The coal mining industry is the largest segment of the fuel industry. Throughout the world, it surpasses any other in terms of the number of workers and the amount of equipment.

What is the coal industry

The coal mining industry involves the extraction of coal and its subsequent processing. Work is being carried out both on the surface and underground.

If the deposits are located at a depth of no more than 100 meters, work is carried out using the quarry method. Mines are used to develop deposits at great depths.

Classic methods of coal mining

Working in open-pit coal mines and underground are the main methods of mining. Most of the work in Russia and in the world is carried out using open-pit mining. This is due to financial benefits and high production speed.

The process is as follows:

• Using special equipment, the top layer of earth covering the deposit is removed. Several years ago, the depth of open-pit work was limited to 30 meters, but the latest technologies have made it possible to increase it by 3 times. If the top layer is soft and small, it is removed using an excavator. A thick and dense layer of earth is pre-crushed.
• Coal deposits are broken off and taken away using special equipment to the enterprise for further processing.
• Workers are restoring the natural topography to avoid harm to the environment.

The disadvantage of this method is that coal deposits located at shallow depths contain impurities of dirt and other rocks.

Coal mined underground is considered cleaner and of higher quality.

The main objective of this method is to transport coal from great depths to the surface. For this purpose, passages are created: an adit (horizontal) and a shaft (inclined or vertical).

In the tunnels, special combines are used to cut layers of coal and load them onto a conveyor that lifts them to the surface.

The underground method makes it possible to extract large quantities of minerals, but it has significant disadvantages: high cost and increased danger for workers.

Unconventional methods of coal mining

These methods are effective, but are not widespread - at the moment there are no technologies that allow you to clearly establish the process:

• Hydraulic. Mining is carried out in a mine at great depth. The coal seam is crushed and delivered to the surface under strong water pressure.
• Compressed air energy. It acts as both a destructive and lifting force; the compressed air is under strong pressure.
• Vibration pulse. The layers are destroyed under the influence of powerful vibrations generated by the equipment.

These methods were used back in the Soviet Union, but did not become popular due to the need for large financial investments. Only a few coal mining companies continue to use unconventional methods.

Their main advantage is the absence of workers in potentially life-threatening areas.

Leading countries in coal production

According to world energy statistics, a ranking of countries occupying leading positions in coal production in the world has been compiled:

1. India.
2. Australia.
3. Indonesia.
4. Russia.
5. Germany.
6. Poland.
7. Kazakhstan.

For many years, China has been the leader in coal production. In China, only 1/7 of the available deposits are being developed, this is due to the fact that coal is not exported outside the country, and the existing reserves will last for at least 70 years.

In the United States, deposits are evenly scattered across the country. They will provide the country with their reserves for at least 300 years.

Coal deposits in India are very rich, but almost all of what is mined is used in the energy industry, since the available reserves are of very low quality. Despite the fact that India occupies one of the leading positions, artisanal methods of coal mining are progressing in this country.

Australia's coal reserves will last approximately 240 years. The mined coal is of the highest quality, and a significant part of it is intended for export.

In Indonesia, the level of coal production is growing every year. A few years ago, most of what was produced was exported to other countries; now the country is gradually abandoning the use of oil, and therefore the demand for coal for domestic consumption is growing.

Russia has 1/3 of the world's coal reserves, but not all of the country's lands have been explored yet.

Germany, Poland and Kazakhstan are gradually reducing their coal production volumes due to the uncompetitive cost of raw materials. Most of the coal is intended for domestic consumption.

Main coal mining sites in Russia

Let's figure it out. Coal mining in Russia is carried out mainly by open-pit mining. The deposits are scattered unevenly throughout the country - most of them are located in the eastern region.

The most significant coal deposits in Russia are:

• Kuznetskoe (Kuzbass). It is considered the largest not only in Russia, but throughout the world; it is located in Western Siberia. Coking and hard coal are mined here.
• Kansko-Achinskoe. Mining is carried out here. The deposit is located along the Trans-Siberian Railway, occupying part of the territories of the Irkutsk and Kemerovo regions, Krasnoyarsk Territory.
• Tunguska coal basin. Represented by brown and hard coal. It covers part of the territory of the Republic of Sakha and the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
• Pechora coal basin. Mining is carried out at this deposit. Work is carried out in mines, which allows the extraction of high-quality coal. It is located in the territories of the Komi Republic and the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.
• Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo coal basin. Located on the territory of the Upper Sayan. Provides coal only to nearby enterprises and settlements.

Today, 5 more deposits are being developed that can increase the annual volume of coal production in Russia by 70 million tons.

Prospects for the coal mining industry

Most of the world's coal deposits have already been explored; from an economic point of view, the most promising ones belong to 70 countries. The level of coal production is growing rapidly: technologies are being improved and equipment is being modernized. Due to this, the profitability of the industry increases.

Russia is the sixth largest coal producer in the world (after China, USA, India, Australia, Indonesia). Despite the difficult economic situation in 2015 and the fall in coal prices, the Russian coal industry not only survived, but also showed an increase in production. The total volume of coal production in 2015 amounted to 373 million tons (in 2014 - 358 million tons), of which 155 million tons (in 2014 - the same) were exported.

