National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University, Tomsk, Russia:

L. A. Strokova, Professor, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, strokova@sibmail.com
S. A. Dmitrieva, Post-Graduate Student

The study is relevant due to the rapid growth of mining exploration and production activities in the permafrost regions of Russia over the last forty years. This paper presents the characteristics of the soils of the pond-sumps of Elga coal complex in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on vulnerability of the geological environment to contamination. An engineering-geological evaluation is necessary for the decision-making on land planning and land use of the area but also so that necessary industrial and infrastructure development can be carried out with smaller impacts on breakable environments as well as reducing hazards and damage to constructions with consequent savings to people and property. This study aims to describe the engineering-geological conditions, exogenous geological processes that may be relevant to establish suitability for development. Object of research is the geological environment. The main natural components, which influence land use planning and development, were considered such as lithology; topography; seismotectonic; geotechnique; hydrology-hydrogeology and permafrost. This study includes a brief review of relevant literature, and a summary of information obtained from geological survey company files. All information layers about the natural environment were manipulated and combined to produce uniform engineering geological map. We produced a zoning map of the study area that shows zones with different degree of vulnerability of the geological environment to contamination such as high, moderate, low, negligible vulnerability. The study was carried out at the Tomsk Polytechnic University within the framework of the Competitive Recovery Program (VIU assets).

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