
Russia also belongs south-eastern part Donetsk coal basin (most of which is located on the territory of Ukraine) and coal mining is carried out there (Rostov region).
In the northeast of the European part of the country there is the Pechora coal basin (Vorkuta, Inta - Komi Republic). There are huge reserves of coal on the Central Siberian Plateau (Tunguska Basin) and in Yakutia (Lena Basin), but these deposits are practically not used due to difficult natural and climatic conditions and poor development of the territory.
These are promising deposits. Many coal deposits are being developed in Siberia and the Far East (South Yakutskoye - in Yakutia, Uglegorskoye - on Sakhalin, Partizanskoye - near Vladivostok, Urgalskoye - on the Bureya River, Cheremkhovskoye - near Irkutsk, etc.). Coal deposits in the Urals (Kizelovskoye) have not yet lost their importance, although brown coal is still represented here to a greater extent (deposits - Karpinskoye, Kopeiskoye, etc.). The largest, most famous and currently developed brown coal deposit is the Kansko-Achinskoye deposit in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
Since the last century, oil has been extracted in the North Caucasus (Grozny and Maikop oil and gas regions - the Republics of Chechnya and Adygea).
These fields are closely connected with the oil-bearing basins of the northern part of the Caspian region in Kazakhstan, as well as on the Absheron Peninsula in Azerbaijan.
In the 1940s, oil and gas fields of the Volga region and the Urals began to be developed (Romashkinskoye, Arlanskoye, Tuymazinskoye, Buguruslanskoye, Ishimbayskoye, Mukhanovskoye, etc.), and then the fields of the Timan-Pechora oil and gas province in the northeast European Russia(oil - Usinskoye, Pashninskoye, gas condensate - Voyvozhskoye, Vuktylskoye).
And only in the 60s, the deposits of the West Siberian basin, which is now largest region oil and gas production in Russia.
In the north of Western Siberia (Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region) the largest gas fields in Russia are concentrated (Yamburgskoye, Urengoyskoye, Medvezhye, Balakhninskoye, Kharasaveyskoye, etc.), and in the middle part of the West Siberian region (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug) - oil fields (Samotlorskoye, Megionskoye, Ust-Balykskoye, Surgutskoye and others Place of Birth). From here, oil and gas are supplied through pipelines to other regions of Russia, neighboring countries, as well as to European countries.
There is also oil in Yakutia, and it is being extracted on Sakhalin Island. It should be noted the discovery of the first industrial accumulation of hydrocarbons in the Khabarovsk Territory (Adnikanovo field). For the Far East, with its chronic shortage of energy resources, this event is very important.
The volume of proven mineral reserves in Russia is estimated at $10 trillion, and undiscovered resources - at least $200 trillion.
According to this indicator, Russia is approximately 4 times ahead of the United States.
Until now, it was generally accepted that all or almost all of Russia’s mineral resources are located in the Urals, the Far East and Siberia, and European part country, especially its North-West region, is a poor region in this regard. But the North-Western region is also a unique territory in terms of mineral resources.
In recent years, new deposits have been discovered in the Russian Federation: natural gas on the shelf Barents Sea(Shtokman), gas condensate - on the shelf of the Kara Sea (Leningradskoye), oil - on the shelf of the Pechora Bay.
The first diamond deposits associated with kimberlite pipes were found first near St. Petersburg and only 10–15 years later in the Arkhangelsk region (the famous Lomonosov pipes).
In addition, in the North-West there are large reserves of non-metallic minerals (especially in Karelia and in the north of the Leningrad region). Large reserves of uranium ores have been found in the Kursk-Ladoga crater.
In the field of mining, the following problems can be identified.
The country's mineral resource base has a relatively low investment attractiveness due to the unfavorable geographical and economic location of many mineral deposits and the relatively low quality of mineral raw materials, their low competitiveness in modern economic conditions.
Therefore, it is necessary to implement an effective policy aimed at the rational use of the mineral resource base. For these purposes, the “Energy Strategy of Russia for the period until 2020” was developed, which reflects the state policy on the main issues of development of the fuel and energy complex, its raw materials (primarily oil and gas) component.
In the Russian Federation, the problem of replenishing reserves at mining enterprises in the main mining regions of the country has sharply worsened.
According to the Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation, for the period from 1994 to 1999, the replenishment of reserves extracted from the subsoil with their increases amounted to 73% for oil, 47% for gas, 33% for copper, 57% for zinc, and 41% for lead.
Over 70% of oil companies' reserves are on the verge of profitability.
If ten years ago the share of oil reserves with a well flow rate of 25 tons/day involved in the development was 55%, now this share is made up of reserves with a well flow rate of up to 10 tons/day, and the oil reserves of highly productive fields, providing about 60% of production, have been depleted by more than than 50%.
The share of reserves with depletion over 80% exceeds 25%, and the share with a water cut of 70% makes up over a third of developed reserves. Hard-to-recover reserves continue to grow, the share of which has already reached 55-60% of those being developed.
The development of coal raw materials is carried out at a pace that does not correspond to their potential.
The development of coal production and growth in coal consumption must occur in a rational combination with the production and consumption of other energy resources, taking into account the reserves of each of them, their distribution throughout the country, the cost of production and transportation to the consumer, etc.
Large mining and processing plants (GOK), which form the basis of the Russian iron ore industry - Lebedinsky, Mikhailovsky, Stoilensky, Kachkanarsky, Kostomushsky, Kovdorsky - are provided with reserves for 25-35 years or more.
The underground mines of Siberia and the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly are sufficiently supplied with reserves.
Minerals in Russia
At the same time, a number of iron ore enterprises have unfavorable raw material bases. Thus, at the Olenegorsk mining and processing plant, the main quarry - Olenegorsky - is provided with reserves for only 15 years, Kirovogorsky - for 20 years.
In 12-13 years, the rich ores in the quarries of the Mikhailovsky and Stoilensky mining and processing plants will be completely mined.
After the collapse of the USSR, Russia was left with virtually no industrial deposits of manganese ores.
Their explored reserves amount to 146 million tons, production in industrial scale is not produced. The largest known deposit, Usinskoye in the Kemerovo region, with reserves of 98.5 million tons of poor, difficult-to-process carbonate ores, is classified as a reserve deposit; the remaining deposits are not planned for development. The predominant type of ore is difficult-to-process carbonate, which accounts for about 91% of balance reserves, the rest is easy-to-process oxide and oxidized ores.
Our country still ranks first in the world in explored reserves and production of nickel.
In the early 90s, Russia accounted for 95% of proven reserves and 91% of nickel production in the CIS countries. Since the main type of nickel deposits is sulfide copper-nickel, many of the problems of development of the mineral resource base and nickel production indicated above for copper are also true for nickel, especially in the Norilsk region.