In terms of global reserves, coal surpasses all other types of fossil fuels. The reserve ratio R/P (the ratio of remaining reserves to annual production) for coal is more than 122 years, for oil - 42 years, for gas - 60 years. In addition, coal reserves are distributed evenly throughout the globe, which eliminates interruptions in the supply of this fuel.

Russia has the second largest coal reserves in the world: 173 billion tons (in the USA - 263 billion tons). The coal industry includes more than 240 coal areas, including 96 with underground mining and 150 with open-pit mining. The main coal reserves are located in the Kuznetsk basin (52%), Kansk-Achinsk basin (12%), Pechora basin (5%), and South Yakutsk basin (3%). Proven coal reserves in Russia are enough for 800 years of use.

About 150,000 Russians work in coal mining. As of the end of 2015, there were 192 enterprises engaged in coal mining (processing). Coal enterprises are city-forming for more than 30 cities and towns with a total population of more than 1.5 million people.

Table 1 shows the production volumes of the main coal companies in the Russian Federation. The table shows that the three largest coal companies include the Siberian Coal Energy Company (one of the world's largest coal producers), Kuzbassrazrezugol Management Company (Russia's largest open-pit coal mining company) and the SDS-Ugol Holding Company (about 88% of mined coal is exported).

Table 1. Production volumes of the main coal companies of the Russian Federation

As a characteristic of the Russian coal industry, it should be noted that the largest coal companies are private, which is a prerequisite for their high competitiveness. The coal industry operates under market pricing conditions; investment projects are financed using its own and borrowed funds (about one third of the total investment).

When analyzing the cost of Russian coal, it is necessary to mention that an important factor in the cost structure is the high cost of rail transportation. By comparison, in other leading coal producing countries, mining sites are located close to major seaports, so transportation costs are minimal. The bulk of coal within the Russian Federation is delivered from Kuzbass by rail. The average distance of transportation by rail from the Kuzbass fields to the ports of the Baltic and Black Seas is 4500-5000 km, to the eastern ports - 6000 km. For reference: the freight price from Australia to China is approximately $9/t of coal, from Brazil - $22/t, the cost of transshipment at ports is $2-4/t. For comparison, the railway tariff for transporting coal from Siberia to the Far Eastern ports in 2014 was more than $35/t.

Separately, it should be mentioned that the “weak” ruble became an important competitive advantage for Russian coal exporting enterprises in 2015. In dollar terms, production costs and transport costs have decreased. It becomes profitable to export until ruble inflation covers the created difference.

The average structure of the cost of coal production in 2015 is shown in Table 2. The table shows that most of the cash production costs are made up of material costs (especially fuel and energy) and labor costs.

Table 2. Average cost structure of coal mining

Analyzing the world market, it should be mentioned that the coal supplied for export is mainly represented by high-quality coking and thermal coals. There is virtually no international trade in brown coal.

About 2/3 of the world's steel comes from pig iron, which is smelted in blast furnaces using coke, which is produced from coking coal. Coking coal is characterized by low sulfur and phosphorus content. Therefore, this type of coal is rare and expensive.

More than 29% of the world's power plants operate on the basis of thermal coal. The main characteristics of thermal coal are calorific value (calorific value) and sulfur content. All coal mined in Kuzbass, regardless of grade, is characterized by low sulfur content. In Russia, coal with a calorific value of 5100 kcal/kg is predominantly consumed. For reference: China and South Korea consume coal with a calorific value of 5500 kcal/kg, Japan and Western Europe use coal with a calorific value of 6000 kcal/kg.

Five countries play a key role in the global supply of coal and the formation of world coal prices, providing 70-80% of exports: Australia, Indonesia, Russia, China and South Africa. Demand for coal is determined by developing countries: primarily China and India. The main consumers of coal products are Japan, China (including Taiwan) and South Korea. The largest importers of coal on the Asian market are Japan, South Korea, India and Taiwan, and on the European market Germany and the UK.

The main coal purchase and sale transactions are presented in the world in the form of long-term contracts, spot transactions and derivative financial instruments.

Long-term contracts between producers and consumers of coal, as a rule, are concluded in the event of an agreement on the supply of coal of a certain quality and composition, the uninterrupted supply of which can be carried out by this particular manufacturer.

Spot transactions are the most widespread in the coal market. Coal delivery in such transactions is made within 90 days, and payment is made at current market prices.

Futures, forwards, options contracts and swap-type transactions with coal are concluded on the world's leading exchanges. Such transactions traditionally do not involve physical delivery of coal, and settlements are made only in cash. The main participants in the derivatives market are price risk managers and speculators. The presence of an element of speculation allows for high liquidity of the coal derivatives market.

The main platforms for trading coal derivatives are ICE (Intercontinental Exchange; Atlanta, USA) and NYMEX (New York Mercantile Exchange; New York, USA) with trade shares of 32% and 68%, respectively.

Attempts were also made to introduce physical delivery of coal futures trading on the ASX (Australian Securities Exchange; Sydney, Australia) in 2009, but due to a lack of liquidity, coal derivatives were delisted in 2010.

