Editorial Board of “Gornyi Zhurnal” (Moscow, Russia):

Ilin S. A., Mining Consultant, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, e-mail: gornjournal@rudmet.ru

Moscow State Mining University (Moscow, Russia):

Kovalenko V. S., Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences
Pastikhin D. V., Head of а Chair, Assistant Professor, Candidate of Engineering Sciences

Siberian region has huge reserves of various mineral raw materials, which can provide for both internal needs of Russian industry, and its export commitments for a long-term perspective. Development of Siberian natural resources is regarded as the determinant of social and economic development of the region.
Open-cut method makes it possible to build the mining enterprise as soon as possible (especially in remote and little-developed regions), with the least capital costs and fast return of investments. According to this, open-cut method has obvious advantages in the development of deposits of solid minerals in Siberia.
The Siberian territory includes various objects of open cast mining. There can be singled out the objects with the most large productive capacity, such as: Taldinsky coal strip mine (Kemerovo Oblast), Borodinsky and Berezovsky-1 coal strip mines (Krasnoyarsk Krai), Tugnuisky coal strip mine (Republic of Buryatia) and open pits of Olimpiadinskoe gold deposit (Krasnoyarsk Krai) and Sukhoi Log gold deposit (Irkutsk Oblast).
Generally, open-cut method is applied in Siberia in the development of ironore deposits (for example, operating Korshunov Mining Plant and enterprises, which are being projected on the basis of Chineyskoe and Berezovskoe deposits).
Open cast mining is also very important in the process of extraction of ores of non-ferrous metals. For example, open-cut method was the basis for the projecting of development of unique Udokanskoe copper-ore deposit.
Gorevskoe deposit of lead and zinc ores is being developed by open-cut method in unusual conditions, with diversion of Angara river from the open pit field.
Open cast mining is the main operation in the extraction of non-metallic minerals. Raw materials for the production of construction materials are being extracted in Siberia, using only open-cut method.
In general, Siberian region has the most favourable conditions for the efficient development of open cast mining, which will make a weighty contribution in the successful mastering of mineral resources of this vast part of Russia.

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