In order to expand the mineral resource base of nickel, it is necessary to strengthen geological exploration in the areas of existing enterprises, as well as searches for deposits in promising areas of Karelia, Arkhangelsk, Voronezh, Irkutsk and Chita regions, as well as Buryatia.
As scientists predict, in the coming years the state of own production lead and zinc will further deteriorate.
In addition to the retirement of zinc mining capacity in the Ural copper-zinc deposits, reserves in developed lead-zinc deposits in other areas will decrease by 2010.
by 80-85%. An analysis of the state of the raw material bases of mining enterprises shows that by 2005, 11 mines in the regions of the North Caucasus, Western and Eastern Siberia were withdrawn from the number of operating mines. It remains relevant to carry out geological exploration work in the areas of existing enterprises for additional exploration of flanks and deep horizons at the exploited deposits of the Nerchinsky, Sadonsky, Altai Mining and Processing Plant, PA Dalpolimetal, as well as to identify new deposits of rich lead-zinc ores in these and other promising areas - Buryatia, Primorye , Krasnoyarsk Territory, Altai.
The demand for tin exceeds its production by almost a third, and the difference was previously covered by imports.
The current situation in the tin mining industry seems quite difficult. A number of enterprises are poorly supplied with proven reserves. These include enterprises developing reserves of tin primary and alluvial deposits in the Magadan region and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, where a number of mining—enrichmentfactories.
The situation on the global tin market will become increasingly unfavorable for consumers in the future. The price of refined tin on the London Metal Exchange is constantly increasing. The further deterioration of the situation on the world market is explained by the fact that the countries that are the main consumers of tin (USA, Western European countries, Japan) do not have their own raw material resources, and its needs are forecast to increase.
It is estimated that tungsten mines have reserves for an average of 34 years, but for individual mines the duration of production ranges from 8 to 40 years.
At the same time, large reserves of low-grade ores in the Tyrnyauz and Inkur deposits account for 76% of all reserves of developed deposits. The supply of reserves for five mines with rich deposits and one with average quality ores is 8-14 years.
This means that in 10-15 years, reserves will be exhausted at half of the tungsten mining enterprises, and the remaining mines will develop mainly low-grade ores.
Russia, unfortunately, lags significantly behind advanced industrialized countries in terms of consumption of tantalum, niobium, strontium and other rare and rare earth metals.
In particular, in terms of consumption of niobium and rare earths, our country lags behind the United States by 4 and 6 times, respectively. Meanwhile, Russia has a fairly large raw material base of rare and rare earth metals, but it is poorly developed. In recent years, rare earth and tantalum production has practically ceased, and niobium production has been reduced by 70% compared to 1990. At the same time, of those produced by Lovozersky plant(Murmansk region) of tantalum and niobium concentrates, more than half of the metallic niobium and all the tantalum were produced at factories in Estonia and Kazakhstan.
The crisis state of the Russian economy is manifested in the ongoing decline in production and domestic consumption of almost all strategic types of raw materials and primary products from them.
Oil and coal production, steel production, production of aluminum, nickel, lead, zinc, other non-ferrous and precious metals, diamonds, phosphate and potash fertilizers decreased in the 90s to a critical level (by 30-60%), and rare and rare earth minerals by 90-100%. The situation is also aggravated by the extremely insufficient, and for most types of raw materials, the complete absence of new mining capacities and the catastrophic curtailment of geological exploration work.
Russia lags behind other developed countries in terms of consumption of mineral resources per capita.
Thus, in per capita consumption of the most important minerals - copper, lead, zinc, tin - Russia ranks 9-11th in the world, in molybdenum, nickel, aluminum, zirconium and tantalum - 4-6th place, in phosphate concentrate and fluorspar, respectively, are 7th and 6th in the world.
But it is precisely these indicators that characterize the level of economic development of the country, and, as a final result, the national independence and authority of the state in the international arena.
When developing a strategy for the development of the mineral resource base, the time factor should be taken into account as a determining factor.
The experience of developing Russian territories shows that preparing the resource base in volumes that are profitable for industrial development requires 10-15 years, subject to the concentration of significant funds. The modern resource base, even in developed areas, is characterized by complex structure, and under the current tax system, at least 50% of prepared reserves turn out to be unprofitable for industrial development.
It’s sad, but we have to admit that the state has withdrawn itself from both the development of the mineral resource base and the management of the fuel and energy complex, which leads to the development of negative processes throughout the economy.
Thus, the problem of the development of the fuel and energy complex and its mineral resource base is one of the most important for the Russian economy, on the solution of which both the country’s development prospects and its national security depend.
ORE DEPOSITS
Rocks surrounding a deposit or included in it, containing no metal (useful mineral) at all or containing it, but in an amount insufficient for industrial processing, are called waste rock.
The boundary between ore and non-metallic minerals is arbitrary.
Many minerals that were previously used immediately after extraction are now undergoing complex processing to extract all their useful components. Sometimes a mineral, such as limestone, is not processed; sometimes it is used as a chemical raw material. Therefore, now the term “ore” is losing its original meaning. It is also applied to many non-metallic minerals. In this sense, we will continue to use the concept of “ore”.
To select a development system and technology from the characteristics characterizing the deposit, greatest influence are influenced by its shape (morphology), size and conditions of occurrence.
Based on their shape, ore bodies can be divided into three groups:
isometric, i.e.
i.e. equally developed in all three directions in space;
columnar, i.e. elongated in one direction;
vein type - elongated in two directions.
The first type of isometric ore bodies includes rods and nests. Often they have irregular shape but all three dimensions in space are more or less equal. Rods differ from nests in their large sizes, measured in tens and hundreds of meters.
A typical nest-shaped deposit is the Khaidarkan mercury deposit (Central Asia).
Many primary diamond deposits have a columnar shape. In South Africa, diamond tubes extend several kilometers deep with transverse dimensions measuring hundreds of meters.
In the Krivoy Rog basin, ore bodies with a length exceeding the thickness by more than six times are classified as columnar.
Lentils and lenses are transitional forms from the first to the third group.
A typical representative of this type of ore bodies are the Ural copper-pyrite deposits. The lens-shaped Rio Tinto copper pyrite deposit (Spain) consists of lenses with a length of 300 to 1700 m and a thickness of up to 100 - 250 m.
Ore bodies of the third group - sheet and vein - are limited by more or less parallel planes (surfaces) and have a thickness that varies within relatively small limits.
The veins are often irregular in shape and have variable thickness.
Ore deposits of the same group, which differ from the layers in a less consistent shape and thickness, are called sheet-like.
There are also more complex forms of ore bodies - saddle-shaped, dome-shaped, etc.
In most cases, a deposit is represented not by one, but by several ore bodies.
These co-occurring ore bodies are separated from one another by waste rock; sometimes they intersect, join together and separate again. In this case, one ore body is the main one, and the rest are its branches.
