Coal is a type of fossil fuel formed from parts of ancient plants underground without oxygen. Today we will visit one of the oldest enterprises in Kuzbass, where coal mining in the subsoil area of the mine has been carried out since 1917.
Welcome to the oldest enterprise in Kuzbass - LLC "Mine No. 12", located in a small mining town near Novokuznetsk - Kiselevsk.
Combine:
To form coal abundant accumulation of plant mass is necessary. It is formed in conditions where rotting plant material accumulates faster than its bacterial decomposition occurs. The ideal environment for this is created in swamps, where stagnant water, depleted of oxygen, prevents the activity of bacteria and thereby protects the plant mass from complete destruction.
In ancient peat bogs, starting from the Devonian period (approximately 416 million years ago), this very thing accumulated organic matter, from which fossil coals were formed without access to oxygen. Most commercial fossil coal deposits date from this period, although younger deposits also exist.
Coal mines:
Coal mining methods depend on the depth of its occurrence. Development underway open method in coal mines, if the depth of the coal seam does not exceed 100 meters. There are also frequent cases when it is profitable to develop a coal deposit using the underground method. Mines are used to extract coal from great depths. The deepest mines in Russia extract coal from a level of just over 1,200 meters.
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Coal has its own marking. Depending on the degree of conversion and the specific amount of carbon in coal, there are its four types: brown coals (lignites), hard coals, anthracites and graphites. In Western countries, there is a slightly different classification - lignites, subbituminous coals, bituminous coals, anthracites and graphites, respectively.
Russia contains 5.5% of the world's coal reserves, which amounts to more than 200 billion tons. This difference with the percentage of proven coal reserves (19%) is due to the fact that most not suitable for development, as it is located in Siberia in the permafrost region. 70% comes from brown coal reserves.
Application coal diverse. It is used as household, energy fuel, raw material for metallurgical and chemical industry, as well as for extracting rare and trace elements from it.
As for the Kuznetsk coal basin, Kuzbass is one of the largest coal deposits peace. Currently, the name “Kuzbass” is the second name of the Kemerovo region.
KOMATSU mining dump truck with a lifting capacity of 90 tons. But as drivers say, sometimes they load more than 90
In total, we were in Kiselevsk for a week, most of the time we were filming. It can't get boring, it's really interesting.
When exposed to oxygen, coal spontaneously ignites. Or it smokes, as in the photo:
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Walking mining excavator bucket:
Even in the quarry during restricted hours everything looks prettier. But it’s difficult to shoot, everything is in motion:
Walking excavator:
At night, throughout the quarry you can see coal burning in some areas:
Technique. Everyone has a plan that must be fulfilled. Therefore, the movement in the quarry never stops.
Well, maybe at the end of the shift for half an hour or an hour
Bucket marks:
One such wheel costs 700,000 rubles, so they try to clear the roads of sharp stones:
In the excavator cabin:
50-ton BELAZ and behind it a 90-ton KOMATSU:
IN walking excavator cabin. This is a whole room. There is a couch, a microwave, a samovar, a washbasin and a bunch of posters with naked girls on the walls:
And this is from his arrow. Height 27 meters:
A welder repairs a bucket:
These machines drill the ground, and explosives are poured into dug 12-meter holes, blast the rock. This is done so that the rock becomes looser, large strong layers are broken into small stones, which then become much easier to excavate with an excavator:
Explosive. We were unable to photograph the explosion itself:
And now, when the coal is dug up, it is transported to the enrichment plant. Enrichment- a set of processes for the primary processing of raw materials, namely the separation of coal from waste rock and sorting:
Atmospheric inside:
A place where both coal and rock travel along a conveyor belt, and women (!) separate this rock from the coal, collect it and throw it away. There are pieces that are large enough that women cannot cope alone and throw off pieces of rock together. In the remaining workshops everything is automated:
Car dumper:
Coal warehouse:
Loading coal into wagons that will go to consumers. This was a report from Kuzbass.
Since I live in the land of miners, I could not help but be interested in the methods of extracting this mineral, which, by the way, are not so many. Taking this opportunity, I will try to briefly talk about the pros and cons of each of them.
