Minerals of the Chelyabinsk region are quite diverse. Of particular interest is the mountainous part of the region. Given that the Ural Mountains are significantly destroyed, many layers of rocks, located at a significant depth, are now on the surface.
Features of iron rocks
Minerals of the Chelyabinsk region are estimated at 300 industrial deposits. Here, non-ferrous and ferrous metal ores, chemical raw materials, coal, gem stones, various building materials were found.
Twenty deposits contain iron ore. For example, mining in the Chelyabinsk region is carried out in the Magnitogorsk deposit. It was on the basis of it that the Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works was built and put into commercial operation. Experts estimate ore reserves at 200 million tons, with an average iron content of 50 percent.
For two centuries, ores for metallurgy have been supplied by the Bakalsky iron ore district. More than twenty iron ore deposits have been found in the ridges of Bulandikha, Shuida, Irskuskan. Two varieties of them were found in the area: brown iron ore, containing about 48 percent of iron, as well as poor rocks, in which the quantitative metal content does not exceed 32%. These minerals of the Chelyabinsk region amount to almost 600 million tons.
Mining problems
Intensive use of ore deposits in the South Urals leads to their depletion. Nowadays, the ores of Magnetic Mountain are almost fully developed. Now Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works is forced to work on imported raw materials.
Of interest is such a deposit as the Kusinsky group of titanomagnetite ores. They include about 50 percent iron, vanadium, chromium, and titanium. Despite the fact that some of them have already been worked out, quite impressive reserves of titanomagnetites remain.
Copper ore
Answering the question about what minerals are mined in the Chelyabinsk region, we also single out copper ores. Most of them are located in the eastern foothills of the Urals. In the 18th century, ore processing plants were built. At the end of the twentieth century, a copper ore deposit was discovered in the territory adjacent to the village of Mezozerny.
What else can be identified minerals of the Chelyabinsk region? The list goes on with cobalt and nickel deposits. They are located in the Upper Ufaleya region. Aluminum ores in the form of bauxites were found near the village of Mezhevoy Log, and the South Ural bauxite mines operate here.
Ore gold is located on the Kochkarsky deposit, it has been functioning since the second half of the nineteenth century. Loose gold is mined in the Miass gold region. It was here that a gold nugget weighing 36 kilograms was found, which became the largest of the noble metal samples found in the country.
Chemical raw materials
The list of common minerals in the Chelyabinsk region can be continued with minerals of importance to the chemical industry. These include sulfur pyrites, phosphorites, talc. The largest talc deposits are the areas of Miass and Syrostan. Phosphorites are found in the vicinity of Asha. At the bottom of the lakes are mineral salt deposits.
Minerals for the construction industry
What are the minerals in the Chelyabinsk region? Significant reserves of magnesite have been discovered here. This mineral is considered an excellent raw material for the manufacture of refractory bricks, which is necessary for the lining of blast furnaces and open-hearth furnaces, special chemical products with the addition of chromium.
Refractory clay found in the Troitsk area. Cement raw materials found in the form of clays, marls, limestones. The largest deposits were discovered in the region of Magnitogorsk, Emanzhelinsk.
Analyzing the minerals of the Chelyabinsk region, it is necessary to mention the presence of the highest quality marble. Currently, the deposits of this mineral are estimated at 10 million cubic meters. The largest deposits of marble are Balandinskoye and Ufaleyskoye.
Molding sand is mined at the Buskol and Kichiginsk deposits. Found about 140 deposits of brick clay. Kaolin is an excellent raw material for the faience and porcelain industry. Its reserves are about 30 million tons. White clay is being extracted at the Yelininsky deposit.
In the Chelyabinsk region, about fifty large deposits of graphite have been identified. One of the largest is located near Kyshtym.
Ornamental stones
They were found in three territories: in the Cherry, Ilmensky mountains, as well as near Plast. Geologists consider the Ilmen Mountains a real mineralogical museum. Amethyst, topaz, amazonite, malachite, jasper, rubies, moonstone, and opals were found on this territory.
Glass sand reserves at the Erofeevsky deposit exceed 17 million tons.
Fuel reserves
Brown coal in the Chelyabinsk region covers an area of about 14 kilometers. They are found on a site from Lake Tishki, as well as in the immediate area.
Coal mining in industrial volumes has been conducted in the Southern Urals since the beginning of the twentieth century. Mostly this mineral is currently consumed by thermal power plants.
Peat deposits accumulated in large volumes in the swamps of the Chelyabinsk region are not yet developed. Among the valuable minerals found in this region, we note rare earth crystal.
Conclusion
Given the diverse topography, complex structure, geological origin, we note that various minerals are located in the bowels of the Chelyabinsk region. Their maximum number is located in the mountainous part of the region.
By this time period, about 13 thousand deposits of various minerals have been discovered in the Urals. Most of these deposits are characterized by the convenience of ore deposits, their complexity, and the highest quality.
The presence of natural reserves, their excellent exploration made Chelyabinsk region a region with excellent mining industry. The region owes to industrial development precisely with minerals lying in the bowels of the Ural Mountains.
Currently, Chelyabinsk is the largest industrial city in our country. Its production is represented by engineering, metallurgical, chemical enterprises. In addition, in the Chelyabinsk region there are enterprises specializing in the production of measuring equipment and electronics.
Huge deposits of various iron, copper, and nickel ores made it possible to turn the city into the largest transport hub in Russia. The Trans-Siberian Railway was stretched through the city, numerous highway routes were created. In addition, the latest international airport has been built in the north-east of Chelyabinsk.
Among the industrial enterprises of the city of particular interest are the Chelyabinsk Tube Rolling Plant, a tractor plant, a mechanical plant, the Polet radio plant, an electrometallurgical plant, and a compressor plant. There are other enterprises whose work is related to minerals. The Chelyabinsk region is currently considered a donor region, giving the state budget of Russia an impressive financial resources.