Deposits are often disturbed by faults and shifts; they are bent, crushed, or fragmented, as a result of which their development becomes more complicated.
The more irregular the deposit is in shape, the more tectonic disturbances it has, the more difficult its development, the greater the loss of ore it occurs.
In addition to the shape of the deposit, an important feature is the nature of its contact with the host rocks.
In some cases, the contact is sharply expressed, and the ore body is clearly separated from the host rocks. In other cases, the transition from ore to gangue occurs gradually, and the boundaries of commercial mineralization can only be determined by sampling.
Development of deposits with distinct contacts is usually easier. Sometimes the presence of mineralization in the host rocks, on the contrary, has a beneficial effect on development, since the ore during mining is clogged not with empty rocks, but with ore-bearing rocks.
Depending on the nature of the distribution of ore minerals, they are distinguished: solid ores, consisting of ore minerals mixed with a certain amount of rock, and usually having sharp boundaries with the host rocks; disseminated ores are relatively rare inclusions of ore minerals in an ore rock, usually having distinct boundaries with the host rock.
In many deposits both types of ores occur; Usually in the middle part of the ore body the ores are continuous, and at the periphery they are disseminated. In the Leninogorsk lead-zinc mines, continuous sulfide ores, as they approach the contact of the recumbent side, gradually become poorer and turn into hornfels disseminated ores. At the Degtyar copper deposit, solid copper-pyrite ore ores in places transform into disseminated lead ores.
Some deposits of Krivbass in their central part or on one side are represented by continuous rich ores, which are gradually replaced in the direction of the lying side by disseminated ores and then by weakly ferruginous side rocks.
One of the main factors determining the choice of system is the angle of incidence.
Based on the angle of incidence, deposits are divided into horizontal and gently dipping with an angle of incidence from 0 to 25°; inclined with an incidence angle from 25 to 45° and steeply inclined with an incidence angle of more than 45°. This division is associated with a significant change in development conditions and the use of different methods of mining and ore delivery at different angles of incidence.
The thickness of an orebody is measured as the distance between the hanging wall and the footwall of the deposit.
If this distance is measured along the normal, then the power is called true, but if it is measured vertically or horizontally, then the power is called vertical and horizontal, respectively. Vertical thickness is used for gently dipping ore bodies, horizontal thickness for steeply dipping ones.
In a stock-shaped deposit, the thickness is considered to be the smaller of its horizontal dimensions.
The larger horizontal dimension is called the rod length. Sometimes the power of a rod is considered to be its vertical dimension, and the horizontal power is called its width. The latter is appropriate when the rod (array) has significant dimensions horizontally and relatively small dimensions vertically.
The thickness of ore bodies can change along strike and with depth gradually or abruptly, naturally or randomly.
Inconstancy of thickness is typical for ore deposits. Sudden changes in power make development difficult.
For deposits with variable thickness of ore bodies, the extreme limits of its fluctuations are indicated, as well as the average thickness for individual sections of the deposit.
Based on their thickness, ore bodies can be divided into five groups.
Very thin, less than 0.6 m thick, during the development of which the mining excavation is accompanied by the blasting of the host rocks.
Safety rules allow a minimum width of the treatment space of 0.6 m, and a height (if the ore bodies are gently sloping) of 0.8 m.
Thin - with a thickness of 0.6 to 2 m, during the development of which the production excavation can be carried out without blasting the host rocks, but carrying out horizontal development workings in most cases requires their blasting.
Average thickness - from 2 to 5 m. The upper limit of thickness corresponds to the maximum length of the simplest type of support during a mining excavation - spacers, racks.
The development of medium-thickness deposits can be carried out without blasting the host rocks, both during production excavation and during development workings.
Thick - from 5 to 20 m, the excavation in which, with a steep drop, can be carried out along the strike to the full thickness.
Very thick - more than 20 - 25 m. Mining in these ore bodies is usually carried out across the strike.
The depth of the deposit also largely determines the choice of development method.
Depth is indicated from the surface vertically to the upper and lower boundaries of the deposit. The distance between the lower and upper boundaries of the deposit vertically or along the slope of the formation determines the depth of its distribution.
Deposits with a depth of more than 800 m are considered deep. At this depth, peculiar manifestations of rock pressure begin, expressed in the shooting of rocks and rock bursts.
The ore area of a deposit is the area of its horizontal section.
The depth of occurrence and distribution of the deposit, the ore area, the length along the strike, as well as the angle of incidence, may be different in different areas of the deposit.
Therefore, different development systems are often used in separate areas of the same field.
Of all the physical mechanical properties ores and host rocks, the greatest influence on the choice of development system and mining technology is their strength and stability.
The strength of rocks, determined by the combination of many of their physical and mechanical properties (hardness, viscosity, fracturing, layering, the presence of foreign inclusions and interlayers), affects the choice of mining system, machines and tools used in mining, the productivity of mining machines and the productivity of miners , on the consumption of materials and the cost of production.
For the first time, the classification of rocks by “strength coefficient” was created by the famous Russian scientist prof.
MM. Protodyakonov (senior). It is still widely used in domestic practice and literature.
Indicators of rock stability that would make it possible to determine the amount of permissible exposure have not yet been established. Therefore, when choosing a development system, a method for maintaining mined-out space and the area of permissible exposure, approximate characteristics of rocks in terms of their stability are used.
Based on their stability, ores and host rocks can be divided into the following five groups.
Very unstable - they do not allow the roof and sides of the mine to be exposed at all without fastening and, as a rule, require the use of advanced support.
Minerals
When developing ore deposits, such rocks (quicksand, loose and loose rocks saturated with water) are very rare.
Unstable - allow a slight exposure of the roof, but require strong support after the excavation.
Medium stability - they allow the roof to be exposed over a relatively large area, but with prolonged exposure they require maintenance.
Stable - allow very significant exposure of the roof and sides and need to be maintained only in certain places.
Very stable - they allow a huge exposure both from below and from the sides and can stand for a long time without collapsing, without support.
Breeds of this group are less common than the two previous groups. Rocks of the 3rd and 4th groups are most common during the development of ore deposits.
The lumpiness of broken ore (the size of the pieces obtained during breaking) is characterized by its granulometric composition, i.e.
e. the quantitative ratio of pieces of various sizes in the total mass of broken ore. The size of irregularly shaped pieces is usually expressed as the average size in three mutually perpendicular directions.
There are different gradations of lumpiness. The following gradation is the simplest and most convenient.
Ore fines - from ore dust to pieces with transverse dimensions of 100 mm. When developing vein deposits, ore is sometimes sorted and waste rock is removed from it; in this case, a special gradation is distinguished - unsorted fines with piece sizes less than 50 mm.
Medium size ore - from 100 to 300 mm.
The ore is coarse - from 300 to 600 mm.
The ore is very coarse - more than 600 mm.
