A geographical dimension of resource endowment of Ukrainian territories

Abstract


 
 
 Given the multidisciplinary nature of this research, it is important to develop a common understanding of the security and complexity of the rational consumption of available minerals. Considerations for the availability and depletion of minerals are part of a diverse range of research focused on sustainable development, in areas such as resource critical shortage, life cycle assessment and material flow analysis. Mineral resources are non-renewable resources that provide humanity with a wide range of goods and services. Although their value has been recognized for millennia, their large-scale industrial production did not grow until after World War II due to efficient industrial production processes and rapidly growing demand due to demographic growth, urbanization and economic wealth growth in developed countries. The proposed research confirms the high level of supply of the territory of Ukraine with mineral resources. The objective idea of mineral and self-sufficiency of Ukraine, its inclusion in the top groups of the states most provided with the most valuable types of minerals is strengthened and the high level of availability of mineral resources in Ukraine in terms of its economic and geographical areas and regions is confirmed. At the same time, a number of mineral deposits in modern social and economic conditions are preserved and not used. For the first time, a cartographic interpretation of the periodic table of chemical elements (D. I. Menedeleev's table) is given, which is reinforced by data on the distribution of mineral resources and minerals in terms of selected groups of regions within the administrative regions of Ukraine. There are 33 chemical elements extracted from more than 100 mineral deposits. The provisions and conclusions of the article testify the mineral self-sufficiency of Ukraine and can act as a lever for developing strategies for socio-economic development of the United Territorial Communities (UTC) of Ukraine, which today are the new centers of management of territories and its resources. D. I. Mendeleev's table and its mineral content are positioned as an objective factor in the specialization of Ukraine and the international geographical division of labour. It is noted that the main advantages of the Periodic Table of Chemical Elements, including its structure, logic, objectivity, a system in relation to the economic and geographical regions of Ukraine are considered as an element of monitoring the mineral component of natural resources of the country, the lever of further development of exploratory geology and geomorphology. The information obtained from this research ultimately influences the future policies of the territories and its plans for the balanced use of available mineral reserves and can be used to promote the sustainable use of mineral resources in the regions.