Mineral resources of Crimea. Crimea: natural resources, ore minerals. Balaklava Bay is a natural decoration of Sevastopol

The riches of Crimea lie in its people, nature, unique climate and magical seas. The subsoil of the peninsula is no less rich. Numerous scientists have repeatedly and carefully studied the underground world of Taurida and discovered more and more of its secrets.
Mineralogically, the peninsula is quite rich; more than 200 minerals have been discovered here. In particular, some minerals were found on the territory for the first time in the world, and they received local names: alushtite, mithridatite.

Kerchenit

To help geologists, there are many scientific works many recognized scientists about Crimean minerals. Man has lived on the peninsula since ancient times, practical application he found local gems in the Neolithic era. Archaeologists have discovered amulets made of chalcedony and carnelian in burials of that period. Over time, the technique of processing gems improved, and the craft of jewelers improved. They process local raw materials: jasper, agate, carnelian, petrified wood, opal.

The items produced are quickly sold out not only by Crimeans, but also by guests of the peninsula. With the development of the tourism sector of Crimea, the demand for products with local semi-precious stones is increasing.

In 1823-1825, one of the first explorations of the fossil riches of Taurida was carried out. The attention of surveyor Kozin was attracted by the abundance of chalcedony on Mount Karadag. Stones from the ancient Karadag volcano were widely used by the Peterhof lapidary factory. They were used to make mosaics and jewelry. Its own Crimean factory for processing ornamental stones appeared only at the end of the 19th century in Simferopol.

Today, Crimean raw materials are used in jewelry and souvenir products: chalcedony, agates, opals, jets, carnelians, heliotropes, amethysts, jaspers, petrified wood, marble-like limestones, and a number of rocks.

Natural resources of Crimea

Crimean nature is often called an open-air museum.

The nature of the peninsula is diverse and unique.

An important part natural resources are land resources on the surface of which people live and work.

The land fund of the Republic without Sevastopol as of 2008 was 2608.1 thousand hectares. Agricultural land occupied 69% of the total fund, which amounted to 1800 thousand hectares, arable land accounted for 1262.7 thousand hectares inclusive.

The coastal zone, occupying about 100 thousand hectares, is the main land resource of the peninsula. These are recreational and resort lands located near the Black Sea.

Climatic differences and differences in relief contributed to the formation of diverse soils, of which there are more than 20 types.

The best soils in all respects are chernozems.

The climatic conditions in Crimea are also varied.

The territory of the peninsula is surrounded by the Azov and Black Seas, crossed by a mountain plateau, the slopes of which are gentle to the north and steep to the south. The mountains are cut through by valleys and at their different heights their own conditions have formed.

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The climate of the peninsula is favorable for human life and climate therapy.

The climatic zones of the peninsula differ from each other - the northern part of the steppe is within a temperate climate, winter is snowy and windy, spring is short, autumn is rainy, and summer is hot and dry.

On the southern coast, autumn is warm and spring comes late; the climate of this part is similar to the sub-Mediterranean.

The proximity of the sea and mountains have a great influence on the climate. From the south it penetrates the peninsula warm air far into the steppe regions, and the cold Arctic air does not pass to the south, thanks to the mountains.

The Crimean winter is wet and frequent thaws lead to large temperature fluctuations.

July temperatures are +23, +24 degrees, and in the mountains +16 degrees. In January the most low temperature-4 degrees is observed in the mountains. The absolute minimum can be observed in January-February and in the foothills can reach -37 degrees.

Note 1

In terms of the richness and diversity of recreational resources, Crimea occupies one of the first places among the CIS countries.

Among them great value have mineral waters, healing mud and brine.

The great wealth of the peninsula is its plant resources, among which coniferous forests stand out.

The Crimean flora includes 2,600 species of higher plants, of which 220 species are endemic.

Water resources are limited. The main part of the water comes through the North Crimean Canal, and the rest is given local rivers and groundwater.

Note 2

Experts believe that water shortages are artificially created and caused by ineffective use. water resources when irrigating land.

Among all the resources of Crimea, mineral resources play a significant role.

There are more than 200 deposits of solid, liquid and gaseous minerals on the peninsula. Greatest economic importance have hydrocarbons, hydrothermal resources, solid minerals.

