Places of gold mining in Russia

The development of new sources of precious metals and the modernization of core technologies have allowed Russia to become a leader in industrial gold mining. Large natural accumulations of this metal are considered rare. Moreover, it is necessary to take into account the depletion of reserves during the active exploitation of fields. The main part of the mined gold is used as the basis for the formation of the state reserve, the rest is used in jewelry and partly in industry. Further work is being carried out on an ongoing basis to develop efficient production methods with minimizing costs.

Technological progress has made it possible to develop a technology for modern methods of gold mining using specialized equipment. Deposits of precious metal are divided according to the type of gold deposits in natural conditions:

• primary or indigenous;

• secondary or alluvial.

Primary deposits are fragments of volcanic magma that was poured over the surface of the earth during volcanic eruptions... The gold content in it is much higher than in the earth's crust. Sometimes the metal is found in the form of nuggets or veins, but most of it is combined with other chemical compounds and alloys.

To mine gold in Russia, they mainly use deposits of the secondary (placer) type. Under the influence of various natural phenomena over a long period, such as temperature changes, precipitation, groundwater, the activity of microorganisms, the rock gradually collapses.In this case, the gold contained in it will be released and go out onto flat surfaces with the formation of places of occurrence.

The classification of deposits determines the amount of metal reserves. Indigenous are considered the largest and most unique. The volume of gold in ore in them ranges from 15 to 100 tons. Particles of gold in ores are divided according to the size of the particle size from 0.01 to 70 microns. Gold in places of occurrence, due to its geochemical properties, forms concentrations of different genetic affiliation. Exists primary deposits with the specific cost of the metal over 50% and complex, with the gold content as an associated component.

Placer deposits, which appeared as a result of the destruction of primary rocks, were originally developed by prospectors in the mines. The values ​​of the gold content in them fluctuate within the limits of 100 mg / m3. Gradually, such deposits are subject to depletion, but the share of such placers in our country is still significant and accounts for half of all mined gold. Man-made placers were formed in the course of an incomplete mining cycle for the extraction of precious metals, they consist of a dump complex and residual rocks. Coastal marine and heterogeneous placers are also being developed.

Primary gold deposits have been in development since Soviet times and continue to be actively exploited on an industrial scale to this day.... On the territory of Russia, the main production sites are concentrated on The Far East, Yakutia, Eastern Siberia, in the Primorsky Territory, partly in the European part of the country and in the Urals... In aggregate, the country produces 8% of the global volume with an upward trend in this indicator. The regions of Siberia and the Urals are the most promising in terms of precious metal deposits. The technology of gold mining is being mastered by about 20 enterprises and mines, which replenish the state's reserves with tens of kilograms of metal annually.

Gold ore discovered in the 17th century in the Trans-Baikal Territory immediately attracted the prospectors. Today, there are a thousand deposits in the region, producing about 13 tons of precious metal. This is a promising area, exploration has shown good volumes of placer gold, which is low cost. In the fourth largest region in terms of gold production, in the Irkutsk region, the main enterprises are located in the Bodaibo region.

Placer gold on Sakhalin is located on the territory of the Langeriy cluster... Precious metals have been mined here since 1933 using a hydraulic method. Every year there is an increase in reserves, which makes it possible to ensure stable production of the mining enterprise. Potential mining areas have recently been discovered in the north of the island. They can be developed without creating complex industries.

The very name of Altai reflects the ancient name of gold. The metal for the royal treasury was smelted there. After the revolution, there were fragmentary development of mines, but only from the beginning of the 2000s in Altai Territory industrial mining of ore began, mines in Zmeinogorsky and Zarechensky districts, in Rubtsovsky district a modern production was created, the development of a large Korbolikhinsky deposit was planned.

One of the world's largest gold deposits - Olimpiada is located in the Krasnoyarsk Territory... Its uniqueness lies in the raw material base; to date, 500 tons of gold have been extracted from its depths. V Novosibirsk region a large amount of gold is mined at the well-known Egoryevskoye field. Additional gold-bearing areas are found near it, the right to develop which is put up for auction.

The reserves of the Bayramgulovskoye field located in the Chelyabinsk regionare estimated at about 1.7 tons. It is being developed by the Miasszoloto company, whose share of processing is about 60% of the placer metal in the region. This Ural region produces annually up to 7 tons of precious metal, which is achieved by the aggregate production of the largest deposits:

• Murashkin Mountain;

• Western Kurosan;

• Bereznyakovskoe;

• Svetlinskoe.

V Sverdlovsk region since ancient times, gold nuggets have been found, this region is usually called the key that opened the way for further development in Siberia and the Far East... Up to 11 tons of gold are mined here annually. The most famous gold mining sites are at the Berezovsky and Kochkarsky deposits.

A couple of centuries ago, placers of medium and large gold, as well as nuggets were found in the floodplains of the Bzykha, Lipovaya and Khamyshinka rivers in the Krasnodar Territory... Large-scale terrace placer is located in the Khadzhokh glade. Now gold mining is being carried out in the quarries of the Laba river, the extraction of gold in this area is up to 20 kg per year.

The extraction of precious metals in the Leningrad Region is recognized as unprofitable on an industrial scale due to the scarcity of the location of gold-bearing veins. Although survey work is being carried out on the territory of the Ladoga area.

The extraction of gold is currently carried out by diligent artels.

The Berezovskoye gold deposit in the Urals is considered to be the largest in Russia. Its history begins in the middle of the 18th century. Precious metal in this section is concentrated in thin and medium-sized inclusions inside the rock, where there is the most gold. In addition, the upper layers are rich in nuggets. The large ore field eventually turned into the main Russian deposit, from which 125 tons of the yellow metal were recovered.

The districts of the Sverdlovsk region are also famous for the second largest Vorontsov mine. This is a relatively young company, but today it is being developed very actively with the use of technology for conducting work in the winter. Experts estimate the volume of gold in it at 65 tons.

Another largest Natalka field is located in Sukhoy Log, where there are similar sources of gold mining, which boast significant reserves of 27 tons of metal. Along with deposits, it should be noted rich alluvial placers Omchak, Dogaldyn and Berelekh.

An analysis of the total volume of gold mined in Russia shows that most of the deposits of valuable metal are located in the Urals and beyond. The central part of the country is represented in this area by only three gold-ore territories. The development of all primary deposits is carried out by several large enterprises in the gold mining industry.

Severstal has an international status in the metallurgical industry, in addition, it owns 5 mines located in the Republic of Sakha, Buryatia and in the Amur region. Polyus Gold also ranks as the world's largest gold mining enterprise. The geography of its deposits is limited to the Irkutsk, Krasnoyarsk, Magadan and Amur regions.

The second place in the country in terms of the volume of mined gold belongs to company "Polymetal"... It is active in Chukotka, the Urals and the Magadan region. Yuzhuralzoloto Group carries out the process of production by closed and open methods at the fields of the Chelyabinsk Region, Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Republic of Khakassia. Canadian Kinross Gold received the rights to mine the yellow metal in the Republic of Sakha.

All about gold mining in Russia and about the gold mining business in general, see the video below.