The lumpiness of ore during breaking depends, on the one hand, on the physical and mechanical properties of the ore in the massif, in particular on its structure, and on the other hand, on the breaking method used, the diameter of blast holes and wells, their location, type of explosive, blasting method and etc.
A qualified piece of ore is a piece with the maximum allowable size that can be released from a mined block for loading into haulage vessels.
During underground mining of ore deposits, it ranges on average from 300 to 600 mm and sometimes reaches 1000 mm.
The size of the conditioned piece has a great influence on the choice of equipment for all production processes production, delivery, loading, transportation.
Pieces of ore exceeding standard sizes are usually called oversized.
The weight amount of oversized pieces in the total mass of broken ore, expressed as a percentage, is called the oversized yield.
Ore deposits, compared to coal deposits, have whole line features arising from their geological origin.
They significantly influence the content and technological solutions when developing an ore deposit.
The main features are:
high strength and abrasiveness of ores, most of which have a strength coefficient of 8 - 12, and stronger ones - 15 - 20.
This necessitates the use of explosive breaking in underground work in most cases associated with drilling and charging holes and wells;
variety of sizes and variability of ore body occurrence elements, which significantly influences the adoption of technological decisions, stripping and preparation schemes, as well as the choice of development systems;
variability in the content of useful components and the mineralogical composition of ores over the volume of the deposit, which necessitates averaging the quality of the ore mass coming from different blocks;
less destruction of broken ore when moving it by gravity along ore passes up to 100 m or more in length.
This influences the features of opening deposits and preparing blocks;
less reliable information about mining and geological conditions and the flow of technological processes, which complicates operational control of their implementation;
a wide range of stability of ores and host rocks, which predetermines a variety of technological solutions;
the ability of some ores to caking and spontaneous combustion, which limits the use of mining systems with storage of broken ore;
the high value of most ores, which determines more stringent requirements for the completeness and quality of mineral extraction;
the absence of methane emissions in most mines, which allows the use of open fire and normal equipment in underground conditions.
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Mineral reserves in Russia are large.
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It ranks first in the world in iron ore reserves. Balance reserves of iron ore are estimated at 90-100 billion tons, forecast reserves are much higher. Most of the explored iron ore reserves are located in the European part of Russia.
The most important iron ore basin is the KMA (Kursk Magnetic Anomaly) basin.
KMA balance reserves (by various sources) amount to 40-50 billion tons, most of which are concentrated in the Belgorod and Kursk regions.
In the European part of Kostomuksha, Kovdor and Olenegorsk there are iron ore deposits, the balance reserves of which are estimated at 4 billion Euros.
The iron ore of the Urals is concentrated in Goroglagodatsky, Kachkanar, Serov, Bakal Orsk-Khalilov and other areas.
The eastern regions account for more than 10 billion tons of balance reserves. The main deposit of iron is Tashtagol (Kemerovo region). Bakchar, South Kolpashevo (Tomsk). Abakansky, Nizhneangarsk, Teisko (Krasnoyarsk) Korshunov Rudnogorsk, Tagorskoe (Irkutsk region) Garinsky (Amur region). Kimkanskoye (Khabarovsk Territory), Aldan basin (Republic of Sakha).
The main roles of manganese ore remained outside of Russia (Ukraine, Georgia).
Ore deposits are located in the Urals (midnight mine) in Russia, Western Siberia (Usinsk deposit), and the Far East (Khingan).
In the Perm region (Saranovskoe deposit) there are chromite ores.
Ore non-ferrous metals contain a significantly smaller amount of useful components. Therefore, while the poorest iron ores contain at least 20% iron, copper ores with a copper content of 5% are considered rich.
To heavy Non-ferrous metals are usually called zinc, lead, nickel, chromium, tin, easily metals, aluminum, magnesium, titanium, alloying (used as additives for steel) - tungsten, molybdenum, vanadium.
group nobly metals - silver, gold, platinum.
Deposits of copper ore, which are located in the Urals (Krasnoural'sk, Kirovograd, Degtyarsk, Karabashsky Gaiskie, Blyavinskoe and other applications), in Eastern Siberia (Talnakh, Norilsk, Udokan deposits) in the Murmansk region (Pechenga Monchetundra) for the North Caucasus (Urupskaya deposit ).
Deposits of silver (polymetallic) ores in most cases are characterized by a complex composition.
In addition to zinc and lead, they contain copper, silver, tin, gold, etc.
The main polyethylene ores are concentrated in Eastern Siberia(Ozernoye, Khapcheranga, Kili, Garevskoye), in the Far East(Dalnegorskoye field), Western Siberia(Salair, Zmeinogorskoye field), on North Caucasus(Sadon deposit).
The raw materials for the production of nickel and cobalt are nickel (containing copper and nickel) and cobalt ore.
The main reserves of these ores are concentrated in Eastern Siberia (Talnakh, Oktyabrsky, Khova Aksinskaya-pole), the Urals (upper Ufalej, Khalilovsky and other deposits) on the Kola Peninsula (nickel). When it comes to nickel reserves, Russia ranks first in the world.
The main deposits of tin ore are associated with the Pacific ore belt and were located in the Far East (ESE-Khaya, Deputatskoye, Omsukchanskoye, Solntse, Hrustalnenskoe deposit) and partly in Transbaikalia (Hapcheranga, Sherlovaya Gor).
Ores, tungsten and molybdenum are found in the Northern Caucasus (Tyrnyauz), Eastern Siberia and the Far East (Dzhida, Davenda, Vostok-2).
Bauxite, nepholine and alunites are used as raw materials for aluminum production.
Aluminum ores are found in many areas, which form the basis for the aluminum industry. In European Russia, bauxite deposits have been discovered in Tikhvin, Leningrad), Arkhangelsk (Northern Onega), Belgorod (Vislovskoe) deposits in the Komi Republic (bauxite region of southeastern Timan). In the Murmansk region there are Nepheline deposits in the Khibiny Mountains. In the Urals there are bauxite dumps in the Sverdlovsk region (Krasnaya Shapochka, Cheremukhovskoye). There are deposits of bauxite and non-cellulose; In western and eastern Siberia (diaries of Salairsky, Kiya-, Shaltyrsky, Nizhneangarsk, Bokson, Goryachegorsky).
The role of titanium and magnesium ores was determined in the Urals, Siberia and the Komi Republic.
Silver is limited to areas where polymetallic ores occur.
The main gold reserves are concentrated in the Republic of Sakha (Aldane Ust-Nera box, Kular), in the Magadan region (Kolyma region), Chukotka in Eastern Siberia (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk and Chita regions).
The main sources of platinum are associated with deposits of copper-nickel ores (Norilsk, Murmansk region).
group mining and chemical resources includes phosphate ores, potassium and ordinary salts, sulfur and others, which form the raw material base of the chemical industry.
