Kamchatka is a peninsula located in the north-east of Eurasia. This is the only place in Russia where volcanic eruptions occur. Under their influence, special effusive rocks are formed.
Relief
It largely depends on the geological structure.territory. Thus, the faults extend along the peninsula, all ridges and stripes of lowlands are also located along the eastern shore. Mountains are, in addition, active or extinct volcanoes. They can be seen on the map of the peninsula called Kamchatka. The relief and minerals of this region are interrelated, since many mineral resources are concentrated in the area of action of volcanoes.
Their slopes have scree character;landslides. Active volcanoes are located in the eastern part of Kamchatka. The largest of them - Klyuchevskaya Sopka. There are often boiling lakes and hot springs here. In this area is the famous Valley of Geysers. There are mud volcanoes. In the river valleys, among which there is the Kamchatka River, there are alluvial and deluvial deposits.
Geological discoveries in Kamchatka
Geological research and discoveries in Kamchatkaheld mainly in the middle of the last century. In the 90s, Kamchatka had a high status among the gold ore provinces. And the number of placer platinum was in the first place. The first data on mineral resources appeared in the work “Description of the Land of Kamchatka” by the famous author Krasheninnikov. The first geological map of this region was compiled by A. Erman in 1829. Before the revolution, this territory was studied by I. Bogdanovich. He wrote a geological essay on Kamchatka. He was the first of all domestic researchers, who more systematically approached the geological description of the peninsula. He also studied the young volcanoes of Kamchatka.
New unique minerals of Kamchatka were discovered on Tolbachik volcano. A photo of one of them is presented above. This is a mineral tenorite.
At the beginning of the last century there was a statementthat Kamchatka, whose minerals are numerous, cannot be a significant area for the mining industry. Subsequently, this opinion was not confirmed. On the new maps were deposited such minerals as copper, coal, graphite, silver, molybdenum, lead, zinc, and oil. Also on it were information about amber and various gems. Later on, the Korfsky coal deposit was allocated among others. Production began in 1929. Later, many more deposits of coal, oil, natural gas and other minerals were explored.
Geological structure
The eastern part of Kamchatka was formed atinteraction of two lithospheric plates: oceanic and continental. Here is the immersion of one plate under the other. This is evidenced by a deep depression bordering the peninsula - the Kuril-Kamchatka deep-sea trench. Volcanic activity is common here, earthquakes often occur. This territory is composed of rocks such as basalts, andesites, and rhyolites.
The rest of the peninsula has moreancient origin. Its western half is composed of Cenozoic sedimentary strata. In the southern part of the peninsula there are granites, porphyries, syenites and other intrusive rocks. Fossils of ancient marine animals are found in tertiary clays and sandstones, suggesting that the area was covered with water. There are also layers of coal with trunks of trees, traces of leaves and fossilized resin - amber.
Minerals of Kamchatka
What else can be said on this topic?Minerals of the Kamchatka Peninsula are diverse and numerous. There is oil and natural gas. The Kolpakovsky oil and gas bearing region in the western part of Kamchatka has the most promising reserves of these hydrocarbons. There are also reserves of black and brown coal. In the eastern half of the peninsula, these are the Korfskoye and Khailinskoye coal deposits. In the west there are the following coal manifestations: Tigilskoe, Krutogorovskoe, Gorelovskoye, Podkagernoe. There are huge deposits of peat.
In Kamchatka there are reserves of gold, both ore andplacer. They have four major primary deposits: Amethyst, Aginskoye, Asacha, Rodnikovskoye. Here lies about 198 tons of gold. There are also alluvial deposits of this precious metal, there are 42 of them. Silver is present in these four deposits to a greater extent - 655 tons. And open placer platinum.
Kamchatka, whose minerals are also associated with volcanic activity, has the largest pumice deposit in the Far Eastern Region, Ilyinskoe.
Kamchatka also has significant reserves of native sulfur. The number of its manifestations found exceeds two hundred. Total reserves are 106 thousand tons.
Developed fields
Mining industry in Kamchatka onlydevelops. Recently, there has been a decrease in the amount of extracted minerals. This is due to the fact that deposits of precious metals are being depleted. The Kshukskoye gas field is currently being developed. Also developed several small manifestations of stone and brown coal. Constantly used thermal water for the production of electricity.
Practical use of mineral resources
For the fuel and energy complex there isstocks of oil, gas, coal and brown. Peat is used in economic activities. In the future, it can be widely used in the processing and chemical industries.
Precious metals and minerals used in the jewelry industry are mined. This, above all, gold, silver, platinum. A scattering of a rare pomegranate variety, demantoid, has been found here.
There is also chrysolite used in jewelry.In addition, there are rubies, amethysts and sapphires. There are ornamental stones - jasper, marble onyx, obsidian, jade, agate. These gems are used for jewelry and other decorative purposes. There is also blue obsidian mined in the area of the Ichinsky volcano.
Provided with building materials Kamchatka.Minerals, such as volcanic tuffs, sand and gravel mixtures, building stone, slag, brick clay, building sand, perlite and zeolites are abundant here. Perspectives for the construction of ignimbrites and caked tuffs. Perlite used for water purification and added to the cement. In ecology, they are used to clean the soil and water from pollution by industrial waste.
Groundwater is widely used, which hasunique composition. Among them are both mineral and hydrothermal sources. They are used in the food industry and for heat and power needs.
Kamchatka, whose minerals are very diverse, is a promising area for the extraction of mineral raw materials.