Minerals of Crimea

In the depths of the Crimean peninsula there are almost all minerals, but geologists claim that many of them do not have industrial significance because they occur in small quantities.

Figure 2. Minerals of Crimea. Avtor24 - online exchange of student works

Coal resources, for example, do not have any special prospects. Its only deposit is located in the Bakhchisarai region. The deposit was discovered in 1881 in the upper reaches of the Kacha River.

Coal reserves, according to experts, amounted to 2 million tons. The coals are ash, therefore they are not of sufficient quality and are of local importance.

They are interesting because they contain jet inclusions - this is resinous coal formed from the trunks of coniferous plants.

Oil from the Kerch Peninsula has been known since ancient times. Before the revolution, it was exploited by private entrepreneurs, and real exploration began only after the Great Patriotic War.

The Priozernoye field, located near the Kerch Strait, has been producing a small amount of it since 1896. The depth of the oil is 500 m.

To the east of Feodosia there is another small deposit - Moshkarevskoye.

Exploration work for hydrocarbons is carried out in the plain part of Crimea. In 1955, natural gas was obtained in the Dzhankoy area, and since 1965 it has been supplied to Simferopol via a gas pipeline.

The flat part of Crimea and the Kerch Peninsula are quite promising in this regard.

The flat part of Crimea and the Kerch Peninsula are rich in salt lakes. The most famous are lakes Sakskoye and Sasyk-Sivashskoye, located near Evpatoria.

On the Kerch Peninsula - Chokrakskoye, Tobechikskoye, Uzunlarskoye. The concentration of salt in the lakes varies. Large reserves of salt are found in Sivash in a dissolved state.

Depending on the time of year, the salt concentration in Sivash varies in different parts of it. And today the bulk of table salt is mined from Lake Sivash.

Some of the lakes contain healing mud, which is used in the resorts of Evpatoria.

Mineral springs have been known on the peninsula since ancient times, which play an important role in the development of the resort economy. The mineral waters located near Feodosia are most used. The water here is slightly mineralized and is called “Crimean Narzan”.

There are also mineral springs near Bakhchisarai. More mineralized water is provided by springs located between Simferopol and Evpatoria.

This is a flat part of Crimea and the water comes from a depth of several hundred meters, its temperature is 20-35 degrees.

The waters of the Kerch Peninsula, which have a higher concentration of hydrogen sulfide than in Matsesta, are of balneological interest.

The subsoil of the peninsula is quite rich building materials. A number of these resources are almost never found in other regions of Russia.

Igneous rocks include diorite, which is used to make stair treads and cladding slabs. Its extraction takes place on the southern coast of Crimea, and also the routes are acidic volcanic rocks of Karadag.

When ground, traces are used as an additive to cement, improving its properties.

Gravel, sand, sandstones, limestones, marls, clays are used in construction work. Clay, for example, is used for the production of bricks and roofing tiles.

The walls of the Komsomolskaya and Biblioteka metro stations. V.I. Lenin are lined with Crimean marble.

There are small deposits of gypsum, asphalt limestone, and tripoli on the Kerch Peninsula. There are raw materials for the production of mineral paints.

Ore minerals of Crimea

Of all the mineral resources of Crimea, ore resources are of great importance.

The main reserves of iron ore are located on the Kerch Peninsula. The thickness of the layers is 8-12 m. They are mined in the Kamyshburun and Eltigen-Ortel deposits.

There are three types of ores here:

• loose brownish-brown, represented by oolites - concentric shell-like ferruginous formations, consisting in turn of limonite and hydrogoethite;
• denser ores, also represented by oolitic grains, only smaller ones, as well as hydrosilicates of iron and siderite, called “tobacco” ore;
• The third type of ore is called “caviar”; it is represented by oolitic grains that contain manganese hydroxides.

Kerch ores are poor in iron, which they contain from 33 to 40%.

The occurrence conditions allow for mining using the quarry method.

Despite their low iron content, they have great industrial value because they are fusible.

The ores contain the alloying metal manganese, which improves their properties.

Since the ore accumulated at the bottom of shallow bays and straits, it contains admixtures of clay particles, phosphates, barite, and large shells of marine mollusks.

