Minerals in the Donetsk region are very diverse. About 850 deposits have been recorded here, in which 40 varieties of raw materials are extracted. They are conditionally divided into ore, non-metallic and combustible substances. Their number reaches 12% of all the natural wealth of post-socialist countries. The most intensively developed deposits of black coal, rock salt, fluxes, dolomites, clays. 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 and chemical industries, as well as in thermal power plants.
Donetsk black coal is a solid mineral. Its origin is of a vegetable nature. The main wealth of the Donetsk basin is without a doubt coal. It is coking, long-flame, gas, greasy anthracite. The most widely mined brown and hard coal. Of the total coal mined in the region, half are gas species, and a quarter is anthracite.
Various fertilizers and plastics are made from these materials. Coal energizes transport, metallurgical, coke and chemical enterprises, thermal power plants. The thickness of the strata is up to 1 m. Development is carried out both in the mine and in the quarry way. Black coal in this region is characterized by high quality.
Gas
Natural gas fields have been discovered for a long time, but now the development of new deposits of blue fuel is ongoing. Turnovers are growing. In the north, the Donets Basin has a gas field with a deposit capacity of 1,400 million m 3 . A total of 15 potential deposits are being developed. According to preliminary estimates, their stock is 30 billion m 3 .
In the north of the Luhansk region (Krasnogorovskoye field) and Donetsk region (Krasnolimanskoye field), natural gas production is being developed.
Many industries use this type of mineral for their needs. With sufficient funding, production will increase. This will cover the energy needs of not only the Donetsk region.
Ore
Minerals of the Donetsk region of ore origin are quite important. Significant reserves of mercury ores are concentrated here, the deposits of which are developed in the Gorlovsky district. This type of mineral is of great importance to industry.
Low-power iron ore reserves are also concentrated here. Their number can satisfy only the local need for such a mineral.
In the Artyomovsk deposit, copper ores are being developed. The mineral sometimes comes to the surface. A similar picture is observed in the Kartamysh tract. Ore occurrences of cobalt, chromium, nickel, gold and silver were also found.
Non-Metallic Minerals
However, not only coal and ores are famous for minerals of the Donetsk region. Here are the richest reserves of rock salt, gypsum, chalk, fluxing, building limestones, unique varieties of clay, glass, building sandstones, dolomites, etc.
The total volume of salt being developed in this region is 25.4 billion tons. The mineral lies in the form of powerful layers. The thickness in places reaches 35-40 m. Mining is carried out by the mine and by leaching.
Rock salt often accompanies gypsum. This mineral is being mined here . Gypsum provides the construction industry, the chemical industry and medicine with the required materials.
This is not 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
Geological exploration work is underway in the region to assess the reserves of minerals such as Donetsk coal, hydrocarbons, ore, ocher, alkaline koalins, gems, copper, basalt and lead.
Today, promising programs are underway 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 Sea of Azov, kimberlite pipes were found . They contain fragments of small diamond crystals. Also, good prospects, according to experts, are characterized by gold mining.
Minerals in the Donetsk region are rich and plentiful. Upon receipt of funding, new deposits of combustible, ore and non-metallic substances will be developed here. This is a rich region, the development prospects of which are huge. 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 industries.