Coal mining: mine method
Mining fossils this way provides a huge advantage, since the most valuable types of fuel lie at great depths. At the same time, coal practically does not contain waste rocks, which cannot be said about the open method, but more on that a little later. So, in order to get to the deposits, deep vertical tunnels are drilled. As soon as a formation is discovered, its horizontal development begins. Sometimes the depth reaches 1.5 km, for example, the Gvardeiskaya mine, which is located in the Donbass. However, this method contains many disadvantages:
- threat of flooding;
- since methane is an eternal companion of coal seams, this is fraught with suffocation of workers or explosion;
- the greater the depth, the higher the temperature, which means there is a risk for people and equipment.
About 40% of the world's reserves are mined this way.
Coal mining: open pit or open pit method
In this case, there is no need not only for expensive drilling, but also for the construction of a number of ground communications. The essence comes down to blasting the waste rock, and then huge excavators, crushers and trucks come into play, processing the rock and transporting it to dumps. This method is less dangerous, but there are still some risks associated with it. This includes the threat of an unscheduled explosion, poisoning of workers by exhaust fumes, and careless handling of hazardous equipment.
Coal mining by hydraulic method
In principle, this is the same mine, but there is one peculiarity: the transportation of the fossil is carried out by a stream of water under enormous pressure. It turns out that groundwater, which is a headache for miners, works for their benefit. Today this method is considered one of the best, since it replaces the labor-intensive transportation process. Disadvantages include the dependence of production on the type of rock, and constant contact of water with the equipment.
People have been using coal fuel since ancient times. Its flammability and heat transfer, the duration of heat retention in the hearth became the salvation of people during the cold periods that cyclically replaced each other on our planet. Coal is actively used in modern times; in the fuel and energy complex it is one of the top three raw materials along with oil and gas.
How were coal deposits formed?
Coal deposits formed in places of huge green areas. This is ancient organic matter that remains after the death of tree plantations. In order for dead plants to become coal, certain conditions are necessary: wood debris must not rot under the influence of bacteria. This is only possible if they fall under swamp water, and then underground, where oxygen does not flow. Coal is considered a mineral mined from rock layers located at different depths.
How are coal deposits found and developed?
Places where there is coal on the planet have long been explored. Its reserves in different countries huge, they will be enough for heating and industrial needs for almost three centuries. But According to geologists, there may be more of them, since deep geological prospecting for the presence of coal fuel was not carried out in all parts of the world. The development of coal deposits is relevant and brings significant income to the states that are engaged in the extraction of this solid black gold. The process of developing deposits is carried out depending on the terrain and the depth of the coal seams.
Coal mining as an industrial sector became widespread at the beginning of the twentieth century and to this day continues to be one of the most profitable types extraction of mineral deposits. Coal is mined in industrial scale all over the world.
Contrary to popular belief, this fossil is used not only as a quality fuel. In the middle of the twentieth century coal industry gave a powerful impetus to development scientific research on the extraction of hydrocarbons from minerals.
Where is mining taking place?
The most large countries coal mining companies - China, USA, India. ranks 6th in the world ranking for its production, although it is among the top three in terms of reserves.
In Russia, brown coal, hard coal (including coking coal) and anthracite are mined. The main coal mining areas in Russia are the Kemerovo region, Krasnoyarsk region, Irkutsk region, Chita, Buryatia, Komi Republic. There is coal in the Urals, Far East, in Kamchatka, Yakutia, Tula and Kaluga regions. In Russia 16 coal basins. One of the largest - more than half of Russia's coal is mined there.
How is coal mined?
Depending on the depth of the coal seam, its area, shape, thickness, various geographical and environmental factors, a specific coal mining method is selected. The main methods include the following:
- mine;
- developments in a coal mine;
- hydraulic.
In addition, there is open-pit coal mining, provided that the coal seam lies at a depth of no more than one hundred meters. But this method is very similar in form to open-pit coal mining.
Mine method
This method is used at great depths and has an undeniable advantage over open coal mining methods: coal at great depths is of higher quality and practically does not contain impurities.
To access coal seams, horizontal or vertical tunnels (adits and shafts) are drilled. There are known cases of coal mining at depths of up to 1500 meters (Gvardeiskaya, Shakhterskaya-Glubokaya mines).
Underground coal mining is considered one of the most difficult specializations due to a number of dangers:
- There is a constant threat of groundwater breaking into the mine shaft.
- There is a constant threat of associated gases breaking into the mine shaft. In addition to possible suffocation, explosions and fires are a particular danger.
- Accidents due to high temperature at great depths (up to 60 degrees), careless handling of equipment, etc.
Using this method, approximately 36% of the world's coal reserves are extracted from the earth's interior, which amounts to 2625.7 million tons.
