On the possibilities of meeting the needs of the economy of the Republic of Belarus with its own mineral resources. Mineral resources of the Republic of Belarus Raw materials resources of Belarus

Mineral resources of Belarus are represented by the following groups:

1. fossil fuels (oil, oil shale, peat, brown coal);

2. chemical and agrochemical raw materials (potassium salts, rock salt, phosphorites, dolomites, siliceous rocks, glauconite, etc.);

1. metallic minerals ( iron ores, non-ferrous metals);

4. raw materials for the production of building materials (sands, sand-gravel mixtures, clays, carbonate rocks - chalk and marl), gypsum, natural building stone;

5. amber and other ornamental stones, for example, certain types of gypsum;

6. fresh mineral and thermal underground waters.

Geological research, intensively carried out in the post-war years, refuted the previously existing idea of ​​​​Belarus as a country poor in mineral resources. Currently, almost 5 thousand deposits have been identified and explored in its depths, representing about 30 types of mineral raw materials. The most important minerals, the extraction of which has the most significant impact on the country's economy, are potash and rock salts, oil, peat, building materials and raw materials for their production, underground fresh and mineral waters.

Fuel Mineral resources of Belarus include oil, petroleum gases, peat, brown coal and oil shale.

A total of 52 oil fields have been taken into account, of which about 30 are being exploited, and the rest are classified as being explored or mothballed. In accordance with the quantitative assessment of oil content, the initial recoverable oil resources are estimated at 338.3 million tons, residual reserves of industrial categories A+B+C 1- 67.6 million tons and 8.4 billion m 3 of associated gas. The availability of proven oil reserves at the level of annual production (about 2.0 million tons) is approximately 35 years. Needs National economy in oil are increasing (in 2010 to 15.0 million tons) and current production volumes will be able to cover them only by 10-15%.

Peat resources are significantly depleted due to intensive use in previous stages economic development Belarus. If the total predicted peat resources are estimated at 3.0 billion tons, then only 240 million tons are suitable for industrial extraction. The remaining reserves are located within environmental protection zones or are part of the land fund. The annual production of fuel peat is about 4-5 million tons and approximately the same amount of peat is extracted for agricultural needs, which meets the needs for approximately 20-25 years. All this required scientific reasoned approach to the integrated use of the country's peat fund, which is reflected in the “Scheme for the rational use and protection of peat resources of the Republic of Belarus for the period up to 2010”, in particular, it provides for an increase in the environmental fund to 30% of the total area of ​​peat massifs.

Brown coals have been identified in the territory of the Belarusian Polesie, the predicted reserves are 1350.8 million tons. The three most studied deposits are Zhitkovichskoye, Brinevskoye and Tonezhskoye with total reserves of 150.0 million tons. A project has been developed for the construction of the Zhitkovichsky open-pit mine with a capacity of 2 million tons of coal per year. In the future, brown coal can be a real source of energy and local household fuel, and can also be used as a raw material for certain chemical industries.

Oil shale deposits in the south of Belarus form a large shale basin with an area of ​​more than 20 thousand km 2. Forecast reserves (up to a depth of 600 m) are estimated at 11 billion tons; the Lyubanskoye and Turovskoye fields have been preliminary studied. Oil shale is considered as a potential raw material base for the development of energy, the chemical industry and the production of building materials.

Mining chemical raw materials represented by potassium and rock salts, phosphorites, and mineralized brines. Potassium salts are of the greatest national economic importance, the industrial reserves of which in two explored deposits (Starobinsky and Petrikovsky) amount to 6.9 billion tons, and predicted - over 80 billion tons. The Starobinsky deposit is being developed, on the basis of which four mining departments of the Belaruskali Production Association operate. The prospects for the Petrikovskoye deposit are associated with the introduction of a highly profitable technology for producing potassium concentrate from salts with a high content of magnesium chloride.

Rock salt reserves are estimated to be practically inexhaustible. Only at three explored deposits (Mozyr, Davydov and Starobin) they exceed 22 billion tons. The Mozyr deposit is being exploited, on the basis of which a salt plant operates with an annual production volume of about 400 thousand tons of salt, and supplies of edible salt for export are expanding. Rock salt can also be used as a raw material for the production of soda ash.