An attempt to organize trading in coal derivatives on EEX (European Energy Exchange AG; Leipzig, Germany) with cash settlements in euros was similarly unsuccessful. The listing of these contracts was discontinued in February 2016. However, the listing for contracts with settlements in US dollars remains active on the exchange.

The main types of prices on the world coal market are BOV and CIF prices. FOB (free on board) price is the price of coal plus internal transportation costs from the mine to the shipping port terminal in the exporting country. CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) price - includes the FOB price plus all international transportation costs to the destination port terminal in the importing country.

Prices for all types of coal purchase and sale transactions are determined using indices determined by international pricing agencies. A list of key coal indices is given in Table 3. The table shows that the global coal market is divided into two largest segments: Asia-Pacific and Atlantic.

Table 3. List of key coal price indices

The current situation on the world market is characterized by an excess of coal supply over demand, which has led to a long-term decline in prices and a negative impact on exporting enterprises. For reference, Indonesian coal supplies could fall by 17% during 2016 as the world's largest coal supplier suffers losses and cuts production. Indonesia will export less than 300 million tons in 2016 versus 360 million tons in 2015. Cash flows for about 60-70% of Indonesian coal producers are insufficient to support business.

The main reference point for coal prices on the world market is the price of thermal coal, since this type of coal is used to produce electricity and can compete with oil and gas. To illustrate the energy nature of coal, Figure 1 shows the price dynamics of oil and coal futures (NYMEX). The figure shows that the price charts for oil and coal show fairly similar dynamics.

Rice. 1. Futures price dynamics for oil and coal (NYMEX)

To determine the magnitude of the relationship between changes in oil and coal prices, Figure 2 shows the magnitude of changes in futures prices for coal and oil for the same periods of time according to NYMEX data for 2011-2015. The correlation coefficient for price changes is 0.83. Thus, we can conclude that there is a high correlation between oil and coal futures prices. This correlation may continue in the future.

Fig.2. Changes in coal and oil futures prices over the same time periods (NYMEX)

According to some experts, the lower limit of oil prices on the world market is the cost of shale oil production in the United States (on average $20-30 per barrel at the beginning of 2016), and the upper ceiling is accordingly represented by the expectation of rapid growth in shale production with rising prices. That is, in the near future, prices will be formed mainly in the range of $20-40 per barrel, adjusted for the current cost of shale oil production in the United States.

A possible risk for the development of the coal industry is the possibility of industrial development of plasma fracturing technology (hydraulic fracturing is not applicable, since shale deposits are located in mountainous areas far from water sources) in China and the emergence of a Chinese shale boom.

In addition, it is known that when coal is burned at power plants, significant emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the appearance of the greenhouse effect occur. Of the fossil fuels, coal is the most problematic from a climate change perspective because it has the highest carbon content.

In order to prevent global warming, the UN adopted a climate agreement in 2015, which must be signed by at least 55 countries out of 196 between April 22, 2016 and April 21, 2017. The agreement will limit the burning of fossil fuels and create new renewable energy sources in accordance with the baseline and 2 Celsius World scenarios (keeping the planet overheating above 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels).

In connection with the ongoing fight against global warming, on January 15, 2016, the US Presidential Administration announced that it would cease issuing new loans to coal enterprises on federal lands (40% of US coal production). It is assumed that during the transition period (20 years) the US coal industry will be significantly reduced.

Plans to reduce CO2 emissions also create another threat to coal in developed countries: oil companies (British Petroleum, Shell, Exxon) are trying to take the place of coal companies in the market by offering a progressive scale of taxes on CO2 emissions.

As one of the options for reducing CO2 emissions at coal-fired power plants, it is proposed to capture and store carbon dioxide by injecting it into carbon masses. One of these projects will be the first-ever industrial-scale carbon dioxide storage plant (Boundary Dam, Canada), construction of which began in October 2015. As features for enterprises of this type, it is necessary to note the need for a significant amount of electrical energy and the danger of leakage of stored CO2.

Analyzing the Russian coal market, it should be mentioned that Russia is the third largest supplier of coal for export (after Australia and Indonesia). The shares of supplies to Europe and Asia are approximately 56% and 44%, respectively.

Important export destinations: South Korea, China, Japan, Europe, Turkey and India. Russia's share in the European coal market is 32%, and in the Asian market only 5%. Russian coal supplies to Europe come mainly from Western ports: Murmansk, Ust-Luga (Leningrad region), and the port of Riga. Supplies to Asia come mainly from eastern ports: Vanino (Khabarovsk Territory), Vostochny (Primorsky Territory), and the port of Rajin (DPRK). Transportation of coal by sea is carried out by bulk carriers.

The international agency Argus is responsible for determining export prices for Russian coal. Export prices for Russian coal are calculated based on coal prices in the ports of North-West Europe (SHARA) and in the ports of South Korea (CIF South Korea), which are published daily in the Argus Coal Daily International.

The FCA price is often used for trading Russian coal. FCA price (freecarrier, free carrier) - the goods are delivered to the customer’s main carrier at the departure terminal specified in the contract, export duties are paid by the seller. To calculate FCA Kuzbass prices, the price of freight, the cost of stevedores' work, the cost of rail transportation from Kuzbass to seaports and border crossings, and related costs are taken into account.