In the mountainous part of Crimea there are layers and nodules of clayey siderites that have no industrial significance.

In the mountainous Crimea there are inclusions and veins of cinnabar, but the deposits are small and have no industrial significance.

Other ore metals include zinc blende, cadmium blende, and lead luster.

Land resources of Crimea

Land resources - the earth's surface suitable for human habitation and for any species economic activity. Land resources are characterized by the size of the territory and its quality: relief, soil cover and a complex of other natural conditions.
The land fund of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea (without the city of Sevastopol), according to state land records, as of 01/01/2008 is 2608.1 thousand hectares. The predominant part of the land is under intensive agricultural use. (see Appendix A.1.) The area of ​​agricultural land is 1800.0 thousand hectares (69% of the total fund), including arable land - 1262.7 thousand hectares.
The main land resource of the peninsula is the coastal zone - about 100 thousand hectares of recreational and resort lands near the Black Sea. The total area of ​​elite lands on which resort, health, recreational, historical, cultural and environmental institutions are located does not exceed 9.5 thousand hectares, of which one third is located on the South Coast. In reserve lands and lands not granted ownership, and use within the boundaries settlements, there are 692.6 thousand hectares of land (or 27% of total area lands of the autonomy), including 319.7 thousand hectares of farmland (18% of the area of ​​farmland of the autonomy).

Among the variety of soil types on the peninsula, chernozems are considered the best in terms of natural fertility, which is determined by their reserves of nutrients, heat and moisture.
Chernozems are the most common zonal soils in Crimea. They are developed in the steppe and partly in the foothills of Crimea, over 1,100 thousand hectares, which is more than 45% of the peninsula’s area. In the steppe Crimea, southern chernozems predominate, formed on loess-like rocks of an elevated undulating plain. They occupy 456 thousand hectares (more than 38% of the area under chernozems). This soil subtype includes the following genera: ordinary, mycelial-carbonate, mycelial-high-carbonate, residual-solonetzic, medium- and weakly-solonetzic, and poorly developed. These soils are among the best soils on the peninsula, including for irrigated agriculture. Currently, over 75% of their area is plowed. All zoned agricultural crops, including garden crops with irrigation, are successfully grown on them. Large areas are occupied by vineyards.
Over a large area of ​​Crimea, under the conditions of the vegetation of the southern steppe subzone, chernozems were formed, close to the southern ones in structure and thickness on non-loess-like rocks, which differed from loess-like ones primarily in their different air and water permeability. In the southwestern and western parts of the peninsula, chernozems formed on Pliocene red-brown clays are widespread. They occupy 113 thousand hectares. Due to their relatively high agronomic qualities, they are used for growing all zoned crops.
On the Kerch Peninsula, on Maikop and Sarmatian clays, solonetzic, residually saline clayey chernozems were formed. They are distributed over an area of ​​over 64 thousand hectares. When wet they are viscous and sticky, but when dry they are dense and low-porous. With increasing salinity, these soil properties unfavorable for plants intensify. Their reclamation requires deep plantation plowing and gypsum.
In the southern and western parts of the Crimean plain, on the Tarkhankut upland plain and in the northeastern part of the Kerch Peninsula, carbonate chernozems, gravelly and pebbly to varying degrees, are widespread. They are distributed over an area of ​​over 240 thousand hectares. The share of arable land here is reduced to an average of 60%. In the main area, chernozems were formed on weathering products of limestones, carbonate sandstones, and in the south of the steppe, also on red-brown clay-pebble deposits. The conditions for the use of these chernozems depend on the proportion of crushed stone, pebbles, gruss in their profile and the depth of the dense bedrock layer. Chernozems with a moderate content of rock fragments and a depth of bedrock of at least 50 cm are used for grain crops, 150 cm for vineyards, and 200 cm for orchards. Due to excess carbonate content, alkalinity and therefore low activity of the movement of iron compounds horticultural crops and grapes on these soils often grow slowly and suffer from chlorosis and other metabolic ailments.
In the steppe Crimea, mainly in the strip between the southern chernozems and the dark chestnut soils of the northern lowland Crimea, residual solonetzic chernozems formed on loess-like rocks are common. Their area is about 58 thousand hectares. Their agronomic properties are worse than those of non-solonetzic chernozems. To improve them, gypsuming and plantation deep plowing are recommended.
In the forest-steppe foothills, piedmont carbonate, leached and solonetzic chernozems are common. In general, these chernozems are developed on an area of ​​242 thousand hectares. Foothill chernozems are close to the southern subtype, and they are called foothill chernozems due to the structural features of the vertical profile formed in foothill conditions.
In general, foothill chernozems are rich nutrients for plants. The poorest soil varieties are washed away, thin and with a large content of coarse rock fragments. To increase the fertility of foothill chernozems, it is necessary, first of all, to apply phosphorus fertilizers. The way these soils are used is influenced by the thickness of their humus horizon, the depth of occurrence of dense rocks, the proportion of admixture of coarse rock fragments, the degree of erosion, salinity and solonetsity of their profile.
Uncontrolled influence on climate coupled with irrational management agriculture(applying excessive amounts of fertilizers or plant protection products, improper crop rotation) can lead to a significant decrease in soil fertility and large fluctuations in crop yields. Under the influence of economic activities, soil salinization and plant disappearance occur.
To save high quality land resources the peninsula requires reclamation work that would prevent a decrease in the humus content in the soils and prevent the development of harmful processes. Because Over the years of agricultural development, the humus content in the soils of Crimea decreased on average by 0.5%.