There are two phosphorite-bearing basins identified on the territory of Belarus: Sozhsky - in the east and Pripyatsky - in the south. The Sozh basin includes two previously explored fields: Mstislavlskoye and Lobkovichskoye (forecast reserves are estimated at 30 million tons), as well as a number of promising areas. Within the Pripyat phosphorite-bearing basin, the Brest phosphorite-bearing region has been identified (predicted reserves of phosphorus anhydride -
52.9 million tons). It is necessary to search for phosphorite deposits with more favorable conditions and higher quality of ore.

The territory of Belarus is promising for ores of ferrous and non-ferrous metals. Two iron ore deposits were discovered (Okolovskoye and Novoselkovskoye) with total reserves by category A+B+C 1 -
340 million tons and forecast - 1.5 billion tons, their use will largely be determined by the solution to the fuel and energy problem in the country. Swamp iron ores are found almost everywhere, more than 300 deposits are known, until the 60s. XIX century local metallurgical enterprises worked for them. Currently, bog iron ores serve as raw materials for the production of mineral paints. In the sedimentary rocks of the Pripyat trough, deposits of davsanite ores were discovered (Zaozernoye deposit), promising as raw materials for the production of alumina and soda ash. A deposit of rare earth-beryllium ores has been discovered in the crystalline basement rocks of Belarus.

Belarus has a fairly powerful mineral resource base for the production of building materials. The most significant reserves of cement raw materials, dolomite, chalk, building and facing stones, clays for the production of coarse ceramics and light aggregates, silicate and construction sands, sand-gravel and other materials. At the same time, there is a shortage of glass sands and clays for the production of high-quality bricks.

Expanding research and involvement in exploitation mineral underground waters. 58 mineral water sources with total reserves of 14,320.8 m 3 per day have been explored, and 50 sources are being developed. Mineral waters are used for the purposes of sanatorium-resort treatment, and are also sold through the retail chain as mineral medicinal and table waters.

Belarus is rich in mineral brines, the reserves of which within the Pripyat trough are estimated at 1830 km 3, they contain 680109 tons mineral matter. Highly mineralized brines (the rock is called “Belarusite”) can serve as a raw material base for the production of iodine, bromine, potassium, magnesium and many other elements. The project “Industrial brines of the Pripyat trough” has been developed, the implementation of which will make it possible to annually obtain about 160 tons of bromine and 1.2 tons of iodine. The search for new deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, diamonds, gold, amber and other types of minerals on the territory of Belarus is also promising.

