The region, whose center is St. Petersburg, is relatively rich in minerals. No significant deposits were found in this territory, unpromising and unprofitable deposits were eliminated at the preliminary stage, but promising ones are actively exploited.
General characteristics of the area
The territory of the region is fully located on the East European (Russian) plain. The highest point does not even reach three hundred meters above sea level. It is the flat nature of the relief that explains the fact that ore minerals of the Leningrad Region are practically absent. But there are non-metallic, most of which are actively used in construction. An extensive and developed river network is located in the region, there are almost two thousand lakes, including the largest in Europe - Ladoga.
The region is located in the taiga zone, therefore it is rich in forests (coniferous in the north and mixed in the south), which occupy more than half of the region. Most of the places are swampy. But this did not prevent an almost complete study of the region for the availability of mineral resources. A map of the mineral resources of the Leningrad Region is given below.
The presence of minerals
Of the twenty-six minerals identified in the region, only six are classified as ore. At the same time, more than five hundred deposits have been explored, but less than twenty percent are exploited. Minerals of the Leningrad Region are associated with tectonics - the territory is located at the junction of tectonic structures. Therefore, the northern parts are rich in deposits of solid building materials - granite, stone, gravel, sand. Thick layers of sedimentary rocks in the southern part contain phosphorites and oil shales, bauxites, limestones and dolomites. Deposits of peat, sand, clay are almost evenly distributed throughout the region. The Gulf of Finland contains small deposits of iron-manganese ores. In addition, there are several radon sources and mineral thermal waters in the region.
Fully developed minerals
According to the degree of development of deposits, several groups should be singled out of which the mineral resources of the Leningrad Region are composed. The list should begin with fully developed minerals, which include shale, phosphate and bauxite.
The biggest role for industrial applications is given to bauxites. The occurrence of ores near Boksitogorsk is shallow, therefore, mining is carried out mainly by open pit mining. Shale mining near the city of the same name takes place in the mine method, because the depth of their occurrence reaches three hundred meters. Phosphate rock is mined near Kingisepp.
Partial development
Partially developed minerals are various types of building materials. Minerals of the Leningrad Region are rich in granite, limestone, building and forming sand, brick and refractory clay. Granite is mined in the northern part of the Karelian Isthmus by open pit mining.
The richest limestone deposits are located in the eastern part of the region. The main
sources of mineral water are carbon dioxide (directly in St. Petersburg), sulfur (near Sablino) and sodium chloride (near Sestroretsk). A large number of swamps served as the basis for the availability of peat deposits on an industrial scale. Its applications — the fuel industry and agriculture — have recently switched to other materials. Therefore, peat reserves, located everywhere, but mainly in the south and east, are practically not developed.
Gold mining
The region is not rich in the presence of abundant gold deposits, but gold-bearing places are present. Basically, this metal is found in deposits of other minerals, both ore and non-ore. But its presence in these sources is rather meager. Therefore , gold mining in the Leningrad Region is recognized as unprofitable and is not conducted industrially. But it is of interest for amateur mining.
The latter is especially developed in the former places of industrial mining, which are not currently in operation. There is also no mining of diamonds, although there are small diamond tubes in the region.
Prospects
There are also minerals of the Leningrad Region, the deposits of which are not involved in exploitation at all. This includes deposits of dolomites, mineral paint, quartzite and clay. In addition, some types of minerals are being developed, the deposits of which are found in the region. These are magnetite ore, colored and ornamental stones, oil, gas and bitumen.