Phosphate ores - apatite and phosphorite, which are raw materials for the production of phosphate fertilizers. Higher reserves of apatite concentrate in the Khibiny Mountains are phosphates located in the central region (Egoryevskoye), Volga-VYATKA (Vyatko-Kama deposit), Middle Black regions of Siberia and the Far East.
Russia ranks first in the world in terms of potassium salt reserves.
Kornennaya potassium deposits (Solikamsk, Berezniki), located in the region and Permian salt deposits in addition to the above in Orenburg (Sol-Iletsk fields), Astrakhan (ie Elton Baskunchak), Western and Eastern Siberia (Mikhailovskoye, Usol-Siberian deposits) .
Russia has large and varied resources mineral construction materials that are the basis for the development of the building materials industry and the construction industry.
Almost all natural building materials are available in all economic regions.
Thus, Russia's mineral resource potential is very impressive. The cost of research into some types of minerals in Russia is estimated at 20-30 trillion.
U.S. dollar. Forecast estimates are 140 trillion. dollars. According to calculations, reserves of coal, iron ore, potassium salts and phosphorus raw materials in Russia are guaranteed for two or three centuries.
Instructions
Minerals are rocks and minerals used in the sphere of material production and in the national economy. Currently, about 250 types of minerals are known. They are divided into:
- combustibles (coal, oil, natural gas, peat, oil shale);
- ore (ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals);
- non-metallic (clay, limestone, various salts);
- stone-colored raw materials (jasper, agate, onyx, chalcedony, jade);
- (diamond, emerald, sapphire, ruby);
- hydromineral (underground and mineral waters);
- mining chemical raw materials (apatites, barites, borates)
Minerals, by the will of man, are transformed into the most necessary things that provide safety, heat, transport, and food. They are necessary in modern world everywhere. Almost all of it is produced at stations operating on coal, gas, fuel oil, and radioactive substances. Most transport runs on fossil fuel energy.
The basis of the construction industry is rocks. Ferrous and metallurgy also operates entirely on mineral raw materials, as does industry, where its share reaches 75%. Most metals are used as structural metals (ferrous, alloying, non-ferrous), in mechanical engineering, and in electronics. Ornamental stones, such as jasper, ruby, are used in jewelry making. Diamond, due to its hardness and strength, is used for cutting hard materials, and when cut it is a diamond. The mountain mineral apatite is necessary for the production of phosphate fertilizers. Transparent barite crystals are used in optical instruments.
The mineral reserves of the earth's interior are not limitless. And although the process of formation and accumulation of natural resources never stops, the pace of this restoration is completely incommensurate with the rate of use of the earth's resources.
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- Minerals
Minerals are natural mineral formations of inorganic and organic origin used in the field of material production. Currently, more than 200 types of mineral resources are mined.
Classification of minerals
There are several classifications of mineral resources. According to their physical properties, solid mineral formations are distinguished (various ores, coal, granite, salts), liquid (oil, water) and gaseous (gases, methane, helium).
Based on their origin, minerals are divided into sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous.
Based on the scope of use, a distinction is made between combustible resources (natural gas, coal, peat, oil), ore resources (rock ores) and nonmetallic resources (sand, clay, limestone, sulfur, potassium salts). Precious and ornamental stones are a separate group.
Mining
Modern searches for mineral resources are based not only on the use of the latest technology and sensitive instruments, but also on scientific forecasts. A scientific forecast is based on knowledge of the connections between the geological structure and the conditions for the formation of minerals.
There are several ways to extract mineral resources. With the open method, rocks are mined in. This is a cost-effective method, but not an environmentally friendly method, since abandoned careers can cause education. Using the open-pit method, fossils located on the surface of the earth or lying shallow in the subsoil. Typically these are limestone, sand, chalk, peat, iron and copper ores, and some types of coal.
Solid minerals located at great depths are mined using underground mines. Most often this is how coal is obtained. The mine method is considered the most unsafe for the lives of workers.
Liquid and gaseous minerals (oil, The groundwater, natural gas) is extracted using boreholes, sometimes using mines. A number of fields use a combination of extraction methods. The choice of method is determined mainly by the geological conditions of the occurrence of minerals and economic calculations.
New methods of extracting mineral resources are constantly being developed. But we must not forget that minerals are exhaustible, so it is necessary to spend them more economically and wisely.
To do this, we need to strive to reduce the loss of resources during their extraction, achieve a more complete extraction of all beneficial properties, pay more attention to the search for new, more promising deposits.
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A huge amount of minerals have been found in Siberia, the deposits of which were formed as a result of various geological processes. The diversity of mineral resources is explained by the vast territory and complex history of the formation of this section of the earth's crust.
Hard and brown coal
Coal in most cases occurs in places where tectonic plates deflect. Two huge coal basins were found in Siberia: Lensky and Tunguska. Coal reserves in the first are 2,600 billion tons, and in the second, according to scientists, slightly less - approximately 1,750 billion tons.
In total, about 80% of Russia's coal reserves are located in Siberia. On this moment A minority of all coal deposits have been developed, since mining is impossible in some basins due to the harsh natural conditions of Siberia.
Non-metallic fossils
Typically, Siberia's fossil resources include oil and natural gas. Oil fields in Siberia began to be developed recently. Thus, in the last few decades, the Markov oil field was discovered. Gas production is carried out in the Taas-Tumus field.
Western Siberia, in particular the Khanty-Mansi and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, produce more than 90% of all natural gas produced in Russia and about 75% of crude oil.
In addition to oil and gas, non-metallic minerals of Siberia include rock salt. Basically, salt deposits are located at the bottom of ancient seas. For example, salt mining is carried out in Yakutia, near rivers such as the Lena and Vilyuya.
Diamonds
The first diamonds were found in Siberia at the end of the 19th century. These minerals are located in areas with high volcanic activity. At first, diamantaires were not interested in them, due to large sizes. But in the 30s of the 20th century, Soviet geologist Alexander Burov discovered a fragment of a large stone, which made it possible to conclude that Siberia is diamond-bearing.
Large diamond deposits in Siberia have been discovered quite recently. In recent years, diamond mining has begun in Yakutia, in the basins of the Vilyuya and Olenyoka rivers.
Iron ores
There are huge deposits of iron ore in Siberia. The deposits of these minerals are among the most ancient. In this region you can find ores of metals such as tin, platinum, nickel, and mercury.
Gold
The gold reserves of Siberia have been known for several centuries. And gold mining has been going on for a very long time. The largest reserves of the metal are located in the Allah-Yun, Yan, Aldan, and Bodaibo regions.
When people start to think about how much is made from, they are struck by the vast range of uses of this oily substance. It would seem that you poured gasoline into the car tank, bought motor oil - this limits the scope of its use. But many everyday things: lipstick, nylon stockings and even an aspirin tablet are made from oil.