Resources earth's bowels– gas, peat, oil and more.
If you look at the map of mineral resources of Belarus, you can say with confidence that in the depths of our country there is a sufficient amount of traditionally mined mineral resources that ensure the functioning and development of the building materials industry, the production of potash fertilizers and table salt.
More than 30 types of mineral raw materials have been identified in the depths of Belarus. According to the degree of readiness for use, deposits are distinguished: with detailed explored reserves of mineral raw materials, which are economically feasible and technically possible to develop at the present time (oil, peat, potassium and rock salts, dolomites, cement raw materials, sapropels, zeolite-containing silicites, molding and glass sands); not yet prepared for industrial development, the degree of knowledge of which does not yet allow planning their development and requires additional geological exploration and the development of new technological methods for the extraction and complex processing of raw materials (brown coals, oil shale, iron ores, kaolins, gypsum, phosphorites, rare metals and highly mineralized brines); promising areas for which there are scientifically proven prerequisites for the possibility of identifying industrial types of mineral raw materials among them after additional geological exploration work (glauconite, pyrophyllite, amber, diamonds, raw materials for the production of mineral fibers, dawsonite, rare, non-ferrous and precious metals).
Oil. As of January 1, 2008, 71 oil fields (including 2 oil and gas condensate fields) have been discovered in Belarus, 68 of which are located in the Gomel region and 3 in the Mogilev region. In 2007 1.76 thousand tons of oil were produced in the country.
Two new oil fields were discovered - Kotelnikovskoye and Zapadno-Davydovskoye.
Gas. Currently, Belarus does not have commercial natural gas deposits. When developing oil fields, associated gas is produced in an amount of about 250 million cubic meters. Deposits of associated gas have been identified in the territory of the Pripyat trough, where prospecting for oil is being carried out (Borshchevskoye, Krasnoselskoye and Zapadno-Alexandrovskoye fields). Its reserves amount to about 1 billion.
Peat. Geological reserves of peat (9192 deposits) as of January 1, 2008 amount to about 4 billion tons and are located in all regions of the country.
The most extensive peat massifs are concentrated in large relief depressions. The total area of ​​peat bogs in Belarus is 2.9 million hectares. The most significant of them are concentrated in Polesie.
Rock salt. The explored reserves of rock salt in three deposits (Starobinskoye in the Minsk region, Davydovskoye and Mozyrskoye in the Gomel region) reach almost 22 billion tons. The extraction of “Extra” salt is currently carried out at the Mozyr deposit and amounts to more than 360 thousand tons. IN last years Mining of rock salt (edible, feed and technical) at the Starobinsky deposit began. The existing reserves of rock salt make it possible to meet the country's future needs for food and industrial salts and organize large-scale supplies of these products for export.
Only at three explored deposits (Mozyr, Davydov and Starobin) they exceed 22 billion tons.
Potassium salts are one of the most important mineral resources of Belarus and the most important export product of our country. Taking third place in the world in terms of reserves of this mineral raw material after Russia and Canada (the total forecast resources for the Pripyat potassium basin are at least 80 billion tons), Belarus plays significant role f formation of the world market for potash fertilizers. Thus, in 2006, Belarus provided 39% of the world export of potash fertilizers. Our country supplies these products not only to countries Western Europe, but even to India, Southeast Asia, Latin American countries.
Dolomites. Large deposit Ruba dolomite in the Vitebsk region with proven reserves of over 900 million tons is being developed by Dolomite OJSC. The raw materials are used for the production of dolomite flour, crushed dolomite, asphalt concrete pavements and other materials. Belarus' demand for carbonate fertilizers has decreased to 2-3 million tons per year in recent years. The plant's capacity makes it possible to increase the production of dolomite flour to 6.5-7.0 million tons.
Sapropels. Sapropel resources are promising. Their reserves are estimated at 3.8 billion cubic meters (65% of them lie in reservoirs, the rest are under peat). About 80% of them are concentrated in the Vitebsk and northern Minsk regions. In Lake Osveyskoe alone, reserves reach 86 million m3. In lakes Chervonoye, Sudoble and others, this valuable raw material is mined.
As of January 1, 2008, the State Balance of Sapropel Reserves of the Republic of Belarus includes 85 deposits (sapropel-productive lakes and peatlands) with reserves of more than 75 million tons, located in all regions of the country.
In Lake Krivoe in the Ushachi region, black sapropel occurs at a depth of 30 m. It contains more than 10% iron and 2% manganese. In Lake Ritchie, in the Braslav region, lake ore is distributed at a depth of 5-8 meters. The amount of iron in it reaches 25%. In our largest lake, Naroch, sapropels look like thick semolina porridge. This is lake lime CaCO3. When dry, it turns into a dirty white loose mass in which small shells of mollusks can be distinguished.
Sapropels are a valuable mineral and are used in various sectors of the national economy. They contain proteins, carbohydrates, B vitamins, caratine, microelements, organic matter, necessary for plants. The most important use of sapropels in agriculture is as fertilizers and vitamin supplements in livestock and poultry feed. The valuable properties of sapropels as medicinal mud have long been known in medicine. In industry they are used for the production of certain building materials and in foundry.
