PELOIDS OF THE DEEP BLACK SEA – MATERIAL COMPOSITION, PROPERTIES AND POTENTIAL RESOURCES

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to prove that certain types of genetic materials of the deepwater Black Sea sediments correspond to the notion of “deepwater peloids”, and that their stocks in the upper layers of the bottom sediments are virtually inexhaustible. To achieve the main goal the number of problems is solved, namely the particle size, mineral and chemical composition of the solid phase of the deepwater silt deposits were defined, including the analysis of their carbonate and organic matter content, moisture content, mass, density, bulk density, plastic strength, stickiness and other properties of the bottom sediments. The preliminary estimates of reserves and the prospective resources estimation of deepwater Black Sea peloids were conducted. The object of the study is the main material and genetic types of the deepwater silt sediments of the Black Sea.As the material for this study the authors used the archival and published data of analytical processing with a wide range of involved methods and core samples of bottom sediments obtained in numerous expeditions in the deep Black Sea, including those obtained during the 30th voyage of the SRS “Vladimir Parshin” (2010), as well as 62nd and 75th voyages of the SRS “Professor Vodyanitsky” (2005, 2013) [1, 3, 6]. According to their research results the authors proved that for the last 7 – 10 thousand years the multiphase dispersed heterogeneous physic-chemical system was formed in the deep Black Sea that spatially occupied mainly the upper (0 – 3 m) layer of the bottom sediments. With the unique granule-metric, mineral, chemical and physic-chemical and physic-mechanical properties, this system may be defined as “peloids”.The results of geological and geologic-environmental studies of the deepwater area of the Black Sea confirmed the perspective of conducting within its Ukrainian sector of the specific geologic exploration operations in order to delineate the deposits of the Black Sea deepwater peloids. Preliminary calculations show that such deposit may be huge in size.The target area for immediate geologic exploration works for identification of the main types of industrial deepwater Black Sea peloids, their stocks and medicinal properties is defined. Given these results it could be predicted that production and widespread use of the Black Sea deep peloids shall be economically feasible with the application of sustainable technologies and ensuring compliance with both Ukrainian and international law.