Instructions
Oil is just organic matter, which is a host of molecules, by changing the structure of which, you can get an object with completely different characteristics. Just as diamonds are made from graphite under high temperatures and pressure, raw materials for fuel are also the basis for the production of cosmetics, household items, clothes and even food. Chewing gum has long been no longer made from natural resins; such gum can only be found in pharmacies. Its main components are petroleum polymers. It is in vain that people who use chewing gum and throw it away on the street believe that any food will gradually dissolve. Chewing gum is not a regular food and can lie on the ground for years in the form of a dense lump.
There is no need to be afraid that paraffin and other components of lipstick are petroleum derivatives, because they are the ones that have replaced the harmful components that were once present in this women's accessory. Eye shadows, corrective pencils for eyes and lips, nail polish - all these cosmetics contain a piece of natural substance. And housewives cannot imagine their lives without one more product - plastic, because the housings of household appliances are made from it, and plastic bags help carry heavy purchases from the store.
A complex chain of chemical transformations even makes it possible to obtain aspirin, an unsurpassed remedy for headaches and other types of pain, as well as a number of salicylic acids that are part of anti-tuberculosis and antibacterial drugs. Aniline, isolated from nitrobenzene, helped take a step forward in the fight against microorganisms. Diseases can be treated not only from the inside, but also from the outside - for this, doctors use prostheses made of medical plastic.
Women who study clothing labels have noticed that many items contain polyester, and some are made 100% of this synthetic material. Outwardly, it is similar to viscose and therefore is well suited for sewing dresses and blouses, as well as linings for jackets. Polyester clothing does not wrinkle and is durable, just like nylon tights. Petroleum products are found in abundance in the kitchen in the form of plastic utensils and furniture, and in the nursery - as dolls, tumblers, cubes and other toys. We cannot talk about their harmfulness or allergenicity, because absolutely all the food that is on store shelves is packaged in plastic, and some medications containing petroleum derivatives successfully help get rid of allergies.
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Gravel is one of the most inexpensive and popular building materials. It is mined in open quarries and has many undeniable advantages. In order not to confuse gravel with crushed stone, you need to know the difference between these stones.
Instructions
Gravel is fragments of rock. These are mainly granites, sandstones, limestones and diabases. Gravel is mined by open-pit mining in sand and gravel deposits. These stones come in different sizes and are an inexpensive and sought-after building material. They are used as a filler in the preparation of concrete, in road construction, and for paving paths and areas in private households. After extracting the sand and gravel mixture, the sand is sifted out and the stones are sorted into the most popular fractions. In the construction of buildings and roads, this size is 20/40 mm.
How is gravel different from crushed stone? These two types of stones are often confused. However, there is a difference between them, and a significant one. Both of these products are inorganic bulk materials. But gravel is formed as a result of natural fractures of rocks, and crushed stone is a product of their artificial crushing. Gravel is predominantly round, and the shape of crushed stone is most often pointed.
All about gravel. These stones come in most different color: blue-gray, dark gray, brown, black, yellowish and pinkish. Many of them are intricately combined and tend to change shade depending on the degree of air humidity or lighting. For this reason, gravel is a favorite of landscape designers, who use it to decorate gardens and farmsteads, improve flower beds, and create pedestrian paths. The shape of stones of any size is solid, they never have cracks.
In nature, there are three main fractions: small (1-3 mm), medium (3-7 mm) and large (7-12 mm). These stones contain many impurities - particles of clay, sand, dust and dirt. Depending on the deposit, there are different types of gravel: lake, mountain, sea, river, glacial, etc. Cleaner stones are sea and river. Their surface is smooth, so they are widely used in laying and filling roads.
In the construction of houses and buildings, preference is given to mountain gravel, since it has a rougher surface and, therefore, provides better adhesion in concrete mixtures. Small fractions of stones are one of the components in the production of certain types of roofing materials. Gravel has the first
The mineral resource base is the main wealth of Russia, on the solution of whose problems many issues of the economy and welfare of society depend. Russia meets its domestic needs for most types of raw materials and has significant export capabilities.
Minerals
Russia has the world's most powerful potential of mineral resources, occupying one of the first places on the planet in terms of explored reserves of the most important minerals. In particular, our country is one of the world leaders in reserves of such mineral resources as coal, iron ore, potassium salts and phosphorus raw materials. Here, Russia's share in world reserves is at least 30%. On a per capita basis, Russia's natural resource potential is 2-2.5 times greater than that of the United States.
Mineral raw materials extracted from the subsoil and their processed products provide 65-70% of Russia's foreign exchange earnings and account for 30-35% of its GDP. Oil and natural gas are the basis of the country's fuel and energy balance and raw material exports. There are oil and gas fields in 37 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. In terms of oil and gas reserves and their production, the West Siberian (50-75%) and Volga-Ural oil and gas provinces (including the Volga-Ural and Timan-Pechora oil and gas regions) stand out especially. The largest oil reserves are concentrated in the central part of Western Siberia (Samotlor, etc.), gas - in its northern regions (Novy Urengoy, Yamburg, etc.). There are oil reserves on Sakhalin and in the Ciscaucasia. Proven oil reserves - 51.22 billion barrels (2002; almost 5% of world production, 7th place in the world), production - 7.286 million barrels per day (2001; almost 10% of world production, 3rd place in the world) world after Saudi Arabia and the USA). Proven reserves of natural gas - 47.86 trillion m3 (2002, almost 32% of world production, 1st place in the world), production - 580.8 billion m3 (2001, almost 23% of world production, 1st place in the world). Russia has unique coal resources of various types, which are estimated at 4 trillion tons, but most of them lie mainly in uninhabited areas of Siberia and the Far East. In terms of coal reserves, the Tunguska and Lena basins are distinguished. About 75% of Russian coal is mined in Siberia, with about 40% coming from the Kuznetsk basin (Kuzbass), which is famous for high-quality coal (balance sheet reserves - 114.3 million tons). In Siberia, production is also carried out in the Kansko-Achinsk, Cheremkhovo (Irkutsk region), South Yakutsk and some other, less significant basins. In the European part of the country, suppliers of hard coal are the eastern Donbass and the Pechora basin (Vorkuta, etc.). The Kansk-Achinsky, Lensky and Moscow region basins are distinguished by brown coal reserves.
Russia is one of the five world leaders in iron ore mining (along with China, Brazil, Australia and Ukraine). The world's largest iron ore deposits are located in the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly (KMA) region. Only three KMA iron ore mines provide more than 45% of the total volume of ore mined in Russia. Smaller iron ore deposits are scattered throughout the country: they are on the Kola Peninsula, Karelia, the Urals, the Angara region, South Yakutia and other areas. Mineral resources that are more scarce (after the loss of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, etc.) include manganese, chromium and uranium ores.