Iron ores. Two iron ore deposits have been established on the territory of Belarus: the Okolovskoye deposit of ferruginous quartzites (Stolbtsovsky district of the Minsk region) and the Novoselkovskoye deposit of ilmenite-magnetite ores (Korelichsky district of the Grodno region). Detailed exploration is being completed at the Okolovskoye field. On the basis of the deposit, ore mining and enrichment capacity of 4 million tons can be created. The Novoselkovskoye field is at the preliminary development stage.
The raw material for replacing aluminum and soda ash imported from Russia and Ukraine can be dawsonite ores discovered in the Pripyat trough, where prospecting has estimated the Zaozernoye deposit with reserves of 89 million tons.
Phosphorites. Prospects for the development of phosphate raw material resources in Belarus are associated with the Mstislavskoye and Lobkovichskoye deposits (Mogilev region). According to preliminary exploration data, ore reserves of the Mstislavskoe deposit amount to 68 million tons or about 15 million tons of P2O5. The Orekhovskoye deposit (Brest region) with preliminary estimated reserves of 76 million tons is also of interest.
No less relevant is the assessment of the feasibility of developing the Diabazovoye rare metal deposit in the Gomel region, the ores of which are complex raw materials for the production of beryllium and rare earth elements of the tsarium group, used in rocket and aircraft manufacturing.
The country has sufficient resources of construction materials to fully meet domestic needs. These include: raw materials for the production of cement and lime, building and facing stones, construction sands, quartz (glass and molding), sand and gravel mixtures, ceramic clays, refractory clays and for the production of light aggregates, kaolins and other construction raw materials. Deposits of building materials are found in almost all regions of Belarus.
Gypsum-anhydrite stone. In Belarus, a deposit of gypsum Brinevskoe (Gomel region) has been discovered. Preliminarily explored reserves of gypsum amount to more than 100 million tons. gypsum stone. However, detailed exploration of the deposit, preparation of a feasibility study for its development, and the search for additional consumers and investors are required.
The raw material base of the cement industry includes 16 deposits of marly-chalk rocks with industrial reserves of more than 700 million tons. The purest varieties of chalk are used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and other industries, as well as for feeding livestock. The main reserves of cement raw materials are located in the Mogilev, Gomel, Grodno and Brest regions.
In Belarus, 3 deposits of building stone have been explored with industrial reserves of 561.5 million m3, two of which are located in the Brest region and one in the Gomel region. On the basis of the deposit in Mikashevichi, the Granit non-metallic materials plant operates with a capacity of 7.8 million m3 of crushed stone and 2.4 million m3 of artificial sand per year. The raw material base of construction sands includes 140 deposits with total reserves of more than 800 million cubic meters, sand and gravel material - 185 deposits with reserves of more than 1 billion cubic meters. There are also significant reserves of glass sand in the Brest region, which are suitable for natural form for the production of window and container glass.
There are quite significant reserves of clay raw materials for the production of bricks, facing stones, drainage pipes, porous aggregates, facade tiles, etc. The raw material base of clay raw materials includes 214 deposits of low-melting clays for the production of bricks, 6 refractory clays and 11 deposits for the production of agloporite and expanded clay with total reserves 327 million mi. The main reserves of clay raw materials are concentrated in the Vitebsk region, with smaller quantities in the Gomel, Mogilev and Minsk regions.
Research and involvement in the exploitation of mineral groundwater are expanding. 58 mineral water sources have been explored with total reserves of 14,320.8 m3 per day, 50 sources are being developed. Mineral waters are used for the purposes of sanatorium and resort treatment, and are also sold through the retail chain as mineral medicinal and table waters.
Sulfate-chloride-sodium underground waters have long been successfully used for the treatment of gastrointestinal and some other diseases in the Krinitsa sanatorium near Minsk, Lettsy near Vitebsk and in the Naroch sanatorium. There are also bromine medicinal waters in the republic. Hydrogen sulfide waters are known in Belarus. They were discovered in the north-west of the republic, near the village of Vidzy. The content of hydrogen sulfide in them reaches 50-60 mg/l; The waters are relatively low in mineralization, which makes it possible to plan here not only a bath, but also a drinking method of treatment.
Belarus is rich in mineral brines, the reserves of which within the Pripyat trough are estimated at 1830 km³. They contain 680x109 tons of mineral matter. Highly mineralized brines (the rock is called “Belarusite”) can serve as a raw material base for the production of iodine, bromine, potassium, magnesium and many other elements. The project “Industrial brines of the Pripyat Trough” has been developed, the implementation of which will make it possible to annually obtain about 160 tons of bromine and 1.2 tons of iodine. The search for new deposits of ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores, diamonds, gold, amber and other types of minerals on the territory of Belarus is also promising.
Analysis mineral resources The base indicates that the main resources of extracted minerals in the Republic of Belarus are concentrated in the Pripyat trough; they provide not only the satisfaction of the country’s internal needs, but also its export potential (primarily potash, rock salt and others). In addition, the territory of the Dnieper River basin promising relative to many other minerals.

