Minerals of Donetsk region. Natural resources

Minerals of the Donetsk region are very diverse. About 850 deposits are found here, in which 40 varieties of raw materials are mined. They are conventionally divided into ore, non-metallic and combustible substances. Their number reaches 12% of all natural wealth of post-socialist countries. Most intensively, deposits of black coal, rock salt, fluxes, dolomites, clays are being developed. This is not a complete list of minerals in the Donetsk region.

Coal

In the Donbass such combustible minerals as coal and brown coal, natural gas are being developed. This raw material is used in the metallurgical, chemical industry, as well as at TPP.

Donetsk black coal is a solid mineral. Its origin is vegetable. The main wealth of the Donetsk basin is without doubt coal. It is coked, long-flame, gas, fat anthracite. The most large-scale production of brown and coal. Of the total coal produced in the region, half is in gas varieties, and a quarter in anthracite.

From these materials are made various fertilizers, plastics. Coal feeds energy transport, metallurgical, coke plants, TPP. The thickness of the seams is up to 1 m. The development is carried out by both mining and quarrying. Black coal in this region is characterized by high quality.

Gas

Deposits of natural gas have been discovered for a long time, but new deposits of blue fuel are being developed. Turnovers are increasing. In the north, the Donetsk basin has a gas field with a reservoir capacity of 1,400 million m ³ . A total of 15 potential deposits are being developed. According to preliminary estimates, their reserves are 30 billion m ³ .

In the north of the Lugansk region (Krasnogorovsky site) and the Donetsk region (Krasnolimanskoye deposit), natural gas production is being developed.

A lot of industries use this kind of minerals for their needs. With sufficient financing, production volumes will increase. This will cover the energy needs of not only the Donetsk region.

Ore

The minerals of Donetsk region of ore origin are quite important. There are significant reserves of mercury ores, deposits of which are being developed in Gorlovsky district. This type of minerals is of great importance for industry.

Here also are concentrated low-power stocks of iron ore. Their quantity allows satisfying only the local need for such a mineral.

Copper ores are being developed in the Artemovskoye deposit. The mineral sometimes comes to the surface. A similar picture is observed in the tract of Kartamysh. Cobalt, chromium, nickel, gold and silver ore occurrences are also found.

Non-metallic mineral resources

However, not only coal and ores are famous for the minerals of the Donetsk region. Here are the richest reserves of rock salt, gypsum, chalk, flux, building limestone, unique varieties of clays, glass, building sandstones, dolomites, etc.

The total volume of table salt, developed in this area, is 25.4 billion tons. The mineral lies in the form of thick layers. The thickness in some places reaches 35-40 m. Extraction is carried out by a mine way and a method of leaching.

Stone salt is very often accompanied by gypsum. This mineral is mined here. Gypsum provides the construction industry, chemical industry and medicine with the required materials.

This is far from a complete list of minerals of non-metallic origin that are mined in the region. They play an important role in the development of the country's industry.

Development prospects

In the region, geo-prospecting work is underway to assess the reserves of such minerals as Donetsk coal, hydrocarbons, ore, ocher, alkaline coal, gems, copper, basalt and lead.

Today, prospective programs are being carried out for the future development of iron ore, feldspar, rare earth metals, nifelins, potassium salt, phosphorites, graphite, precious and semiprecious stones.

In the north of the Azov Sea, kimberlite pipes were found . They contain fragments of small crystals of diamonds. Also, gold mining is a good prospect for experts.

Minerals of the Donetsk region are rich and plentiful. As funding becomes available, new deposits of flammable, ore and non-metallic substances will be developed here. It is a rich land, the development prospects of which are enormous. With a competent, responsible approach, it is possible to expand production and mining processes, providing the country and the region with the necessary materials in many branches of production.