Figure 3 shows the dynamics of prices for Russian coal exported on EOBVostochny terms. The figure shows that from 2011 to 2015, prices for Russian coal exports fell by almost 50%.

Rice. 3. Dynamics of prices for Russian coal exported on FOB Vostochny terms

In the domestic market of the Russian Federation, the main consumers of coal are heat and electricity generating stations, enterprises in the housing and communal services sector and enrichment plants. Since their construction, most heat and power generating stations have been aimed at consuming brown and hard coal of low and medium calorific value (about 5,100 kcal/kg), located in the immediate vicinity of such stations, which is the reason for the low domestic demand for high-calorie grades of coal and gives the ability to send high-calorie coal for export. However, as a result of the modernization of existing capacities and the construction of new highly efficient coal power plants, the demand for high-calorific coal may increase in the future.

It should be mentioned that Russia has the potential to increase the share of coal in the country's energy balance by replacing more expensive fuel oil with coal. In addition, there is potential for the transfer of cheap electricity from Siberia to the zone of Europe and the Urals and the possibility of developing electrical grid connections between the territories of the country.

Metal Expert indices are used to determine domestic prices for Russian thermal coal. Prices are adjusted for each region depending on the brand of coal, its calorie content and delivery costs.

Also, price quotes on the domestic market of the Russian Federation are published by the Argus Media agency. Argus quotes thermal coal: low-volatile grade T (6000 kcal/kg), highly volatile, widely used grade D (5100-5400 kcal/kg), graded coal DPK (5,200-5,400 kcal/kg) and grade SS coal ( 5700 kcal/kg). T grade coal is used by some power plants in the European part of the Russian Federation, as well as cement manufacturers and metallurgy enterprises. Coals of grade D and WPC are widely used at power plants and housing and communal services enterprises. CC grade coal is used by some power plants in conjunction with other grades to improve the economics of power generation.

According to most expert forecasts, global coal demand is expected to grow by at least 0.8% per year between 2015 and 2035. Coal consumption in non-OECD countries will increase (by an estimated 1.1 billion tons of oil). equivalent), which will be partially offset by a decrease in coal consumption in OECD countries (-0.4 billion tons of oil equivalent). The growth rate of coal consumption is the highest compared to other energy sources and coal, as a cheap and accessible fuel, is a driver of rapid economic growth in developing countries. In 2040, countries in the Asia-Pacific region are expected to consume 4/5 of coal exports. And by 2030, their energy consumption will increase by 33%. Coal now accounts for 48% of the region's energy mix. The forecast for the dynamics of coal consumption by country is presented in Figure 4. The figure shows that OECD countries will significantly reduce coal consumption after 2020, India and other developing countries will increase coal consumption, for China an increase in coal consumption is expected, reaching a constant level of consumption after 2025.

Rice. 4. Forecast of coal consumption dynamics by country

As for the dynamics of coal production in the Russian Federation, the Program for the Development of the Russian Coal Industry until 2030 contains two scenarios: an increase in production by 2030 to 480 million tons (technological modernization) and 410 million tons (conservative scenario).

As a result of the analysis, the following was established:

• Coal is a strategically important raw material for the global energy and metallurgical industries. The overall demand for coal in the world will grow over the next twenty years, primarily due to the increasing needs of developing countries for cheap energy;
• In developed countries, on the contrary, there is a tendency towards a decrease in coal production and exports due to climate problems caused by this fuel. The market share of developed countries will be freed up for other exporting countries;
• The coal industry in Russia has significant reserves of high-quality coal and, given changing market conditions, it has significant opportunities for growth, both in the export direction and in the domestic market. A major contribution to the development of the coal industry will be made by the implementation of investment projects to develop transport infrastructure, develop new deposits, and create coal industry clusters in Siberia and the Far East. Growth in Russian coal exports is expected mainly in the direction of the Asia-Pacific region.

Bibliography

3. Formation of international prices for coal. Report of the Energy Charter Secretariat, 2010 (Brussels, Belgium).

4. Development program of the Russian coal industry for the period until 2030.

Coal is a type of fuel whose popularity peaked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. At that time, most engines used coal as fuel and the consumption of this mineral was truly enormous. In the 20th century, coal gave way to oil, which in turn risks being replaced in the 21st century by alternative fuel sources and natural gas. But, nevertheless, coal is still a strategic raw material.

Coal is used to produce more than 400 different products. Coal tar and tar water are used to produce ammonia, benzene, phenol, as well as other chemical compounds, which, after processing, are used in the production of paints and varnishes and rubber. With deep processing of coal, rare metals can be obtained: zinc, molybdenum, germanium.

But still, first of all, coal is valued as fuel. More than half of all coal mined in the world is used in this capacity. And about 25% of coal production is used in the production of coke for metallurgy.

The world's total proven coal reserves amount to more than 890 billion tons, and estimated reserves are very difficult to estimate, since many deposits are located in inaccessible areas. According to some estimates, in Siberia alone, estimated coal reserves could reach several trillion tons. Proven reserves of hard coal are estimated at 404 billion tons, which is 45.39% of the total. The remaining 54.64% comes from brown coal, the quantitative reserves of which are estimated at approximately 486 billion tons. According to scientists' forecasts, coal should last humanity for about 200 years, while natural gas should be exhausted in 60 and 240 years, respectively.

