More than 40% of Russia's recoverable coal reserves located in Far North, scientists say
It is noted that the total share of forecasted resources in the Far North is at least 42% of the total estimated reserves across the country
MOSCOW, June 19. /TASS/. More than 40% of recoverable coal reserves in Russia are located fully or partially in the Far North, and the coal amount is forecasted at least at 700 billion tons, the Russian Energy Agency, the University of Science and Technology (MISIS), and the Don State Technical University (DGTU) experts found, MISIS's press service said.
"Among the Russian Federation regions, which territories are partially or fully located in the Far North, the largest coal reserves of categories A+B+C1+C2 (explored and estimated - TASS) were found in the Krasnoyarsk Region (68.1 billion tons), in the Irkutsk Region (14.8 billion tons) and in Yakutia (14.3 billion tons). Estimated coal resources <...> in the region make at least 700 billion tons. The total share of forecasted resources in the Far North is at least 42% of the total estimated reserves across the country, and the largest reserves were found in Yakutia," said the studies' leader, Professor of the Industrial Management Department, MISIS, Diana Savon.
Experts say the development of those deposits should begin at areas most suitable for open-pit mining, which are located most closely to consumers, and which have the best quality indicators. For example, from those that are a part of the undistributed subsoil fund in the Nenets Autonomous District - there are 114.7 million tons of the Pechora coal basin reserves, where 114.7 million tons are coking coal. Access to new markets may build up coal mining due to the developing transport and logistics infrastructures, including the Northern Sea Route.
"The fourth energy transition, following the European one, may also occur in the Asian market, to where Russia has redirected its energy supplies. Thus, it would be only reasonable to support the intensive development of the new coal mining centers, that is, to create coal chemical clusters around mining enterprises. It is important to do so in all the districts, thus supporting low-profitability organizations," MISIS's post graduate at the Department of Economics Sergey Goncharov said.