Climate Resources

The climatic conditions of Crimea are very diverse. Crimea is surrounded by a water basin, crossed by a mountain plateau, with gentle slopes to the north and steeper slopes to the south (towards the Black Sea), which is protected from the influence of northern winds. The mountains are cut by valleys. At different altitudes above sea level, there are different conditions that influence the nature of the climate.
The climatic resources of the peninsula are generally favorable for the development of agriculture and are successfully used for climatic treatment at resorts.
Due to the location of Crimea at mid-latitudes, the climatic zones of the peninsula differ sharply from each other. The northern steppe part of the peninsula is characterized by a temperate climate with snowy and windy winters, short springs, hot and dry summers and rainy autumns.
The climate of most of Crimea can be characterized as a temperate climate - soft steppe in the flat part, more humid, characteristic of deciduous forests in the mountains. The southern coast of Crimea is characterized by a sub-Mediterranean climate. There are two main factors that influence the climate of the peninsula: the Crimean Mountains and the proximity of the sea.
Crimea is one of the sunniest regions of the European part of the CIS. The annual duration of sunshine here varies between 2180 - 2470 hours. It is especially great on the sea coast, where the breeze prevents the formation of clouds. Of the annual amount of radiation, Crimea receives approximately 10% in winter, 30% in spring, 40% in summer and 20% in autumn. Largest quantity The peninsula also receives solar heat in the summer. Minimum quantity occurs in mountainous areas, and the maximum is on the west coast. Winter in Crimea is humid with frequent precipitation and low evaporation. However, in winter there is almost three times less precipitation than in summer. Frequent thaws in winter lead to large temperature fluctuations and unstable and thin snow cover.
Spring in Crimea proceeds quickly due to an increase in the height of the sun and the length of the day, a decrease in cloudiness and the influx of warm southern air. In the interior regions of Crimea there is a significant increase in temperature from February to March. Spring is the driest and windiest season of the year with frequent “returns of cold weather,” with night frosts and morning frosts, especially in the basins and river valleys of the foothills, which negatively affects early flowering stone fruit trees and heat-loving grapes.
In summer, clear, hot and windy weather prevails in Crimea with the manifestation of local breezes, mountain-valley and inclined winds. Due to the fact that the continental air of temperate latitudes is transformed here into local tropical air, dry weather prevails on the peninsula. Marine air masses and Atlantic cyclones bring precipitation at this time of year. Heavy, intense, but most often short-term rainfall occurs. Summer in Crimea lasts 4 - 5 months.
Mountain Crimea is a popular region of tourism and mountaineering. Ski lovers come to the Crimean Mountains in winter, where a lot of snow falls. The climate of the mountainous Crimea, especially its western part, is transitional from steppe to Mediterranean. Although the Crimean Mountains are of small height, soil-vegetation and climatic zonation is clearly expressed here. The climate in the mountains has its own characteristics on literally every mountain range. And the exposure of the slope is also very important, especially in winter: if on the northern couloir of Mount Chatyr-Dag, for example, a real snowstorm with a piercing frosty wind is raging, then on the plateau it can be sunny and almost windless, so you can sunbathe, and on the southern one covered with forest the slope is already melting. In general, the mountains are distinguished at all times of the year by colder nights than the valleys, more fog and precipitation - in winter a stable snow cover forms, which can last until mid-April. On the flat surfaces of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains - yayla - the wind almost always blows. At the same time, there are many cozy mountain valleys and gorges, for example, the Red Caves tract, where it is always quiet and much warmer than in the area.
In the middle zone of the southern slope of the Main Range of the Crimean Mountains, air humidity in summer is noticeably lower than on the coast and in the upper zone.
The climatic conditions of this region of Crimea make it possible to successfully treat respiratory diseases. Therefore, there are health institutions here: holiday homes, boarding houses, tourist centers.
On the southern and northern slopes of the Crimean Mountains in the summer, long periods of rainlessness are often observed, during which the fire danger sharply increases. That is why in the summer, hikes and excursions here can only be carried out in an organized manner and in a specially designated place under the supervision of experienced instructors. Unorganized visits to the forest on the southern slopes of the Crimean Mountains in the summer are strictly prohibited.