Like other minerals, coal is unevenly distributed on the world map. Proven reserves of about 812 billion tons, which is 91.2% of all global coal deposits, are concentrated in 10 countries. Russia ranks second in the world with an indicator of just over 157 billion tons, of which coal accounts for 49.1 billion tons, that is, 31.2% of the total. And the United States of America leads in world coal reserves - more than 237.3 billion tons, of which 45.7% is hard coal.

At the end of 2014, 358.2 million tons of coal were produced in the Russian Federation. Which is 1.7% more than in 2013. The 2014 production figure is a record for Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union. In the ranking of leading states in coal production, Russia ranks 6th. And China leads by a wide margin from its competitors; the country produces 3,680 million tons of coal, which is 46% of world production.

The dynamics of global coal production have two opposite directions. In the United States and developed countries of the European Union, coal production is gradually declining. According to experts, the decline in coal production in the United States could reach 20% by 2025. This is primarily due to the low profitability of mines and low prices for natural gas. In Europe, coal production is declining due to the high cost of production, as well as the negative impact of coal enterprises on the environment. Compared to 2000, coal production in the United States decreased by 11%, and in Germany by 8%.

On the other hand, the countries of Southeast Asia are showing enormous growth in coal production. This is due to the sharp economic recovery in the countries of this region. And since these countries are rich in mineral resources and only have coal in large quantities, it is not surprising that the focus is on this type of fuel. For example, in China, 70% of electricity is generated by coal-fired thermal power plants. To provide its industry with the necessary amount of electricity, China increased coal production by 2.45 times compared to 2000, India by 1.8 times, and Indonesia by 4.7 times. Coal production in Russia increased by 25% compared to 2000.

On average, 3,900 million tons of coal are used worldwide per year. The world's main consumer is China. Every year this country consumes about 2,000 million tons of coal. This figure represents 51.2% of average annual global consumption. Russian coal consumers used about 170 million tons of fuel at the end of 2014. This is the 4th indicator in the world. Overall, 8 countries account for 84% of global consumption.

Coal is one of the top three energy minerals. To understand what energy value each type of fuel has, a conventional fuel, the heat content of one kg, was introduced. which is taken equal to 29.306 MJ. Thermal content is the thermal energy that is available to be converted into heat when a material is subjected to a particular action. By the end of 2014, 240 million tons could be created from coal mined in Russia. standard fuel, which is 13.9% of the total amount of extracted energy resources.

The Russian coal industry employs about 153 thousand people. The average salary in the industry at the end of 2014 was 40,700 rubles, which is 24.8% more than the average salary in the country. But at the same time, the wages of coal industry workers are 26.8% lower than the wages of all enterprises involved in mining.

In 2014, 152 million tons of Russian coal were exported. This figure exceeded the amount of exports in 2013 by 7.8%. The total amount received for exported coal in 2014 was 11.7 billion US dollars. 12.76 million tons were exported to neighboring countries, and the bulk of 139.24 million tons were sent to non-CIS countries. 63% of exported coal was sent through seaports, the remaining 37% was sent through land border crossings. coal in the Russian Federation in 2014 amounted to 25.3 million tons, which is 15% less than in 2013. About 90% of imports are the import of thermal coals from Kazakhstan.

Geography of the industry

Today, there are 121 open-pit mines and 85 mines operating in the Russian Federation. The main centers of the coal industry are Siberia, where the Kuznetsk coal basin is located. Other large coal basins in the country are Kansko-Achinsky, Pechora, Irkutsk, Ulug-Khemsky, and Eastern Donbass. Promising areas for development are the Tunguska and Lena coal basins.

The Kuznetsk coal basin (Kuzbass) is one of the world's largest coal basins. Total geological reserves of coal are estimated at 319 billion tons. Today, more than 56% of all hard coal in Russia is mined in Kuzbass, as well as about 80% of all coking coal.

Coal mining is carried out both underground and open pit. There are 58 mines and 38 coal mines operating in the basin. More than 30% of coal is mined in open-pit mines; in addition, there are three mines in Kuzbass where mining is carried out using the hydraulic method. The thickness of the coal seams ranges from 1.5 to 4 meters. The mines are relatively shallow, with an average depth of 200 meters. The average thickness of the developed layers is 2.1 meters.

The quality of coal in the Kuznetsk basin varies. At depth, coals of higher quality occur, and closer to the surface, the moisture and ash content of coals increases. To improve the quality of mined coal, 25 washing plants operate in Kuzbass. 40-45% of mined coal is used for coking. The average heat content of coal is 29 – 36 MJ per 1 kg.

The main problem of the Kuznetsk coal basin is its remoteness from the main centers of consumption. High transport costs for transporting coal by rail increase it, which negatively affects competitiveness. In this regard, investments aimed at the development of Kuzbass are decreasing.

