ASSESSMENT OF COAL SUPPLY AND USE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOLD DEPOSITS IN THE ARCTIC ZONE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SAKHA (YAKUTIA)

The article considers various options for providing gold mining enterprises in the Arctic zone of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) with fuel and energy resources to generate electricity for industrial needs. The authors assess the possibility of organizing the power supply for the operation of the mines using the resources of local coal deposits. The Soginsky brown coal and Krasnorechensk coal deposits are most suitable for mining.

The research proves that the use of coal in generation can reduce the cost of power supply in the development of ore and placer deposits. They determined that the lowest unit cost of electricity generation is achieved when brown coal from the Kularski deposit is used as fuel (9.3 rub/kW·h). The use of coals from the Soginsky deposit is 20% more expensive than the Kularsky coals, but the quality characteristics of the coal and the readiness of the deposit for mining are significantly better. The most accessible, but more expensive option for organizing the supply of coal to gold deposits is the use of imported coal of the required quality. The authors outline the necessity of additional appraisal of coal resource potential of the Arctic zone of Yakutia on the base of contemporary economic criteria. There is a need to clarify the extent of coal production and to determine the importance of coal in investment projects in the northeast of Arctic zone of Yakutia.

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