Where stone flower will bloom

Basalts, phosphorites, gypsum: promising deposits in Belarus

It is traditionally thought that Belarus is not rich in mineral resources. We have no natural gas, only a small amount of oil, no diamond mines have been discovered, and gold mines are not being developed (at least, not yet). Sometimes, however, even the most ordinary sand can turn out to be ‘golden’. One should not underestimate our reserves of peat, potash, and rock salt either. Let’s find out, with the help of experts, what other treasures are hidden in the depths of Belarusian soil.

Karina Nalegach, Deputy Head of Geological Department at Research and Production Centre for Geology

Child of a volcano 

In the search for mineral resources, specialists at the Research and Production Centre for Geology are working tirelessly with their tools. Geological exploration is being carried out in two directions: discovering new deposits and studying previously identified ones in more detail. Recent discoveries include basalts, phosphorites, and gypsum.
“Back in 2016-2017, a new deposit of basalts and saponite-containing tuffs was discovered in Pinsk District of Brest Region, the first one for Belarus,” explained Karina Nalegach, Deputy Head of Geological Department at the centre. “In 2023, a detailed exploration was carried out. Based on its results, the commercial reserves of basalts were estimated and approved at around 54 million tonnes, and a feasibility study was also prepared to assess the viability of developing this deposit.”
Is it possible that volcanoes raged on Belarusian territory in ancient times? After all, basalt is a stone composed of volcanic and magmatic rocks. It is very durable, impervious to temperature changes, and aesthetically pleasing, so it is often used in construction for external cladding of buildings and the creation of sculptures. Basalt is also used to make paving stones. It is often used as a raw material for crushed stone and as an aggregate for concrete. In short, it may not be a precious stone, but it is a very useful one. Extracting it near Pinsk is possible using a relatively inexpensive quarrying method.

Experts have calculated that the most economically viable option would be to create an entire complex of enterprises. This would include a quarry, where they plan to extract 250,000 tonnes of basalt per year, a crushing and screening plant, and enterprises for the production of paving slabs and basalt continuous filament.

    

Our own — for agriculture 

Belarus holds the world’s third-largest reserves of potash salts. However, we have to import phosphate fertilisers, which provide plants with the nutrients needed for growth and development. Yet, the situation may change, as a deposit of phosphorites has also been found in the country. It is located near the town of Mstislavl in Mogilev Region.
The phosphorite ore reserves are quite substantial: almost 196 million tonnes are estimated and around 10.5 million tonnes are provisionally explored.
It was previously believed that an economically viable production volume should be at least one million tonnes of phosphorite ore per year. These figures are now being revised, taking into account changes in the market conditions for phosphate raw materials and improvements in the technologies for extracting and processing the mineral. Karina Nalegach stressed, “Interest in Belarusian phosphorites has increased due to rising mineral fertiliser prices and the desire to ensure the country’s food security. The development of phosphorite deposits could be an important step in the development of agriculture and reducing dependence on imports of phosphate fertilisers.”

Multi-purpose mineral

Where there is rock salt, there is gypsum — such a tandem has formed in the depths of the earth. However, this mineral is valuable in its own right. Remember how poets, wishing to emphasise the delicacy and tenderness of a girl’s skin, would call it alabaster? That is also a type of gypsum, from which statues were sculpted. However, we practical people are more interested in its use in construction, medicine, chemical and paper industries.

The Brinevskoye gypsum deposit in Petrikov District of Gomel Region has already been prepared for development in Belarus. The industrial reserves amount to 125 million tonnes.

The raw material is suitable for the production of construction gypsum, facing tiles, and additives in Portland cement. This gypsum can also be used to produce valuable fertilisers — ammonium sulphate, and complex potassium sulfate fertiliser.
The deposit will be developed using the shaft mining method. Economists have calculated that the most profitable option is to build a local production facility nearby for construction materials and mixtures based on gypsum. 

Gypsum

Mines and placers

It turns out that during the exploration of iron ore deposits in Stolbtsy District, isolated specks of gold were discovered. However, it is too early to talk about the industrial content of this metal, as noted by Vasily Kolb, Deputy Director General for Geology, “The situation with diamonds is more interesting. They are usually formed in kimberlite pipes. This is the name given to vertical channels in the earth’s crust, through which magma erupted to the surface billions of years ago. In shape, they resemble funnels that widen towards the top. And there are such pipes in Belarus — in Brest, Gomel, and Vitebsk regions. But while in Yakutia or South Africa they come to the surface, here they are hidden at a depth of hundreds of metres. Moreover, not every such pipe contains precious stones. Therefore, the prospects for Belarusian diamond mines are very uncertain. At the same time, technologies are constantly evolving, and new methods of exploration are appearing. So, who knows...”

By Oksana Nevmerzhitskaya

Photos by Aleksandr Kulevsky