Unlike Kuzbass, the Donetsk coal basin, the eastern part of which is located on the territory of the Russian Federation, occupies an advantageous geographical location. Geological coal reserves in the Eastern Donbass are estimated at 7.2 billion tons. Currently, mining in the region is carried out only underground. There are 9 operating mines, the total production capacity of which is about 8 million tons of coal per year.

More than 90% of coal in the Eastern Donbass is the most valuable grade of this fuel - anthracite. Anthracites are coals that have the highest calorific value - 34-36 MJ per 1 kg. Used in the energy and chemical industries.

Coal mining in the Eastern Donbass is carried out from great depths. As a rule, the depth of the mines exceeds 1 km, while the thickness of the developed seams ranges from 1.2 to 2.5 meters. Difficult mining conditions affect the cost of coal, and therefore the Russian government spent over 14 billion rubles on restructuring the coal industry in the region from 2006 to 2010. In 2015, a government program was launched to liquidate unprofitable coal enterprises in the Eastern Donbass. The program is currently at the stage of developing project documentation.

The Ulug-Khem coal basin is one of the most promising for development and investment. It is located in the Republic of Tyva and has geological coal reserves of 10.2 billion tons. Here is the Eleget coal deposit, which has huge reserves of scarce coking coal of the Zh. grade. The total reserves of this type of coal are estimated at 1 billion tons, with the bulk lying in a seam 8.3 meters thick. For comparison, coals of this class are mined in Kuzbass from seams with a thickness of 2 – 2.3 meters.

Here is also the Mezhegey coal deposit with proven reserves of 213 million tons of Zh grade coal, as well as the largest coal mine in the Republic of Tyva - the Kaa-Khemsky coal mine. The section is developing a powerful Ulug seam, the average thickness of which is 8.5 m. The annual production volume is more than 500 thousand tons of coal.

The Kansk-Achinsk coal basin is the largest in Russia in terms of brown coal production. This basin is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and partly on the territory of the Irkutsk and Kemerovo regions. Coal reserves are estimated at 221 billion tons. Most coal is mined by open pit mining.

On average, more than 40 million tons of brown thermal coal are mined in the Kansk-Achinsk basin per year. The largest coal mine in Russia, Borodinsky, is located here. The average annual coal production at this enterprise is more than 19 million tons of coal. In addition to Borodinsky, there is the Berezovsky open-pit mine with production of 6 million tons of coal per year, Nazarovsky - 4.3 million tons per year, Pereyaslovsky - 4 million tons per year.

The Irkutsk coal basin has an area of ​​42,700 sq. km. Estimated coal reserves amount to more than 11 billion tons, of which proven reserves are 7.5 billion tons. More than 90% of the deposits are coals of the G and GZh grades. The thickness of the layers is 1 – 10 meters. The largest deposits are located in the cities of Cheremkhovo and Voznesensk.

The Pechersk coal basin is located in the Komi Republic and the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Geological reserves of coal in this basin are estimated at 95 billion tons, and according to some sources at 210 billion tons. Mining is carried out underground and about 12 million tons of coal are mined annually. Coal enterprises are located in the cities of Vorkuta and Inta.

Valuable grades of coal are mined in the basin - coking coal and anthracite. Coal is mined under difficult conditions - the average mining depth is about 300 meters, and the coals have an average thickness of seams - 1.5 m. The seams are subject to subsidence and bending, as a result of which they increase in coal extraction. In addition, the cost of coal is influenced by the fact that mining is carried out in the Far North and workers receive a “northern” salary bonus. But, despite the high coal content, the role of the Pechersk basin is very important. It provides enterprises in the North and North-West of Russia with important raw materials.

The Lensky and Tungussky giant coal basins are located in the Eastern part of Siberia and Yakutia. The area of ​​the Lena basin is 750,000 square meters. km., Tunguskoe - about 1 million sq. km. Data on the amount of coal reserves varies greatly; the geological reserves of the Lena basin range from 283 to 1,800 billion tons, and the Tunguska basin ranges from 375 to 2,000 billion tons.

Coal mining in these basins is difficult due to the inaccessibility of the territories. Today, in the Lena basin, mining is carried out in 2 mines and 3 open-pit mines, the average annual production is about 1.5 million tons of coal. In the Tunguska basin, production is carried out by 1 mine and 2 open-pit mines, the average annual production is about 800 thousand tons of coal.

Indicators of coal production and consumption in Russia

The coal industry of the Soviet Union, and after that of the Russian Federation, experienced several ups and downs. After record levels of coal production in the late 80s, a crisis in the industry began in the mid-90s. In 1988, a production record was recorded - 426 million tons, and after 10 years in 1998, production decreased by almost 2 times and amounted to only 233 million tons of coal.

The reasons for the crisis lie in the low profitability of the coal industry. In the 90s, it was decided to close subsidized and unprofitable mines. 70 mines were closed, which in total produced more than 25 million tons of coal. In addition to the rather low productivity of the mines, the coal they mined was of substandard grades, and its further processing was very expensive. As a result of the crisis, coal enterprises in the Moscow region practically ceased to exist. In Eastern Donbass, more than 50 mines were closed, which in percentage terms accounted for 78% of the total. In Kuzbass, production decreased by 40%. In the Urals and Far East, production decreased by 2 times.

