Geology and coal bearing capacity of the Russian Arctic in connection with prospects of development of the region

Abstract

Detailed geologic information can be priceless for oil- and gas- oriented geologic exploration in Arctic aquatic basins. Exploration reports on coal basins and deposits located along the Arctic coast are highly detailed and can be used for reconstruction of facies and thermobaric conditions of the poorly explored offshore areas. The article summarizes information on the Russian Arctic coal basins geology: geological structure, tectonic settings, coalforming environments and coal quality parameters. Coal basins of the region contain not only brown and bituminous coals for energetics, but include valuable coking coal (Pechorskiy, Tungusskiy, Beringovskiy basins), anthracite, thermoanthracite and graphite (Taimyrskiy, Tungusskiy basins, Dolgozhdannoye deposit), related coal methane (Pechorskiy basin, coal deposits of Spitzbergen) and trace elements (Lenskiy basin, coal basins and deposits of Chukotka and Frantz Josef Land). It is also can be used for production of advanced materials (adsorbents, sunthetic graphites, etc).

Keywords

• Arctic coal
• stratigraphic distribution of coal formation
• coal-facies environments
• coal quality
• multiple use of coal