TOPIC 1.4: ASSESSMENT OF THE RESOURCE POTENTIAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

4.1. The role of the mineral resource complex in the country's economy

4.2. Mineral resource potential of Belarus: forecast reserves, efficiency of use

4.3. Strategy for further development of the mineral, raw materials and natural potential of the Republic of Belarus

The role of the mineral resource complex in the country's economy

One of the most important tasks set by the Head of State at the Fourth All-Belarusian People's Assembly is the intensification of the development of subsoil resources in Belarus, aimed primarily at increasing the gross domestic product by increasing the volume of mineral extraction, maximizing the supply of mineral resources to the enterprises of the republic, increasing the export potential, reducing the economy's dependence on imports of mineral raw materials.

Natural resource potential is the most important part of the country's national wealth. According to the assessment of scientists from the Institute of Geography of the USSR Academy of Sciences, carried out in the 70s, the share of Belarus in the total natural resource potential of the USSR was 1.2%, which significantly exceeded its share in the total area of ​​the country - 0.9%. This excess is due to better provision of land resources (above the world average), more favorable climatic conditions, sufficient water and forest resources. At the same time, there is a relatively low concentration of mineral resources, especially fuel and energy resources, on the territory of Belarus.

The natural resource potential of the country and its individual regions changes in the process of environmental management, which is due, on the one hand, to the depletion of certain types of natural resources due to their exhaustibility and irrational use. On the other hand, scientific and technological progress opens up the possibility of involving new types of natural resources in the national economic turnover and expanding the country's raw material and fuel and energy base. The knowledge of the subsoil of Belarus at the previous stages of development was insufficient, and the missing types of raw materials and materials could be obtained centrally from other regions of the USSR. Now the situation has changed radically, so it is necessary to pay special attention to the problem of expanding and strengthening our own mineral resource base.

The policy of resource conservation is becoming important in achieving greater raw material independence of the Republic of Belarus. Improving technologies, reducing the material and energy intensity of production can reduce the consumption of raw materials and fuel and energy resources by 20-25%. However, achieving this level is possible only within 15-20 years, which is due to serious organizational, legal and economic reasons (lack of necessary legislative acts, comprehensive government programs resource conservation, as well as the necessary financial and material resources).

The types and volumes of consumption of mineral raw materials in the national economic complex of the republic are determined by the needs of various sectors of industry and agriculture, satisfied through the use of local mineral resources and imports from neighboring countries.

Mineral resource potential of Belarus: forecast reserves, efficiency of use

The mineral resources potential of Belarus is the material basis of the country's economy and its national security.

More than 30 types of mineral raw materials have been identified in the depths of Belarus. According to the degree of readiness for use, deposits are distinguished: with detailed explored reserves of mineral raw materials, which are economically feasible and technically possible to develop at the present time (oil, peat, potassium and rock salts, dolomites, cement raw materials, sapropels, zeolite-containing silicites, molding and glass sands) ; not yet prepared for industrial development, the degree of knowledge of which does not yet allow planning their development and requires additional geological exploration and the development of new technological methods for the extraction and complex processing of raw materials (brown coals, oil shale, iron ores, kaolins, gypsum, phosphorites, rare metals and highly mineralized brines); promising areas for which there are scientifically proven prerequisites for the possibility of identifying industrial types of mineral raw materials among them after additional geological exploration work (glauconite, pyrophyllite, amber, diamonds, raw materials for the production of mineral fibers, dawsonite, rare, non-ferrous and precious metals).

Oil. As of January 1, 2008, 71 oil fields (including 2 oil and gas condensate fields) have been discovered in Belarus, 68 of which are located in the Gomel region and 3 in the Mogilev region. In 2007, the country produced 1.76 thousand tons of oil. The availability of its proven reserves at the 2007 production level is 34 years.

Gas. Currently, Belarus does not have commercial natural gas deposits. When developing oil fields, associated gas is produced in an amount of about 250 million m 3. Deposits of associated gas have been identified in the territory of the Pripyat trough, where prospecting for oil is underway (Borshchevskoye, Krasnoselskoye and Zapadno-Aleksandrovskoye fields). Its reserves are about 1 billion m 3 .

Peat. Geological reserves of peat (9192 deposits) as of January 1, 2008 amount to about 4 billion tons and are located in all regions of the country. According to the Scheme for the rational use and protection of peat resources of the Republic of Belarus for the period until 2010, a significant part of the peat fund consists of environmental and reserve funds. In 2007, 2.9 million tons of peat were extracted for fuel and agricultural needs. The expected significant increase in peat production by 2015 will require the allocation of additional areas for peat mining in all regions of the country.

Brown coals. In the Gomel region, 3 deposits of brown coal have been explored: Zhitkovichskoye, Brinevskoye and Tonezhskoye with geological reserves of about 150 million tons. The Brinevskoye deposit (30 million tons) and two deposits at the Zhitkovichskoye deposit are prepared for industrial development: Severnaya (23.5 million tons ) and Naydinskaya (23.1 million tons).

Oil shale. Two large oil shale deposits have been identified in Belarus: Lyubanskoye (Minsk region) and Turovskoye (Gomel and Brest regions) with total predicted resources of about 3.9 billion tons.