Recreational resources

Recreational resources are natural, natural-technical, socio-economic and cultural-historical objects and their elements that can be used under existing technical and material capabilities and socio-political conditions for organizing a recreational economy.
The recreational sector belongs to the group of complex industries. It consists of many components (sub-branches), which are divided on the basis of technological functional specialization.
There is an obvious division into three sub-sectors: medical and sanatorium, tourism, and health. Sub-industries are divided into third-order industries, for example, medical into climate-therapeutic, balneological, etc.
Over the years of the existence of the USSR, Crimea received the unofficial status of the country's universal center for treatment and recreation. At the same time, the level of variety and quality of medical services was quite high, but recreational services were low.
Currently recreational resources The Crimean Peninsula can be assessed as follows:
1) Historical and cultural resources. On the territory of Crimea there are more than 11.5 thousand historical, cultural and architectural monuments belonging to various historical eras, civilizations, ethnic groups and religions.
The most unique of them, for example, a complex of cave cities and monasteries, a Genoese fortress, holy places of various faiths and others, which are used as tourist sites.
2) Landscape resources. Five state reserves, 33 reserves, of which 16 are of national importance, 87 natural monuments, 13 of which are of national importance, 10 protected areas, etc.
3) Caving resources. There are about 900 underground cavities, of which 160 can be used for recreational purposes.
4) Medicinal and mineral resources. The Crimean peninsula has the richest recreational potential.
The value of the mineral resources (more than 100 mineral water sources, 26 mineral mud deposits) of Crimea, its beaches and coastal land plots is very highly estimated by world standards. Mineral waters, which are formed in the bowels of the earth under the influence of various geological processes, contain various salts in ionized form (bicarbonate, chloride, sulfide waters, etc.). natural conditions to create a recreational zone, Crimea is a unique region, since in Ukraine and the CIS there are no analogues for such a combination of health resort resources as mineral waters and mud, sub-Mediterranean nature, and warm sea.
Characterizing hydromineral resources, it should be noted that Crimea occupies one of the first places among the CIS countries in terms of wealth and diversity
recreational resources, among which a significant role belongs to mineral waters, medicinal mud and brine.
Our peninsula has rich plant resources, especially coniferous forests, which produce large amounts of phytoncides. In the distribution of vegetation, the Crimean Mountains determine the presence of altitudinal zones in the south of the peninsula. The uniqueness of the floristic diversity of Crimea is a condition for educational and recreational activities. The flora of Crimea includes about 2,600 species of higher plants, of which more than 220 species are endemic.
Of the total length of the sea coastline of the Crimean Peninsula (approximately 1000 km), beaches make up 517 km, including over 100 km of artificial ones. On the eastern and western coasts of Crimea, the beaches are natural and stretch in a continuous strip, and on the southern coast of Crimea there are mainly artificial beaches. The standard load on the beach is 20 cm of coastline per resident (or 5 sq. m./person). The determining factor in the use of beach resources is the water temperature and the nature of the sea waves.
Resources for educational and cultural recreational activities in Crimea are represented by historical and cultural monuments, which make it possible to significantly expand the system of recreational activities.