Open way
Developments in a coal quarry are classified as open-pit coal mining, since they do not require drilling mines and adits to great depths.
This mining method involves blasting and removing overburden (a layer of excess rock above coal deposits) from the development site. After this, with the help of excavators, water cannons, bulldozers, crushers, draglines and conveyors, the rock is crushed and transferred further.
This method of coal mining is considered less safe than closed (mine) mining. But it also has certain risk factors associated with careless handling of equipment and large vehicles, the possibility of poisoning from exhaust gases and substances accompanying machine activity.
Significant disadvantage this method considered to cause great harm environment due to the removal of a large area of the earth layer and accompanying natural elements.
The open-pit method is considered one of the most widespread in the world - it is used to extract more than 55% of coal per year, which amounts to 4102.1 million tons.
It was first used in the Soviet Union in the 30s of the twentieth century. It involves mining coal in deep mines, while transporting coal rock to the surface using energized water jets. This method allowed us to use the disadvantage of underground coal mining - groundwater - for our benefit.
IN lately hydraulic coal mining is considered one of the most respectable methods. It is capable of replacing the labor-intensive and dangerous process of coal mining by miners, instead of which the destructive and lifting force water will come out.
The disadvantages of this method of coal mining include the following:
- constant contact of working tools and mechanisms with water and rock;
- certain difficulties when replacing or repairing work equipment;
- the dependence of the coal mining process on the thickness, angle of inclination and hardness of the rock.
Approximately 7.5% of coal is produced annually using this method, which amounts to 545.5 million tons.
Russia boasts the most abundant coal deposits, but they are often located in hard-to-reach regions, which complicates their development. In addition, not all deposits are recoverable for geological reasons. We present to your attention a rating of the world's coal basins, which contain colossal natural resources, most of which will remain in the bowels of the earth without being extracted to the surface.
Tunguska basin, Russia (coal reserves - 2.299 trillion tons)
The undisputed world leadership in terms of the volume of coal deposits belongs to the Russian Tunguska basin, which occupies an area of more than a million square kilometers and covers the territories of the Irkutsk region, Yakutia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The block's reserves amount to 2.299 trillion tons of hard and brown coal. It is premature to talk about full-scale development of the basin’s fields, since most of the possible production zones have not yet been studied enough due to their location in hard-to-reach areas. In those areas that have already been explored, mining is carried out using open and underground methods.
Kayerkansky coal mine, Krasnoyarsk region
Lena Basin, Russia (1.647 trillion tons)
In Yakutia and partly in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, the second largest coal basin in the world is located - Lensky - with reserves of 1.647 trillion tons of brown and hard coal. The main part of the block is located in the Lena River basin, in the region of the Central Yakut Lowland. The area of the coal basin reaches 750 thousand square kilometers. Like the Tunguska basin, the Lena block has been insufficiently studied due to the inaccessibility of the area. Extraction is carried out in mines and open pits. At the Sangarskaya mine, which was closed in 1998, a fire started two years later, which has not yet been extinguished.
Abandoned mine "Sangarskaya", Yakutia
Kansk-Achinsk basin, Russia (638 billion tons)
The third position in the ranking of the largest coal blocks in the world goes to the Kansk-Achinsk basin, whose reserves amount to 638 billion tons of coal, mostly brown. The length of the basin is about 800 kilometers along Trans-Siberian Railway. The block is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk and Kemerovo regions. About three dozen deposits have been discovered on its territory. The basin is characterized by normal geological conditions for development. Due to the shallow occurrence of the layers, the development of the areas is carried out using a quarry method.
Coal mine "Borodinsky", Krasnoyarsk region
Kuzbass, Russia (635 billion tons)
The Kuznetsk basin is one of the largest developed blocks in the country. Geological coal reserves of Kuzbass are estimated at 635 billion tons. The basin is located within the Kemerovo region and partly in the Altai region and Novosibirsk region, where subbituminous coal and anthracite are mined, respectively. In Kuzbass, the predominant method of mining is the underground one, which allows for the extraction of higher quality coal. Another 30% of the fuel volume is extracted by open-pit mining. The rest of the coal - no more than 5% - is extracted hydraulically.
