The Udokan field in Russia is considered one of the largest. According to experts, more than $ 1 billion should be spent on its development.
Udokan field: description
The pool is located northeast of Chita, 650 km from the city. The area where the Udokan field is located is considered to be seismically dangerous with a permafrost zone. The average annual temperature is -4 degrees. And in winter it drops to -50. Permafrost penetrates to a depth of 800 m. Avalanches are often observed on the territory. High probability of earthquakes with an amplitude of up to 9-10 points. Rocks are characterized by high strength, abrasion, thermal conductivity, and silicone hazard. In general, the geological and climatic conditions of the territory cannot be called favorable. In addition, there is almost no infrastructure.
What is mined in the Udokan field?
The pool is a source of valuable and demanded in industry raw materials. The total volume of the balance reserve is 20 million tons of copper with an average ore content of up to 1.46%, as well as 11.9 thousand tons of silver. The mineral composition of the ores is extremely consistent. The Udokan copper deposit is a source of chalcosine, chalcopyrite, boronite, magnetite, pyrite, hematite. In the form of impurity minerals, molybdenite, valerite, pyrrhotite, wittichenite, marcasite, polydimite, sphalerite, native silver, cobaltin, tennantite, stromeyerite, molybdenite are found here. In primary ores, about 65% of copper falls on chalcosine, 20-25% - on bornite, 10-15% - on chalcopyrite. Secondary minerals include:
- Widespread - azurite, malachite, gypsum, chalcosine, covellins, iron hydroxides (limonite, goethite).
- Less commonly encountered are boronite, cuprite, tenorite, native copper, chalcanthite, delafossite, chrysocolla, antlerite, brocantite, melanterite, jarosite and other rocks of the oxidation zone.
Three main mineral associations are distinguished in the ores of the basin: bornite-chalcosine, chalcopyrite-bornite and pyrite-chalcopyrite. In the paragenetic relationship of iron and copper minerals, a certain pattern is revealed. Chalcosine and bornite are associated with magnetite, and chalcopyrite is associated with pyrite. The most common ores are bornite-chalcosine. These rocks are represented by light gray, fine-grained, mainly quartzitic, slightly calcareous sandstones. Dark gray siltstone, including thin impregnation of boronite and chalcosine, is less common. Often, against the background of fine-grained mineralized sandstones containing relatively uniform layers of sulfides, lenticular bodies, strata, and small nests of medium-grained sandstones are revealed, whose thickness is up to 1.5 m, with densely disseminated mineralization, which includes, in addition to chalcosine and bornite, up to 50% magnetite.
Beginning of work
The Udokan field (Trans-Baikal Territory ) was discovered in 1949, exploration activities, however, began and collapsed twice. In 1981, the reserves were approved by the State Commission. Only in 1992, the state decided to sell a license for the study and development of the basin. The competition was won by the little-known Udokan company at that time. It was owned by several foreign enterprises. For 7 years, the company was inactive and eventually lost its license. In 1999, another competition was held in which only domestic enterprises participated. The license for exploration activities according to the results of the competition passed to the Trans-Baikal Mining Company. In 2001, a tender was announced for the development of the pool. At the same time, rather stringent conditions were established for the participants. The winner needed no later than three years from the date of receipt of the license to begin the construction of a mining plant. At the same time, no later than 6.5 years - start production. And in the seven-year period, the GOK was to reach its design capacity. Additional requirements were the obligation to invest in social services. sphere, create new jobs and ensure maximum environmental safety of the enterprise. Moreover, as experts noted, such a large-scale project could pay for itself within 10 years.
Competition End
The fight for the Udokan field lasted several years. Among the applicants were various large corporations. Among them: MMC Norilsk Nickel, Basic Element holding, ONEXIM group. Subsequently, they refused to participate. In the final, held only in September 2009, there were Russian Railways and Mikhailovsky GOK. The latter was part of the Metalloinvest group and won the competition. For the license, the winner gave 15 billion rubles. As an operator, a subsidiary of the Mikhailovsky GOK was appointed to the Udokan field. This company was specially established for the implementation of the project. The company’s tasks include developing a development strategy, providing technical and design documentation, attracting investments, and operational development management. It was assumed that the Rostekhnologii state corporation would function together with it. An agreement was signed with her on cooperation and construction of a joint venture.
International level
Many foreign enterprises drew attention to the Udokan field . Thus, the economic efficiency of the pool was confirmed by representatives of Bateman Engineering NV. This company carries out a comparative analysis of technologies and justification of the technological scheme for creating a project for a mining and metallurgical plant. Industrial testing of pool ores has already begun. The results of the measures are used to form an additional database for the preparation of a feasibility study. Meanwhile, the preferred version of the scheme has already been announced. Specialists of Bateman Engineering NV proposed a unique ore processing technology for the Udokan deposit - autoclave leaching of concentrate. This method has not previously been used in domestic metallurgy. Using this method, the formation of furnace gases is completely eliminated and the environmental load is significantly reduced.
Prospects
Almost simultaneously with the launch of Bateman Engineering NV, the activity of approving reserves according to JORC international standards began. This will increase the investment attractiveness of the pool. The Udokan field is being developed by open pit mining. It is estimated that 36 million tons of ore will be processed annually. The plant, in turn, will produce more than 470 thousand tons of cathode copper, extracting along the way more than 270 tons of silver.
Ore bodies
They are represented by complex lens and stratum deposits, complex in their configuration. Often they are stratified and arranged rocker-like. In some areas there are several main bodies located at a distance of 2-3 km along the wipe. The largest and richest of them are located in the northern part of the Naminginsky brachisynclinaria. They are distinguished by a common southwestern declination. In the southern part, a significant reduction in the thickness of ore bodies is noted.
Structure
The internal structure is determined by mutual transitions and the frequent alternation of layers of different mineralization intensities both along strike and dip, and in the direction of thickness. In this regard, they are presented in the form of a “layer cake”. There is a frequent violation of the compactness of bodies, especially on the flanks. This is due to the presence of barren layers. This is expressed in a change in the ore content coefficient from 1 to 0.2. The average figure is 0.6-0.8. The thickness of barren and weakly mineralized strata varies from fractions of a meter to 5 m. It has been established that the richest ore interlayers and lenses are confined to erosion surfaces clearly expressed in channel-shaped depressions and local depressions. In the distribution of finely woven ores in quartzitic sandstones, fairly clear patterns are not detected. The mineralization contours of an industrial nature are determined by sampling data.
Main products
It will be cathode copper (grade A according to the classification of the London Metal Exchange) and Dore silver bullion. Key consumers of the concentrate are China and domestic enterprises. Russian copper refineries already lack raw materials. Deficiency of concentrate slows down the development of refined copper enterprises in China . Due to the comparatively small distance from Chita, the products of the pool are for them a fairly profitable option for raw materials. In subsequent years, an increase in demand for concentrate is projected. This is due to an increase in the volume of electrolysis production in Japan, Russia and China.
Conclusion
The authorities of Transbaikalia have high hopes for the development project of the Udokan field. Stable functioning of the enterprise will allow to attract 4 thousand people to work. In addition, the infrastructure will be significantly modernized, the volume of tax payments to the regional budget will increase, and social programs for the development of small nationalities and local crafts will be implemented. According to some experts, it is impossible to postpone the development of the field, as this may adversely affect the economic security of the country. Currently, raw material needs are covered by the basins of the Urals and Taimyr. However, their reserves are on the verge of depletion. The Udokan field will be able to meet the needs of industry for at least half a century. Otherwise, there is a threat of reduced production. This, in turn, will entail a deterioration in the socio-economic situation of the country's copper-processing regions.