10 largest coal basins in Russia

Russia is a country that remains one of the leaders in the extraction and processing of minerals. This industry is of great importance for the country’s economy, and individual quarries are champions not only in Russia, but also in the world.

Each field has its own interesting history and features, almost every one is worth writing a separate article about. But in this one we will consider the simplest parameters: the size of the pool and the supply of resources. And so that the data does not turn out to be completely dry, let’s add some interesting facts about the largest coal basins in Russia.

10 Minusinsky, 7,2 billion tons

Coal mining in Minusinsk basin began in 1904 and was conducted at first in a very artisanal way. Production volumes were scanty until, in 1926-1928. no detailed survey of the quarry has been carried out and the main coal deposits have not been identified.

Coal is mined here, which is especially valuable for industry. Active development is facilitated by a developed network of railways. The main reserves are concentrated in the Beyskoye and Chernogorskoye deposits and amount to 3,3 and 1,5 billion tons, respectively. The resource is extracted both by open and underground methods.

9. Irkutsk, 7,5 billion tons

In the southern part of the Irkutsk region is located Irkutsk coal basin. It stretches for half a thousand kilometers from Nizhneudinsk almost to the very shores of Lake Baikal. The area of ​​the basin is 42,7 thousand km², and the width in some places reaches 80 km. Hard and brown coal is mined here, which is mainly used for energy purposes.

The coal-bearing layer belongs to the Jurassic period, and mining is carried out in an open way from a depth of 20 m. The first deposits were discovered in 1869, after exploring the area in 1896, the first development of the basin began.

8. Ulug-Khemsky, 14,2 billion tons

Ulug-Khem coal basin located in the heart of the Republic of Tyva. The republic is going through hard times: many enterprises that were actively opened in the Soviet Union have closed.

The Kaa-Khemsky coal mine, which is the main source of coal in the Republic of Tyva, was once considered strategically important, but no anti-crisis management could bring the enterprise out of losses, and it was sold to a private organization.

The Ulug-Khem basin was named after the Upper Yenisei, which is Ulug-Khem. The abundance of rivers, as well as underground currents and water saturation of the layers, greatly complicate the development.

The coalfield became known in 1883, the first artisanal mining began in 1914. Coal mining on an industrial scale began in 1925. The total area of ​​the basin is 2700 km², and the city of Kyzyl is located in its center.

7. Yuzhno-Yakutsky, 57,5 billion tons

South Yakutsk open pit, which is clear from the name, is located in Yakutia. Or rather, in the Neryungri district. It stretches along the Stanovoy Range of the Aldan Highlands. Its area is 25 thousand km².

These deposits have been known since 1849, but they began to be developed on an industrial scale only in 1933. Mining is carried out mainly in an open way, that is, without the construction of mines. The seams lie at a depth of up to 300 meters, and their thickness is 25-28 m.

Several deposits are known in the quarry, but only Neryungri is actively developed. High-quality coking coals are mined here.

6. Taimyrsky, 185 billion tons

Global warming has been worrying modern ecologists for more than a decade. Its consequences are mostly catastrophic, but sometimes it can also bring a pleasant surprise.

So, for example, as a result of the melting of glaciers on the Taimyr Peninsula (Krasnoyarsk Territory), a person gained access to a huge coal mine. Its area is 80 thousand km², and the resource reserve is tentatively forecasted at 185 billion tons.

The deposit itself has been known since 1843, but the development of coal in this region is not welcomed by environmental organizations. The Vostokugol company received a license for geological exploration activities, but despite the protests of scientists, it began open-pit mining, for which a fine of 600 million rubles was imposed on it.

5. Pechorsky, 344,5 billion tons

Pechora coal quarry located in the north, in the Arkhangelsk region, the Komi Republic and the Polar Urals. It is not surprising that it stretches over several regions: its area is 90 thousand km².

This is one of the largest and most promising basins in Russia in terms of volume; 30 deposits are located on its territory. Coal lies at great depths: there are seams at a depth of 470 m, but some would have to go down to 900 m.

Mining is carried out in a closed way: mines are built, special equipment is used. Production conditions are difficult, the layers break and crumble. There are no industrial centers nearby, delivery is made over long distances, and workers have “northern” salary supplements. All this sharply increases the cost of coal, which negates all the prospects of deposits.

4. Kuznetsky, 635 billion tons

Kuznetsk coal basin – the most famous in Russia. Its other name is Kuzbass. It is located in the southern part of Western Siberia, near Kemerovo, Novokuznetsk, Prokopyevsk, their residents and residents of nearby cities, it provides more than 100 thousand jobs.

Coal mining has been going on here for 250 years, but the area is also rich in other minerals, such as brown and hard coal. 120 enterprises have been built in the region.

The basin area is 27 thousand km². According to geologists, there are 130 coal layers at different depths and different thicknesses. On average, mines lie at a depth of 300 m, but do not fall below 900 m. The thickness of the layer is 1,5-3 m, but in some places it reaches 20 m, and at blow points – up to all 30.

3. Kansko-Achinsk, 638 billion tons

For the first time, the fact that coal deposits are located in this region of Siberia was published already in the 18th century. The first excavations began in 1903, and since 1918 coal mining has acquired an industrial scale.

В Kansk-Achinsk coal basin 30 deposits are known, the main resource of which is energy brown coal. It is used right there to generate energy in the systems of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and Khakassia, as well as to generate heat by local thermal power plants, as well as thermal power plants in the Irkutsk region.

The development is carried out in an open way, due to the fact that resources do not need to be transported over long distances, the cost of coal is low.

2. Lensky 1647 billion tons

The first mention of coal-bearing layers in this region of Yakutia dates back to the 19th century. The geological study was started in 1927, and since 1930 in Lena basin industrial coal mining. Basically it is brown and black coals.

Currently, 10 fields have been explored, the development of which is carried out both by open and closed methods. The total area is about 750 thousand km², and the depth of coal-bearing seams does not exceed 600 m.

In 2000, two seams, “Jubilee” and “Complicated” began to burn. For a long time, experts tried to block coal outlets to the surface, and there was a serious environmental danger of poisoning local residents. Over time, funding stopped, but the fire is still not completely eliminated.

1. Tunguska, 2345 billion tons

Tunguska coal basin – the largest in Russia. It occupies about 1 million km² of the territory of Eastern Siberia, mostly located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, but also “creeps” into the Irkutsk Region and Yakutia.

Coal is mainly mined here, sometimes brown coal is found. Mining is carried out both by open and closed methods. Despite the fact that the first known about the coal-bearing layers in these areas became known around 1860, and the study was carried out at the beginning of the 20th century, the basin is still not well understood due to the harsh conditions and difficult accessibility of many areas.