Open pit "Bachatsky", Kemerovo region
Illinois Basin, USA (365 billion tons)
The fifth largest coal reserve in the world is the Illinois Basin, with an area of 122 thousand square kilometers, located in the state of the same name, as well as in the neighboring regions of Kentucky and Indiana. Geological coal reserves reach 365 billion tons, of which 18 billion tons are available for open-pit mining. The mining depth is average - within 150 meters. Up to 90% of the mined coal comes from only two of the nine existing seams - Harrisburg and Herrin. Approximately the same amount of coal is used for the needs of the heat and power industry, the remaining volumes are coked.
Crown III Coal Mine, Illinois, USA
Ruhr Basin, Germany (287 billion tons)
The famous German Ruhr block is located in the basin of the river of the same name, which is a right tributary of the Rhine. This is one of the oldest coal mining sites, known since the thirteenth century. Industrial reserves of hard coal lie on an area of 6.2 thousand square kilometers, at a depth of up to two kilometers, but in general the geological strata, total weight which are within 287 billion tons, reach six kilometers. About 65% of the deposits are coking coal. Mining is carried out exclusively underground. The maximum depth of the mines in the fishing area is 940 meters (Hugo mine).
Workers at the Auguste Victoria coal mine, Marl, Germany
Appalachian Basin, USA (284 billion tons)
In the eastern part of the United States, in the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky and Alabama, the Appalachian coal basin is located with reserves of 284 billion tons of fossil fuels. The basin area reaches 180 thousand square kilometers. There are about three hundred coal mining areas in the block. Appalachia contains 95% of the country's mines, as well as approximately 85% of the quarries. 78% of industry workers are employed at coal mining enterprises in the basin. 45% of coal is mined using open pit mining.
Mountaintop removal for coal mining, West Virginia, USA
Pechora Basin, Russia (265 billion tons)
In the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Komi there is the eighth largest coal basin in the world with an area of 90 square kilometers - Pechora. The coal deposits of this block amount to 265 billion tons. Fishing is carried out in permafrost areas, forest-tundra and tundra. In addition, difficult production conditions are associated with the fact that the layers are uneven and characterized by a high level of methane content. Working in mines is dangerous due to high concentrations of gas and dust. Most of the mines were built directly in Inta and Vorkuta. The depth of development of the sites reaches 900 meters.
Yunyaginsky open-pit mine, Vorkuta, Komi Republic
Taimyr Basin, Russia (217 billion tons)
Another Russian coal block entered the global top ten - the Taimyr basin, which is located on the territory of the peninsula of the same name and covers an area of 80 thousand square kilometers. The structure of the seams is complex, some of the coal deposits are suitable for coking, and the majority of the reserves are energy grades. Despite the significant volumes of fuel reserves - 217 billion tons - the basin's deposits are currently not being developed. The prospects for developing the block are quite vague due to its remoteness from potential consumers.
Layers of coal along the right bank of the Shrenk River, Taimyr Peninsula
Donbass - Ukraine, Russian Federation, DPR and LPR (141 billion tons)
The Donbass region closes the ranking of the largest coal basins with a volume of deposits of 141 billion tons, which covers the territory of the Russian Rostov region and a number of regions of Ukraine. On the Ukrainian side, part of the administrative territory in the basin zone is engulfed in armed conflict, is not controlled by the Kyiv authorities, while being under the control of the unrecognized republics - the DPR and LPR in the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, respectively. The area of the basin is 60 thousand square kilometers. All major grades of coal are common in the block. Donbass has been intensively developed for a long time - since the end of the 19th century.
Mine "Obukhovskaya", Zverevo, Rostov region
The above rating in no way reflects the real situation with field development indicators, but only shows the scale of the world's largest geological reserves without reference to the actual levels of exploration and extraction of mineral resources in a particular country. The total amount of proven reserves in all deposits in the states that are leaders in the coal mining industry is significantly less than the volume of geological deposits even in one large basin.
From the above diagram it is obvious that there is no relationship not only between the volumes of proven and total geological reserves. There is also no connection between the size of the largest basins and the proven amount of coal in the countries in which they are located. For example, despite the fact that Russia has four of the largest basins in the world, the country is inferior to the United States in terms of the volume of proven reserves.
The ratings show the wealth of Russian mineral resources, but not the possibility of their development. In turn, production indicators depend on other factors. For example, let us recall that Pronedra wrote earlier that Russia will increase coal exports in 2017. Decisions of this kind are made taking into account a number of conditions that do not depend on the volume of reserves. We are talking about the complexity of working in fields, the technologies used, economic feasibility, government policies and the position of industry operators.
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