Kuznetsk coal basin

One of the largest coal bases in the world is the Kuznetsk coal basin. It is located in the southern part of Siberia. Its area reaches seventy thousand square kilometers and captures the Altai Territory, Kemerovo and Novosibirsk Regions. This geographical position is considered to be unprofitable, since the main regions that consume coal are far enough away.

The Kuznetsk basin was discovered in 1721 by serf ore prospectors. Later, in 1851, the Bochatskaya mine was founded, and in 1897 coal mining began in the Anzhero-Sudzhensky district.

Under the guidance of L.I. Lutugin from 1914 began research and geological survey of the basin. As a result, the first geological map of this area was published and a decision was made to create the Ural-Kuznetsk Metallurgical Combine.

The coal basin consists of 260 layers of different thickness: 1.3-3.5 m. They are distributed unevenly - from 9 to 30 m.

In addition to coal, the Kuznetsk coal basin contains deposits of peat, iron ore, limestone, building materials, refractory clays, ornamental stones and so on. Today Kuzbass is one of the most significant industrial regions of Russia. The main industries in the region are: extraction and processing of iron ore, coal and non-metallic raw materials for the construction industry and metallurgy.

The deposits are being developed by the Kemerovougol, Yuzhkuzbassugol, Kuzbassugol, Prokopyevskugol combines at 90 mines and sections. The average depth of the mines is 200 meters, and the maximum - 500 meters.

In terms of output, the Kuznetsk coal basin is second only to the Donbass. However, it largely surpasses it in terms of economic and mining characteristics.

The main coal mining is carried out in the central and southern regions: Belovsky, Prokopyevsko-Kiselevsky, Tomusinsky, Leninsk-Kuznetsky. The extraction process is carried out by underground, hydraulic and open methods. The share of open production is 30%, and hydraulic - 5%. Three hydrosurges are successfully operated. The underground coal gasification station operates in the Prokopevsko-Kiselevo district.

Kuznetsk coal basin has 25 modern coal preparation plants, 365 combines intended for cleaning works, 180 mechanized complexes, 200 combines, 1731 electric locomotives, 12 000 belt and scraper conveyors, 450 loading machines. The main technological production processes for the extraction and transportation of coal are mechanized. 80 electric locomotives, 448 excavators, 300 bulldozers, 900 dump cars, hundreds of drilling rigs, cranes and heavy trucks are used as auxiliary equipment. All of them are managed by qualified employees.

The largest modern mechanized enterprises are the Jubilee in Novokuznetsk, VI Lenin in Mezhdurechensk and others. Every day they give about ten thousand tons of coal. In the future, it is planned to increase this figure.

In addition to the coal industry, metallurgy is well developed in the Kuznetsk basin (West Siberian Plant, Novokuznetsk Aluminum Plant, Kuznetsk Metallurgical Plant, Belovo Zinc Plant), machine building, chemical industry.

Kuznetsk coal basin is characterized by a continental climate. Here, the air temperature, the intensity of solar radiation and the amount of precipitation change frequently and quite sharply.

In the direction from south to north, the territory of the coal basin is crossed by the Tom River. It is the main source of technical and drinking water supply to enterprises.

The territory of the Kuznetsk Basin is constantly exposed in connection with the development of industry. As a result, anthropogenic transformations of landscapes occur.