At the same time, the construction of 11 new mines and 15 coal mines began. As a result of the reforms carried out, the share of open-pit coal increased to 65%, the productivity of mines increased by 80%, and the productivity of open-pit mines by 200%. Thus, it was possible to increase coal production and at the beginning of the 2000s, an increase in coal mining began, which continues to this day.

In 2014, 252.9 million tons of coal were mined by open-pit mining, which in percentage terms amounted to 70% of the total. Compared to 2013, this figure increased by 0.8%. And if we compare it with 2000, this figure increased by 34%.

About 45% of mined Russian coal is processed at washing plants. In 2014, out of 358 million tons of mined coal, 161.8 million tons were processed at factories. 43% of coal mined in the Pechersk basin is sent for processing, for Eastern Donbass this figure is 71.4%, for Kuzbass - 44%.

At the end of 2014, the most coal was mined in the Siberian Federal District - 84.5% of the total. For other Federal Districts the situation is as follows:

• Far Eastern Federal District – 9.4%
• Northwestern Federal District – 4%
• Southern Federal District – 1.3%
• Ural Federal District – 0.5%
• Volga Federal District – 0.2%
• Central Federal District – 0.1%

In 2014, taking into account imports, 195.95 million tons of coal were supplied to the Russian domestic market. This is 5.5% less than in 2013. The distribution of coal on the market is as follows:

• Supply of power plants – 55.1%
• For coke production – 19.3%
• Municipal consumers and population – 13.3%
• Metallurgy needs – 1.3%
• JSC Russian Railways - 0.7%
• Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation – 0.4%
• Nuclear industry – 0.3%
• Other needs (State reserve, cement plants, Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, etc.) – 9.6%

The largest coal companies in Russia

The leader of the Russian coal industry is the Siberian Coal Energy Company (SUEK). At the end of 2013, enterprises included in the SUEK structure produced 96.5 million tons of coal, which is 27.4% of the total amount of coal produced in Russia. The company has the largest proven coal reserves in the Russian Federation – 5.6 billion tons. This is the fifth highest figure among all coal companies in the world.

The company's structure includes 17 coal mines and 12 mines. SUEK's coal mining enterprises are located in 7 regions of the Russian Federation. At the end of 2013, in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, SUEK produced the following coal:

• Kemerovo region - 32.6 million tons;
• Krasnoyarsk Territory – 26.5 million tons;
• Republic of Buryatia – 12.6 million tons;
• Republic of Khakassia – 10.6 million tons;
• Trans-Baikal Territory - 5.4 million tons;
• Khabarovsk Territory - 4.6 million tons;
• Primorsky Krai – 4.1 million tons;

SUEK enterprises specialize in the extraction of hard coal grades D, DG, G, SS, as well as brown coal. In total, open-pit coal mining accounts for 68%, and underground coal mining accounts for 32%. The turnover of the Siberian Coal Energy Company in 2013 amounted to 5.4 billion US dollars. The number of employees of the company exceeds 33 thousand people.

The second largest coal company in the Russian Federation is OJSC Kuzbassrazrezugol. The company specializes in open-pit coal mining and operates in 6 open-pit mines. At the end of 2013, 43.9 million tons of coal were produced at open-pit mines owned by Kuzbassrazrezugol.

The company's structure includes coal mining enterprises with proven coal reserves of more than 2 billion tons. Kuzbassrazrezugol produces and sells coal of the D, DG, G, SS, T, KO, KS grades; more than 50% of the products are exported. At the end of 2013, the company's turnover amounted to 50 billion rubles. The total number of employees exceeds 25 thousand people. Coal mines owned by Kuzbassrazrezugol:

• Taldinsky;
• Bachatsky;
• Krasnobrodsky;
• Kedrovsky;
• Mokhovsky;
• Kaltansky;

The SDS-Ugol company has the third highest level of coal production in Russia. In 2013, SDS-Ugol enterprises produced 25.7 million tons of coal. Of these, 66% were mined by open-pit mining, and 34% by underground mining. About 88% of the products were exported. The main importing countries of the SDS-Ugol company: Germany, Great Britain, Turkey, Italy, Switzerland.

The SDS-Ugol company is a subsidiary of the Siberian Business Union holding company. The structure of "SDS-Coal" includes 4 coal mines and more than 10 mines. Also in the company's structure there are 2 enrichment plants “Chernigovskaya” and “Listvyazhnaya” with an annual processing capacity of 11.5 million tons of coal and 10 million tons of coal, respectively. The staff of the SDS-Ugol company is about 13 thousand people. The company's average annual turnover is about 30 billion rubles.

Vostsibugol is the largest coal company in Eastern Siberia and the fourth largest coal company in Russia. The company's coal mining enterprises supply 90% of fuel to OAO Irkutskenergo. In addition, coal is supplied to enterprises in the Angara region and other regions of the country. Coal production at the end of 2013 amounted to 15.7 million tons.