Potassium salts belong to the most valuable mineral resources of the subsoil of Belarus. The extraction and processing of potassium salts into high-quality mineral fertilizers provides the country with not only an increase in agricultural yields, but is also one of the sources of foreign exchange earnings through product exports. The state balance of potassium salts takes into account 3 deposits (Starobinskoye in the Minsk region, Petrikovskoye and Oktyabrskoye in the Gomel region). RUE "PA "Belaruskali" at the Starobinsky deposit annually produces 28–32 million tons of potassium ores, from which it produces about 4 million tons of potash fertilizers. The company fully satisfies the domestic market's demand for its products and carries out significant export deliveries to countries near and far abroad.

Rock salt. The explored reserves of rock salt in three deposits (Starobinskoye in the Minsk region, Davydovskoye and Mozyrskoye in the Gomel region) reach almost 22 billion tons. “Extra” salt production is currently carried out at the Mozyrskoye deposit and amounts to more than 360 thousand tons. In recent years, mining of rock salt (edible, feed and technical) has begun at the Starobinsky deposit. The existing reserves of rock salt will make it possible to meet the country's future needs for food and industrial salts and organize large-scale supplies of these products for export.

Dolomites. The large Ruba dolomite deposit in the Vitebsk region with proven reserves of over 900 million tons is being developed by Dolomite OJSC. The raw materials are used for the production of dolomite flour, crushed dolomite, asphalt concrete pavements and other materials. Belarus' demand for carbonate fertilizers has decreased to 2–3 million tons per year in recent years. The plant's capacity makes it possible to increase the production of dolomite flour to 6.5–7.0 million tons.

Sapropels. Sapropel resources are promising. Their reserves are estimated at 3.8 billion m3 (65% of them lie in reservoirs, the rest are under peat). As of January 1, 2008, the State Balance of Sapropel Reserves of the Republic of Belarus includes 85 deposits (sapropel-productive lakes and peatlands) with reserves of more than 75 million tons, located in all regions of the country.

Iron ores. Two iron ore deposits have been established on the territory of Belarus: the Okolovskoye deposit of ferruginous quartzites (Stolbtsovsky district of the Minsk region) and the Novoselkovskoye deposit of ilmenite-magnetite ores (Korelichsky district of the Grodno region). Detailed exploration is being completed at the Okolovskoye field. On the basis of the deposit, ore mining and enrichment capacity of 4 million tons can be created. The Novoselkovskoye deposit is at the preliminary exploration stage.

Phosphorites. Prospects for the development of phosphate raw material resources in Belarus are associated with the Mstislavskoye and Lobkovichskoye deposits (Mogilev region). According to preliminary exploration data, the ore reserves of the Mstislavskoe deposit amount to 68 million tons or about 15 million tons of P 2 O 5 . The Orekhovskoye deposit (Brest region) with preliminary estimated reserves of 76 million tons is also of interest.

The country has sufficient building materials resources to fully meet internal needs. These include: raw materials for the production of cement and lime, building and facing stones, construction sands, quartz (glass and molding), sand and gravel mixtures, ceramic clays, refractory clays and for the production of light aggregates, kaolins and other construction raw materials. Deposits of building materials are found in almost all regions of Belarus.

Gypsum-anhydrite stone. In Belarus, the Brinevskoye gypsum deposit was discovered (Gomel region). Preliminarily explored reserves of gypsum amount to more than 100 million tons of gypsum stone. However, detailed exploration of the deposit, preparation of a feasibility study for its development, and search for additional consumers and investors are required.

The raw material base of the cement industry includes 16 deposits marl-chalk rocks with industrial reserves of more than 700 million tons. The purest varieties of chalk are used in the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and other industries, as well as for feeding livestock. The main reserves of cement raw materials are located in the Mogilev, Gomel, Grodno and Brest regions.

3 deposits have been explored in Belarus building stone with industrial reserves of 561.5 million m 3, two of which are located in the Brest region and one in the Gomel region. On the basis of the deposit in Mikashevichi, the Granit non-metallic materials plant operates with a capacity of 7.8 million m 3 of crushed stone and 2.4 million m 3 of artificial sand per year. Raw material base construction sands includes 140 deposits with total reserves of more than 800 million m 3, sand and gravel material– 185 fields with reserves of more than 1 billion m3. There are also significant reserves glass sands in the Brest region, which are suitable in their natural form for the production of window and container glass.

Quite significant reserves clay raw materials for the production of bricks, facing stones, drainage pipes, porous aggregates, facade tiles, etc. The raw material base of clay raw materials includes 214 deposits of fusible clays for brick production, 6 refractory clays and 11 deposits for the production of agloporite and expanded clay with total reserves of 327 million m 3 . The main reserves of clay raw materials are concentrated in the Vitebsk region, with smaller quantities in the Gomel, Mogilev and Minsk regions.