Security certain types non-ferrous and rare metals are currently assessed as sustainable. Non-ferrous and rare metals are contained in complex ores, their share in the total volume of ores is often insignificant, and complex technologies are used to extract them. Russia has reserves of various non-ferrous and rare metals. The Urals are distinguished by titanomagnetite ores and bauxites, which are also found in the north of the Russian Plain and in the mountains of southern Siberia. Copper ores were found in the Northern Caucasus, the Middle and Southern Urals, and Eastern Siberia (Stanovoye Highlands). Copper-nickel ores are mined in the Norilsk ore region, which plays a special role in the country’s economy, and on the Kola Peninsula.
The main feature of Russian copper-nickel deposits is their enrichment in precious and platinum group metals, gold, silver and rare metals - selenium, tellurium. There are deposits of lead-zinc ores in the North Caucasus, Transbaikalia and the Far East, tin in Yakutia, the Magadan region, Chukotka, Khabarovsk and Primorsky territories, tungsten and molybdenum in the North Caucasus, Transbaikalia and the Far East.
The mineral resources of Yakutia, Kolyma, Chukotka, and the mountains of Southern Siberia are gold-bearing. The Murmansk region is famous for its deposits of apatite-nepheline ores. Phosphorites are mined in a number of central regions of the European part of Russia and in the south of Central Siberia. The country is also rich in sulfur, mica, asbestos, graphite, and various precious, semiprecious and ornamental stones. There are especially many of them in the Urals, Altai, Transbaikalia and the Kola Peninsula. Table salt mined in the Caspian region, the Urals, the Altai Territory and the Baikal region.
Diamond is the hardest of all natural materials. Diamonds vary in color, from colorless to dark gray. 80-85% of diamonds are mined from placers. In Russia, diamonds were first discovered in the Middle Urals, then in Yakutia and later in the Arkhangelsk region. The most beautiful and valuable diamonds are kept in the Diamond Fund of Russia. Products made from precious and semi-precious stones are also stored there. The Urals are richest in them, where emeralds, malachites, jasper, aquamarines, rock crystal, alexandrite, topazes, and amethysts are found. Altai jasper, Sayan jade, and Baikal lapis lazuli are also known. Natural resources extracted from the depths of our country constitute important Russian exports. 30-40% of produced gas, more than 2/3 of oil, 90% of copper and tin, 65% of zinc, and almost all raw materials for the production of phosphate and potash fertilizers are sent abroad.
Russia's mineral resources are currently the main pillar of its struggling economy. Οʜᴎ are exported to the developed countries Europe, Japan, etc.
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and to rapidly developing China. Minerals are non-renewable Natural resources. Reasonable use of mineral resources is achieved by reducing losses during their extraction and processing, more complete extraction of all useful components contained in them, integrated use resources.
Reserves of natural resources are distributed very unevenly throughout the country; most of them are in Siberia, which is rightfully considered the main storehouse of the country. About a third of all mineral resources in Russia are located in Western Siberia, and about a quarter in Eastern Siberia. Most of the mineral resources are concentrated in the harshest, least developed zone, which is also remote from the base production capacity. For this reason, the main problem of developing Russia's mineral wealth is related to the high cost of their extraction and problems of transportation to consumers. It is no coincidence that minerals make up almost half of all goods transported by rail and water transport in the country.
Sedimentary minerals most typical for platforms, since the platform cover is located there. These are mainly non-metallic minerals and fuels, the leading role among which is played by gas, oil, coal, and oil shale. They were formed from the remains of plants and animals accumulated in the coastal parts of shallow seas and in lake-marsh land conditions. These abundant organic residues could only accumulate in sufficiently moist and warm conditions, favorable for lush development. In hot, dry conditions, in shallow seas and coastal lagoons, salts accumulated, which are used as raw materials in.
Mining
There are several ways mining. Firstly, this is an open method in which rocks are mined in quarries. It is more economically beneficial, as it helps to obtain a cheaper product. However, an abandoned quarry can cause a wide net to form. The mine method of coal mining requires large expenditures and is therefore more expensive. The cheapest method of oil production is flowing, when oil rises through a well under oil gases. The pumping method of extraction is also common. There are also special methods of mining. They are called geotechnological. With their help, ore is mined from the depths of the Earth. This is done by pumping hot water and solutions into the layers containing the necessary minerals. Other wells pump out the resulting solution and separate the valuable component.
The need for minerals is constantly growing, the extraction of mineral raw materials is increasing, but minerals are exhaustible natural resources, so it is necessary to use them more economically and fully.
There are several ways to do this:
- reducing losses of minerals during their extraction;
- more complete extraction of all useful components from the rock;
- integrated use of mineral resources;
- search for new, more promising deposits.
Thus, the main direction in the use of minerals in the coming years should not be an increase in the volume of their production, but a more rational use.
In modern searches for mineral resources, it is necessary to use not only the latest technology and sensitive instruments, but also a scientific forecast for the search for deposits, which helps to conduct targeted exploration of subsoil on a scientific basis. It was thanks to such methods that diamond deposits in Yakutia were first scientifically predicted and then discovered. A scientific forecast is based on knowledge of the connections and conditions for the formation of minerals.
Brief description of the main minerals
The hardest of all minerals. Its composition is pure carbon. It is found in placers and as inclusions in rocks. Diamonds are colorless, but they are also found in various colors. A cut diamond is called a diamond. Its weight is usually measured in carats (1 carat = 0.2 g). The largest diamond was found in Yuzhnaya: it weighed more than 3,000 carats. Most diamonds are mined in Africa (98% of production in the capitalist world). In Russia, large diamond deposits are located in Yakutia. Clear crystals are used to make gemstones. Before 1430, diamonds were considered common gemstones. The trendsetter for them was the Frenchwoman Agnes Sorel. Due to their hardness, opaque diamonds are used industrially for cutting and engraving, as well as for polishing glass and stone.
A soft, malleable metal, yellow in color, heavy, and does not oxidize in air. In nature it is found mainly in its pure form (nuggets). The largest nugget, weighing 69.7 kg, was found in Australia.
Gold is also found in the form of placers - this is the result of weathering and erosion of the deposit, when grains of gold are released and carried away, forming placers. Gold is used in the production of precision instruments and various jewelry. In Russia, gold lies on and in. Abroad - in Canada, South Africa,. Since gold occurs in nature in small quantities and its extraction is associated with high costs, it is considered a precious metal.
Platinum(from the Spanish plata - silver) - a precious metal from white to steel-gray color. It is characterized by refractoriness, resistance to chemical influences and electrical conductivity. It is mined mainly from placers. It is used for the manufacture of chemical glassware, in electrical engineering, jewelry and dentistry. In Russia, platinum is mined in the Urals and Eastern Siberia. Abroad - in South Africa.
