MINSK, 2 April (BelTA) – The reserves of basalt in Belarus are estimated at 83.2 million tonnes, BelTA learned from Vasily Kolb, Head of the Main Natural Resources Department of the Belarusian Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry.
In 2020, the main goal of Belarusian geologists was to find new sources of mineral resources for the county's enterprises. “Last year, specialists of the research and products center for geology at [the Belarusian state-run petroleum company] Belorusneft found more oil deposits. According to preliminary estimates, oil reserves amounted to 4.15 million tonnes, with the plan for the five-year period providing for 3 million tonnes, reserves of minerals used in the industry equaled 5.75 million tonnes against 5.1 million tonnes envisaged in the plan for the five-year period. They have also completed the reconnaissance of basalts, a new type of mineral for Belarus. Its reserves are estimated at 83.2 million tonnes,” Vasily Kolb noted.
One of the largest consumers of basalt in Belarus is the manufacturer of construction materials Gomelstroimaterialy, which needs around 60,000 tonnes of basalt a year, he said. At present, it imports raw materials from Ukraine and Russia. “We have also found more deposits of other important resources for the country's economy, including varieties of marl and chalk used in the production of concrete, silica sand, and glass,” Vasily Kolb noted.
In the new five-year period, the goal is to find new deposits of minerals that are in demand in Belarus and advance geological exploration of the country. “The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry will continue exploring the Novodvorskoye basalt reserve in Pinsk District, Brest Oblast and its technological characteristics. Plans are in place to organize reconnaissance to find hydrocarbons in order to increase oil extraction and to develop new deposits of marl and chalk varieties,” he shared.
Another goal is to step up industrial development of mineral reserves that have been found but remain unused. “We will start developing them taking into account feasibility study results and regional development prospects. The Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry and the Economy Ministry are already working on it,” Vasily Kolb added.
In 2016-2020, Belarus started developing 154 deposits of various mineral resources. “We should start developing as many deposits as we can to reduce import of mineral resources,” Vasily Kolb pointed out.
According to him, another important task is to develop legislation on concessions, which would help attract Belarusian and foreign investors to development of mineral deposits and geological exploration.