Ore minerals. Discovered in 1965 in the Stolbtsovsky and Karelichi districts, they have no industrial significance yet. There are manifestations of gold and non-ferrous metal ores. Placers of amber were found in the western part of the Polesie lowland.

The country's land resources are the entire territory of Belarus, its land fund. The main ones are agricultural land (46% of the total territory). These include: arable lands (30%) and meadows (hayfields, pastures - 16%). The rest land area occupy forests (32%), swamps, bushes (11%), other lands, settlements, roads, etc. (11%).

Part of the land was excluded from agricultural use after the Chernobyl accident.

Water resources of Belarus: waters of rivers, lakes, reservoirs, groundwater. Within the republic, water resources are distributed evenly, but the northern and northwestern regions are better provided with them. The largest consumer of water resources is housing and communal services, as well as industrial and agricultural enterprises. Currently, there are complications in the industrial water supply of Baranovichi, Lida, Soligorsk, Zhodino. To improve water supply, the Vileika-Minsk water system was built.

Groundwater reserves are located in the depths of Belarus, 17 sources have been identified mineral water of different composition. In their locations there are the resorts “Naroch”, “Bobruisk”, “Letsy”, “Rogachev”, “Krinitsa”, “Berestye”.

Biological resources Belarus includes plant and animal resources.

Forest is the main raw material for the forest industry. It performs soil, climate and water protection functions, as well as sanitary, hygienic and health-improving functions. Moreover, the forest main source plant resources: mushrooms, berries, nuts, as well as medicinal herbs.

Animal resources: game animals and industrial fish.

All of the above resources are considered exhaustible, therefore their protection is associated with integrated use, more rational extraction and reduction of losses during transportation and processing. Moreover, many of them have recreational value (“recreation” means rest, restoration).

Recreational resources are a set of natural, cultural and historical complexes used for organizing recreation, treatment, and excursions. The most famous recreation areas are Braslav, “Lakes” in the west of the Grodno region, Stolbtsy; tourist centers "White Lake", "Neman"; historical and architectural complexes in Polotsk, Zaslavl, Nesvizh, Grodno.

Related information.

the entire territory of Belarus belongs to the zone with the most favorable natural conditions for the life of the population with a score of 3.5 points and above in accordance with the assessment of natural conditions carried out by the Institute of Geography of the USSR Academy of Sciences

The territory of Belarus is compact in size, located entirely within the East European Plain, in a temperate climate zone, in one area of ​​mixed forests. According to the modern physical and geographical zoning of Belarus, 5 provinces, 14 districts and 49 districts are distinguished within its borders, in accordance with landscape zoning - 2 subzones, 5 provinces and 56 landscape regions. Their differences affect the comfort and lifestyle of the population, and the forms of its settlement, agricultural and forestry production, construction, and tourism and recreational activities.

Relief of Belarus, characterized by the alternation of low-lying areas with higher and highly dissected hills and ridges of hills, is generally favorable for agricultural production, the construction of highways and highways, and other types of construction. At the same time, according to the relief features, the northern part of the country (Belarusian Poozerie), the central (Belarusian ridge with adjacent plains) and the southern part (Belarusian Polesie) are distinguished.

Climate of Belarus–– moderate continental - quite favorable. cultivation of basic agricultural crops typical of central Eastern Europe.

Natural resources Belarus is represented by land, mineral, water, forest and recreational.

Main part land The country's fund consists of agricultural and forest lands, the amount of agricultural lands is decreasing (due to the exclusion of lands contaminated with radionuclides and low-productive lands from agricultural rotation), and forest lands are increasing.

In accordance with the cadastral assessment of agricultural lands, the highest cadastral assessment score is for the arable lands of the Grodno region (34.9), and the lowest - for the Vitebsk region (25.3), with the average for Belarus being 31.2.

Mineral resources Belarus is represented by more than 30 different types of minerals. Oil supply is 8-10% of the required level. Small deposits of associated gas (reserves 8 million m3). The most important deposits are potassium salts (3rd place in the world) and table salt. Highly mineralized brines (iodine and bromine can be extracted on an industrial scale), phosphorites, gypsum, kaolins, silicites (tripods, opoka, siliceous marls), diabases, wollastonite, pyrophyllites, glauconite, etc., found in the depths.