Gems (gems) - mineral bodies with beautiful color, brilliance, hardness, and transparency. They are divided into two groups: stones used for cutting and semi-precious stones. The first group includes diamond, ruby, sapphire, emerald, amethyst, and aquamarine. The second group includes malachite, jasper, and rock crystal. All precious stones, as a rule, are of igneous origin. However, pearls, amber, and coral are minerals of organic origin. Precious stones are used in jewelry and for technical purposes.
Tuffs- rocks of various origins. Calcareous tuff is a porous rock formed by the precipitation of calcium carbonate from sources. This tuff is used to produce cement and lime. Volcanic tuff - cemented. Tuffs are used as a building material. Has different colors.
Mica- rocks that have the ability to split into thin layers with a smooth surface; found as impurities in sedimentary rocks. Various micas are used as a good electrical insulator, for the manufacture of windows in metallurgical furnaces, and in the electrical and radio industries. In Russia, mica is mined in Eastern Siberia, in. Industrial development of mica deposits is carried out in Ukraine, the USA, .
Marble- crystalline rock formed as a result of limestone metamorphism. It comes in various colors. Marble is used as a building material for wall cladding, architecture and sculpture. In Russia there are many of its deposits in the Urals and the Caucasus. Abroad, the most famous marble is mined in.
Asbestos(Greek inextinguishable) - a group of fibrous fireproof rocks that split into soft fibers of greenish-yellow or almost white. It occurs in the form of veins (a vein is a mineral body that fills a crack in the earth’s crust, usually has a slab-like shape, extending vertically to great depths. The length of the veins reaches two or more kilometers), among igneous and sedimentary rocks. It is used for the manufacture of special fabrics (fire insulation), tarpaulins, fire-resistant roofing materials, as well as thermal insulation materials. In Russia, asbestos mining is carried out in the Urals, in, and abroad - in and other countries.
Asphalt(resin) - a brittle, resinous rock of brown or black color, which is a mixture of hydrocarbons. Asphalt melts easily, burns with a smoky flame, and is a product of changes in certain types of oil, from which some of the substances have evaporated. Asphalt often penetrates sandstones, limestones, and marl. It is used as a building material for road surfaces, in electrical engineering and the rubber industry, for the preparation of varnishes and mixtures for waterproofing. The main asphalt deposits in Russia are the Ukhta region, abroad - in, in France,.
Apatity- minerals rich in phosphorus salts, green, gray and other colors; found among various igneous rocks, in some places forming large accumulations. Apatites are mainly used for the production of phosphate fertilizers, they are also used in the ceramics industry. In Russia, the largest deposits of apatite are located in, on. Abroad, they are mined in the Republic of South Africa.
Phosphorites- Sedimentary rocks rich in phosphorus compounds that form grains in the rock or bind various minerals together into a dense rock. The color of phosphorites is dark gray. They, like apatites, are used to produce phosphate fertilizers. In Russia, phosphorite deposits are common in the Moscow and Kirov regions. Abroad, they are mined in the USA (Florida Peninsula) and.
Aluminum ores- minerals and rocks used to produce aluminum. The main aluminum ores are bauxite, nepheline and alunite.
Bauxite(the name comes from the area of Beau in the south of France) - sedimentary rocks of red or brown color. 1/3 of the world's reserves lie in the north, and the country is one of the leading countries in their production. In Russia, bauxite is mined in. The main component of bauxite is aluminum oxide.
Alunites(the name comes from the word alun - alum (French) - minerals that contain aluminum, potassium and other inclusions. Alunite ore can be a raw material for the production of not only aluminum, but also potash fertilizers and sulfuric acid. Alunite deposits are in the USA , China, Ukraine, and other countries.
Nephelines(the name comes from the Greek “nephele”, which means cloud) - minerals of complex composition, gray or green in color, containing a significant amount of aluminum. They are part of igneous rocks. In Russia, nephelines are mined in and in Eastern Siberia. Aluminum obtained from these ores is a soft metal, produces strong alloys, and is widely used in the production of household goods.
Iron ores- natural mineral accumulations containing iron. They are varied in mineralogical composition, the amount of iron in them and various impurities. Impurities can be valuable (manganese chromium, cobalt, nickel) and harmful (sulfur, phosphorus, arsenic). The main ones are brown iron ore, red iron ore, and magnetic iron ore.
Brown iron ore, or limonite, is a mixture of several minerals containing iron with an admixture of clay substances. It has a brown, yellow-brown or black color. It is most often found in sedimentary rocks. If the ores of brown iron ore - one of the most common iron ores - have an iron content of at least 30%, then they are considered industrial. The main deposits are in Russia (Ural, Lipetsk), Ukraine (), France (Lorraine), on.
Hematite, or hematite, is a red-brown to black mineral containing up to 65% iron.
It is found in various rocks in the form of crystals and thin plates. Sometimes it forms clusters in the form of hard or earthy masses of a bright red color. The main deposits of red iron ore are in Russia (KMA), Ukraine (Krivoy Rog), USA, Brazil, Kazakhstan, Canada, Sweden.
Magnetic iron ore, or magnetite, is a black mineral containing 50-60% iron. This is high quality iron ore. Composed of iron and oxygen, highly magnetic. It occurs in the form of crystals, inclusions and solid masses. The main deposits are in Russia (Ural, KMA, Siberia), Ukraine (Krivoy Rog), Sweden and the USA.
Manganese ores- mineral compounds containing manganese, the main property of which is to give steel and cast iron malleability and hardness. Modern metallurgy is unthinkable without manganese: a special alloy is smelted - ferromanganese, containing up to 80% manganese, which is used to smelt high-quality steel. In addition, manganese is necessary for the growth and development of animals and is a microfertilizer. The main ore deposits are located in Ukraine (Nikolskoye), India, Brazil and the Republic of South Africa.
Tin ores- numerous minerals containing tin. Tin ores with a tin content of 1-2% or more are being developed. These ores require beneficiation - increasing the valuable component and separating waste rock, so ores are used for smelting, the tin content of which has been increased to 55%. Tin does not oxidize, which caused it wide application in the canning industry. In Russia, tin ores are found in Eastern Siberia and on, and abroad they are mined in Indonesia, on the peninsula.
Nickel ores- mineral compounds containing nickel. It does not oxidize in air. The addition of nickel to steels greatly increases their elasticity. Pure nickel is used in mechanical engineering. In Russia it is mined on the Kola Peninsula, the Urals, and Eastern Siberia; abroad - in Canada, in Brazil.
Uranium-radium ores- mineral accumulations containing uranium. Radium is a product of the radioactive decay of uranium. The radium content in uranium ores is negligible - up to 300 mg per 1 ton of ore. are of great importance, since the fission of the nuclei of each gram of uranium can produce 2 million times more energy than burning 1 gram of fuel, so they are used as fuel in nuclear power plants to generate cheap electricity. Uranium-radium ores are mined in Russia, the USA, China, Canada, Congo, and other countries of the world.
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