Vostsibugol manages 7 coal mines, a processing plant with a processing capacity of 4.5 million tons of coal per year and an ore repair plant. The company produces coal grades 2BR, 3BR, D, SS, Zh, G, GZh. The total coal reserves at the deposits of the Vostsibugol company are estimated at 1.1 billion tons, of which 0.5 billion tons are hard coal, 0.6 billion tons are brown coal. The company's average annual turnover is about 10 billion rubles. Number of employees – 5 thousand people.

The Southern Kuzbass company closes the top five leaders in the Russian coal industry. At the end of 2013, the company's enterprises produced 15.1 million tons of coal. Southern Kuzbass is part of the Mechel holding and has 3 mines, 3 open-pit mines and 4 processing plants. Explored coal reserves amount to about 1.7 billion tons.

Industry development prospects

According to analysts, demand for coal will increase until around 2020. After which the consumption of this type of fuel will begin to gradually decrease. This forecast is associated with an increase in natural gas consumption in the future. And even the growing needs for coal in the countries of Southeast Asia and India will not be able to cover the decline in coal consumption in the developed countries of Europe and America.

Coal mining in Russia is a very important component of the country's economy. In addition to meeting domestic needs, coal is a strategically important export raw material. The demand for Russian coal is very high, but there is one problem due to which the cost of fuel increases. These are the costs of transporting coal.

In 2014, the average annual cost of a ton of Kuzbass export coal was $76, with about half of the amount having to be spent on transporting fuel to Far Eastern seaports. Coal consumption on the domestic market is decreasing due to the gasification of regions and enterprises, so for the development of the industry it is necessary to focus on exports.

In order to “stay afloat”, Russian coal companies must necessarily reduce the costs of coal production and transportation. It is also very important to develop technologies for the enrichment and processing of raw materials in order to supply more expensive grades of coal to the market.

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One of the largest sectors of the fuel and energy complex is the coal industry.

Back in the era of the USSR, Russia became a recognized leader in the field of coal mining and processing. Coal deposits here account for approximately 1/3 of the world's reserves, including brown and hard coal, and anthracite.

The Russian Federation ranks sixth in the world in terms of coal production, 2/3 of which is used to produce energy and heat, 1/3 in the chemical industry, a small part is transported to Japan and South Korea. On average, more than 300 million tons per year are mined in Russian coal basins.

Characteristics of deposits

If you look at the map of Russia, over 90% of the deposits are located in the eastern part of the country, mainly in Siberia.

If we compare the volume of coal mined, its total quantity, technical and geographical conditions, the most significant of them can be called the Kuznetsk, Tunguska, Pechora and Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo basins.

, otherwise known as Kuzbass, is the largest coal basin in Russia, and the largest in the world.

It is located in Western Siberia in a shallow intermountain basin. A large part of the basin belongs to the lands of the Kemerovo region.

A significant disadvantage is the geographical distance from the main fuel consumers - Kamchatka, Sakhalin, and the central regions of the country. 56% of hard coal and about 80% of coking coal are mined here, approximately 200 million tons per year. Open mining type.

Kansk-Achinsk coal basin

It spreads along the Trans-Siberian Railway through the territory of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, Kemerovo and Irkutsk regions. 12% of all Russian brown coal belongs to this basin; in 2012 its quantity amounted to 42 million tons.

According to information provided by geological exploration in 1979, total coal reserves are 638 billion tons.

It should be noted that the local one is the cheapest due to its open-pit mining, has low transportability and is used to provide energy to local enterprises.

Tunguska coal basin

One of the largest and most promising basins in Russia, it occupies the territories of Yakutia, Krasnoyarsk Territory and Irkutsk Region.

If you look at the map, you can see that this is more than half of Eastern Siberia.

Local coal reserves amount to about 2345 billion tons. Hard and brown coal and a small amount of anthracite occur here.

Currently, work in the basin is poorly carried out (due to poor exploration of the deposit and the harsh climate). About 35.3 million tons are mined underground each year.

Pechora basin

Located on the western slope of the Pai-Khoi ridge, it is part of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and the Komi Republic. The main deposits are Vorkutinskoye, Vorgashorskoye, Intinskoye.

The deposits are mostly represented by high quality coking coal, produced exclusively by the mine method.

12.6 million tons of coal are mined per year, which is 4% of the total volume. Consumers of solid fuel are enterprises in the northern European part of Russia, in particular the Cherepovets Metallurgical Plant.

Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo basin

It stretches along the Upper Sayan from Nizhneudinsk to Lake Baikal. It is divided into the Baikal and Sayan branches. The production volume is 3.4%, the mining method is open. The deposit is remote from large consumers, delivery is difficult, so local coal is used mainly at Irkutsk enterprises. The reserve is about 7.5 billion tons of coal.

Industry problems

Nowadays, active coal mining is carried out in the Kuznetsk, Kansko-Achinsk, Pechora and Irkutsk-Cheremkhovo basins, and the development of the Tunguska basin is planned. The main mining method is open, this choice is due to its relative cheapness and safety for workers. The disadvantage of this method is that the quality of the coal suffers greatly.

The main problem faced by the above-mentioned basins is the difficulty of delivering fuel to remote regions; in this regard, modernization of Siberian railways is necessary. Despite this, the coal industry is one of the most promising sectors of the Russian economy (according to preliminary estimates, Russian coal deposits should last for more than 500 years).