Mineral resources of Crimea

Among natural resources Crimea has a prominent place in mineral resources, which play a very important role in the economic and cultural development region. There are more than 200 deposits of solid, liquid and gaseous minerals, about 170 of them are included in the State Balance of Mineral Reserves of Ukraine. Their formation is due to the long history of the geological development of the peninsula over 240 million years, covering 7 geological periods, from the Triassic to the Quaternary. Of the 90 mineral deposits currently being developed, hydrocarbons, hydromineral resources and solid minerals are of greatest economic importance (see Appendix D).In the last decade, many quarries have emerged for the extraction of building stone, wall blocks, crushed stone, and facing material. They are scattered throughout the peninsula. The extraction of raw materials causes irreparable damage to the environment. Explosive technology used in quarries pollutes the air, thereby reducing the level of climatic healing resources. The Crimean region still has insignificant proven hydrocarbon reserves: oil - 1.245 million tons (5 fields), gas condensate - 3.2 million tons (5 fields) and natural gas - 54.0 billion m 3 (12 fields), of which of which 44.35 billion m 3 are located on the sea shelf. Preliminarily estimated reserves: oil 2.56 million tons, condensate - 4.44 million tons, natural gas - 55.20 billion m 3, incl. 42.67 billion m 3 on the sea shelf. Their production is carried out in small quantities (1994): natural gas - 0.6 billion m 3, oil - 35.7 million tons and gas condensate 22.5 thousand tons per year, which is in relation to production in Ukraine is 2.8, 0.9 and 2.7%, respectively. At the same time, in the southern (Black Sea-Crimean) oil and gas region there are significant promising and forecast resources of natural gas in the amount of 1065 billion m 3, oil - 234 million tons and gas condensate - 213 million tons, which in relation to similar resources of these minerals in Ukraine as a whole is 51.8, 45 and 70%, respectively; the predominant part of them falls on the Black Sea shelf. The data presented indicate great prospects for the identification, exploration and industrial development of new hydrocarbon deposits, which would make it possible in the future to fully meet the hydrocarbon needs of not only Crimea, but also the entire Southern Economic Region. The peculiarity of the region is that a significant part of the promising areas on the shelf lies under a large layer of sea water - 70 meters or more, and this seriously complicates the conditions for field development. It is advisable to attract foreign companies on mutually beneficial terms that have advanced technologies for geological exploration and hydrocarbon production with compliance with environmental legislation requirements. In the current socio-economic conditions, this problem deserves full support from the governments of Crimea and Ukraine. Until now, in foreign and domestic literature there are no objective criteria for the influence of geopathogenic zones (GPZ) on humans and animals; the period after which staying in a GPZ becomes dangerous has not been determined. Environmental protection activities in Crimea are characterized by departmental disunity, lack of system, lack of software, scientific, methodological and information base. Therefore, the government should create a system for monitoring and managing public health, developed on the basis of the concept of preserving people and strengthening their health in Crimea and the concept of sustainable development of the Crimean region; Crimean Academy of Sciences together with the Ministry of Health of Crimea in order to predict the consequences of anthropogenic influence on environment and human populations organize research into the biochemical model of regulation physiological functions person depending on the characteristics of the geochemical environment.

The southern shores and alluring mountain peaks are characteristic features many Crimean regions. Created by nature, they have a fairly complex topography and varied landscape. Mineral resources should also be noted separately - Crimea is full of mineral wealth, so it is simply impossible not to consider the peninsula in more detail in this aspect.

Mountain ranges in Crimea and relief features

The whole can be divided into 3 ridges, with approximately 9% allocated to mountainous areas. The first to be identified is the Main Ridge. Its possessions are located in the southern part of the peninsula and run along the sea coast. It originates in the southwest, at the foot of Mount Kush-kaya (not far from Cape Aya), and reaches what is located in the northeast.

In the west, it has to move away from the sea by about 4 km. It is formed by arrays that resemble boards (the so-called yayls), which are unbroken lines. Such, for example, as Ai-Petrinskaya yayla, Yalta yayla, Nikitskaya yayla, Babugan-yayla. It is important to note that such features geological structure are largely determined by the relief and mineral resources of Crimea.