Water resources. quite high security. The average river flow is 57.9 km 3, 59% is formed within the country. 118 reservoirs and 35 lake-type reservoirs have been built on the rivers of Belarus. The volume of the reservoirs is 3.1 km 3 . The lakes accumulate 6–7 km 3 of water resources. Natural fresh groundwater resources are estimated at 15.9 km 3 per year. Belarus is also well supplied with mineral underground waters, which are the basis for the creation of sanatorium-resort complexes, as well as mineral medicinal and table water enterprises.

Forest resources––Forest cover is 39.1% and is close to optimal. However, they are unevenly distributed throughout the territory. Total wood reserves are 1.1 billion m3.

In Belarus, medical, or resort, recreational resources represented by a complex of climatic factors in combination with sources of medicinal mineral waters, peat mud and sapropels. Of the 66 studied sources of medicinal mineral waters, only 14 are used in spa treatment.

The healing muds of Belarus are 12 peat deposits and 20 sapropel deposits.

However, in general, the resort and recreational potential of Belarus is underutilized and does not meet the needs of the country's population.

A promising direction for Belarus is eco-tourism using the potential of national parks, reserves, sanctuaries, all specially protected natural areas and objects, the area of ​​which is about 8% of the country’s territory.

Natural resources represent the country's large-scale potential, which can be involved in economic activities.

In the natural resource fund of Belarus, the most important role is given to land, mineral, forest and water resources. Their ratio, as in other countries, is characterized by a certain unevenness, which affects the labor specialization of specific regions.

Water resources

(Braslav Lakes, territory of the Belarusian Lake District)

The Republic of Belarus is assigned to a geographical zone with classic water availability in the CIS. There are over 10,000 lakes and reservoirs in the country, the total water volume of which is almost 6 billion m3. There are 7 large rivers in Belarus with a length of over 500 kilometers, and the total number of river reservoirs is 21,000. Their total length is 91,000 km.

(Lake Naroch)

The fresh-type groundwater system is developed in all regions of the republic. Currently, only 13% of the total predicted resources have been explored. However, this is quite enough to respond to the needs of the state in a timely manner. In general, the country's current water resources meet the needs of the population and the national economy. Moreover, there is a certain reserve for further growth of individual industries. However, there is a problem of uneven distribution of water resources and difficult water supply to citizens in some areas. Interestingly, consumption drinking water per person in Belarus is several times more than in European countries. At the same time, the main polluter of water resources is agriculture, which has imperfect plant protection methods. Over the past decade, water mineralization in Belarus has increased several times.

Land resources

The republic's land fund is almost 21 million hectares, with 45% of the territory being agricultural land. Approximately 90% of the land is in public use. Arable lands in this group are the most productive. Most of them are located in the Mogilev region. Almost 35% of agricultural land is allocated to pastures and hayfields. The largest number of such territories is in Belarusian Polesie. Difficult terrain and heterogeneous soil composition limit the possibilities for expanding such lands.

In general, the state's land potential is quite high. The structure of the resource fund is changing due to the reorganization of natural and economic importance land and the transfer of unproductive land to forestry companies. Compared to Western European countries, Belarus has a higher rate of provision of agricultural land and preservation of wetlands and forest areas. Nevertheless, the most important problem of the land fund of Belarus remains radioactive contamination of resources.

Forest resources

(Typical Belarusian forest)

The forest fund of Belarus represents an unlimited natural resource, since the territory of forested lands occupies more than 85% of the entire republic. Most of the country has young forests, the age of which does not exceed 50 years. Approximately 55% of the forest fund is classified as economic forests that are of operational importance. It is worth noting that during the Chernobyl accident in Belarus, 1/5 of all forests were contaminated, in which only partial timber harvesting is now possible.

Mineral resources

(Phosphorite development)

There is no large-scale base of mineral raw materials on the territory of the republic. However, geological exploration activities are ongoing, and today about 5,000 deposits of 30 types of mineral components have been discovered in Belarus. The most important resources for the economy include oil, peat, oil shale, brown coal, rock and potassium salts, mineral and fresh waters underground origin. Despite the impressive reserves of petroleum products, their production volume satisfies only 15% of the country's needs for fuel resources.

The most important mineral resource mined in the mountains of Belarus is potassium salt, in terms of reserves of which the republic occupies a leading position in Europe. Reserves of rock salt are generally considered inexhaustible. Oil shale is present mainly in the south of the country. Currently, Belarus has high prospects for the extraction of ferrous and non-ferrous metal ores. The republic also has a rich base for building materials: dolomite, chalk, clay, sand.