Deposits and quality indicators of brown coal in Ukraine

Abstract

Purpose. To carry out marking of existing deposits of brown coal in accordance with domestic and international classifications. To give a comparative assessment of the distribution of balance reserves of brown coal in accordance with different classification systems. Methodology. Reserves and quality indicators data for brown coal in Ukraine were taken from the site of the State Research and Production Enterprise State Information Geological Fund of Ukraine and on the basis of our own research. Some quality indicators were calculated according to the formulas given in the periodical scientific literature. Ukraines brown coal reserves were estimated using Ukrainian and international brown coal classifications. Findings. It is confirmed that the balance reserves of brown coal in Ukraine are located in Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zakarpattia, Kirovohrad, Kharkiv and Cherkasy regions and are (thousand tons): categories A + B + C1 2,593,359; category C2 299,181. Among the existing classifications, the most suitable for the brown coal distribution in Ukraine is the International Code System of Brown Coal, which is regulated in ISO 2950:1974 Brown coal and lignites Classification by types on the basis of total moisture content and tar yield. Originality. For the first time, a range of changes in brown coal quality indicators in Ukraine has been established, and its reserves have been marked using Ukrainian (DSTU 3472:2015) and international (ISO 2950:1974; International Classification of Coal in Reservoirs; ISO 11760:2005; ASTM D38812) classifications. Comparative assessment of coal reserves will allow choosing the optimal ways of their processing, depending on the predicted properties of raw materials. Practical value. The reserves of brown coal deposits by regions and the degree of industrial development up to 01.01.2021 have been described, and the production of brown coal from 2011 to 2020 has been shown. Determining the quality of brown coal deposits in Ukraine allows us to develop the most effective methods for using the coal.