Загальна геолого-промислова оцінка соляних ресурсів Карпатського регіону України

Abstract

There are significant salt resources within Carpathian region of Ukraine. They are represented with rock salt deposits, potassium-magnesium salts and natural brines ones: Solotvyno rock salt deposit within Transcarpathian internal depression, Kalush-Golyn, Stebnyk, a few small potash (potassium-magnesium) salt deposits comprising industrial rock salt layers as well as a few nature brine deposits within Carpathian foredeep. Earlier some salt mining enterprises operated on the base of these deposits. Recently, all great salt mining enterprises of the region have stopped their activities due to various reasons, namely, because of economic and environmental causes. Territories of salt mining enterprises often suffer from dangerous geological phenomena manifestations (salt karst etc.) taking a scope of geoecological catastrophes sometimes. Therefore one of the main reasons for the general stop activities of all salt mining enterprises are serious environmental problems that have arisen in the activity territories as potash enterprises and the only enterprise producing rock salt (SE “Solotvyno salt mine”). This paper is expert analytical comprehensive assessment of salt resources current state as the base for designating treatment strategy with ecologically disturbed territories and accidents, and development of the main concept of further salt recourses uses for salt industrial revival in this region. The basis for performed analytical assessment is thorough analysis of official and actual quantitative salt reserves, their changes because of salt massifs technogenic degradation processes resulting in erroneous strategy of reserves recovering, accompanying industrial and environmental problems, as well as the state of the salt market that determines the issues of the salt industry development. Rock salt deposits are of significant interest for rock salt extraction by shaft mining method and leaching one for obtaining of rock salt and vacuum-evaporated salt in stock (food, technical, fodder rock salt of different milling, evaporated salt “extra”, officinal-cleanness salt et al.) as well as a creation of tourism and medical facilities within the salt massifs (speleosanatoriums). Potash (potassium-magnesium) deposits in Carpathians have the unique sulfate composition and no analogues in Europe. They are a powerful source of raw materials for producing of a wide range of chemical products (potassium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, potassium chlorate, potassium permanganate, potassium magnesia, etc.). Fulfilled expert analysis substantiates possibility and advisability of revival and development of Carpathian salt industry, shows all possible options for it, which are rather workable being provided enough raw materials base for works foundation. The further use of deposits demands adoption of conceptual solutions in the framework of the proposed options.