On the Bagugan-yayla massif there is the most high point Crimean ridge. It is called Roman-Kosh and has an altitude of more than one and a half thousand meters above sea level.

Remarkable relief places in Crimea

In the southwest of the peninsula, above the old resort town of Alupka, one cannot help but notice one of the natural Crimean mountain peaks - Ai-Petri. More than 1200 meters in height is not the main advantage of the mountain. It attracts special attention with its original peak, on which there is a unique formation resembling a real giant trident. Ai-Petri is also considered the rightful mistress of the South Coast in the western part of the coastal lands. Here, by the way, natural reserves are concentrated (what minerals are mined in Crimea will become known later).

Most of the territory of these massifs is characterized by steep slopes. A rather spectacular and memorable view can be observed in this place: hanging cliffs, the edges of which are located at too short a distance from the sea. Among such places, the most famous and popular for tourists are the Ayu-Dag (Bear Mountain) mountain range in Gurzuf, the amazing rock with the romantic name Diva in Simeiz, Cape Fiolent on the outskirts of Sevastopol and others. Well, who doesn’t know Cape Ai-Todor? From millions of postcards and traditional souvenirs, even a child knows about it, because there, on one of the rocks leading along a steep cliff into the sea, stands the legendary “Swallow’s Nest”.

From here you can also enjoy the picturesque horizon overlooking Karabi-yayla. Separated by deep depressions, these ridges have an impressive distance from the sea of ​​six to eight kilometers. In sunny, clear weather, from the south-eastern part of Simferopol you can easily see the Chatyr-Daga (Tent Mountains) massif, which stands out for its majesty.

Earthquakes on the peninsula

Thanks to soil studies, it became clear that the subsidence of the continental ledge at the bottom of the Black Sea continues to this day. Earthquakes are one of the components of the development of Crimea at the modern level. They are often accompanied by landslides, which affect the continental ledge of the southern part of the coast.

Strong earthquakes are a rare phenomenon in Crimea. One of these is the 1927 earthquake. As a result of his action, the Monk rock located near Simeiz collapsed, and Cape Ai-Todor, located near the Swallow's Nest, also suffered partial destruction. There is also information about the cracks that covered earth's crust in Balaklava.

Resources of the Crimean territory

Not far from Sudak, the mountains again come closer to the sea surface, which significantly affects what minerals are mined in Crimea. The main components of these mountain ranges are sedimentary rocks such as limestone, clay, sandstone and many others. Since the salt level changed very often, the marine fauna also changed. This had a wide impact on the remaining soil and affected minerals. Crimea has ample opportunities for independent internal provision of natural raw materials precisely thanks to numerous resources, which will be discussed further.

Not all indigenous residents know what minerals there are in Crimea. And there really is something to be proud of. Among the many natural resources, the main minerals of Crimea can be briefly identified:

• fossils of sedimentary origin;
• fossils of volcanic origin;
• fossils of marine origin.

For industrial purposes inside and outside the peninsula, the needs of the population were almost completely covered by their own reserves.

Iron Ore Reserves

Crimean ore minerals not so long ago occupied a leading place in the USSR in terms of production volumes. One of the first places in the Union was occupied by the Kerch iron ore deposit. As for the global scale, it was the largest in terms of industrial reserves.

This iron ore deposit has about 38% iron. As for phosphorus and arsenic, their percentage content is noticeably higher than in other deposits. Also, geologists have long noticed small reserves of vanadium here. The cost of ores mined in the Kerch iron ore deposit is not high. This fact is explained by the fact that the costs of their extraction are minimal, since ore minerals are located almost on the surface. Although Crimea is famous for its riches of iron, this, as is already known, is not all that can be found in the bowels of the earth.

Nonmetallic salt deposits

The variety of salt lakes (including Sivash) is distinguished by a high content of table salt, Glauber's salt, as well as magnesium chloride, potassium salts and medicinal silt. Non-metallic minerals of Crimea are largely concentrated in Lake Sivash. Scientists previously measured its salt reserves in millions of tons. This is due to the fact that sea ​​water comes there constantly and continuously, so they can be considered inexhaustible. At the same time, Lake Sivash and other salty reservoirs do not have impressive depth. The exception is which is located on the Tarkhankut Peninsula.

Mining of Crimean minerals is an important industry for the economy of the region and the state as a whole. Potassium and magnesium salts are widely used in agriculture. Potassium salts are in particular demand due to the fact that several decades ago they successfully found their use as a fertilizer. Therefore on at the moment approximately 94% of total number Crimea sends the extracted resources from the salt mineral deposits to the needs of agriculture throughout the country.

Healing Crimean lakes

Saki, Chokrak and the group of Prisivash lakes, as well as many other reservoirs, occupy far from the last place in the economic activity of the peninsula. For example, lakes such as Saki and Moinak are considered resort and treatment areas, where many come to undergo mud therapeutic courses. If we take everything as a basis chemicals, which make up most of the salt lakes of Crimea, it is possible to establish constant production of magnesium oxide. The main part of this production process is limestone.

The production of magnesium oxide is due to the need to obtain such an irreplaceable material in the economy as gypsum. In addition, gypsum on saline soils increases yields by up to 70%.

Natural reserves for the construction industry

Materials intended for construction did not bypass the peninsula. The leading place is rightfully occupied by bryozoan limestone, also known as Inkerman stone. In appearance, this stone contains pores and is creamy in color. Its weight is insignificant, but in terms of strength it is not inferior to a simple brick. There are no problems working with it, it is easy to process. has proven itself in the construction industry. Its main direction is the facing sphere.

But, in addition to bryozoan, Crimea is also rich in such types of limestone as nummulitic, shell rock, marble-like and many others. Limestone, regardless of its type, has found its wide application in the construction industry. Many other minerals are used just as frequently. Crimea, with the help of natural reserves, fully meets the needs of the local population for building materials.

Tras and diorite

On the South Coast, a natural rock such as diorite, which was obtained as a result, is very popular. volcanic eruption. Its largest locations can be called the territories between Alushta and Gurzuf. Also, a considerable amount of diorite was discovered near Lozovoy and Ukrainka, which are located on the southern side of Simferopol. Crimean diorite can be completely compared with granite. Significant differences in their external similarity, as well as construction qualities, are not easy to identify. Diorite is a gray stone with a slight green tint. It is very durable. Most often it is used in facing works, as well as for decorating steps and streets.

Tras, like diorite, was formed as a result of a volcanic eruption. Ash rock, as it is often called, is widely used on the farm. Its largest deposit is considered to be Karadag. It is located 20 kilometers from Feodosia, in the village of Planerskoye. This volcanic rock boasts its greatest reserves.

Construction materials such as quartz sand and gravel mined in the mountains are of particular value. Their main mining sites can be found near Sevastopol and Simferopol, as well as on the Black Sea coast, near the Saki region.

Fuel resources

Crimean fuel minerals represent a separate group of valuable resources. For example, the Kerch Peninsula is characterized by an abundance of oil. Thanks to oil fields Here there is a constant eruption of natural gases that can be burned. This peninsula is also rich in sulfur formations.

Boasts coal. But its deposits are insignificant, so it is used only for local use. But in the foothill areas you can find quite decent deposits of bleaching clay.

Mineral waters in Crimea

Recent years have been spent in thorough research of the entire peninsula. Based on them, we can conclude that Crimea has a variety of mineral springs. For example, near Feodosia there is a spring with salt-alkaline water.

In some, springs were found that produce mineral water, the composition of which is practically no different from the legendary “Essentuki”. For example, sources of warm nitrogen-alkaline water were discovered near and near Chatyr-Dag. Hydrogen sulfide water was also found near Feodosia, and carbon dioxide water was found in Bakhchisarai.

Conclusion

Useful Crimea is rich and varied, and their places of accumulation can be found in the most different parts the entire peninsula. All natural resources can be combined into several groups according to economic affiliation and geography:

1. The steppe Crimea is rich in limestone for construction and large reserves salt.
2. In the mountainous areas and on the South Coast, sources of mineral waters and a variety of raw materials for building materials have been found.
3. The Kerch Peninsula is an iron ore region and also has promising fuel and energy reserves.