extremely important part of the global economy is its fuel and energy complex.The share of energy products in the world GDP is at least 10%.The pace of consumption are rising every year, in proportion to the growth of world gross product.A major source of energy in our time are gas, oil, coal, oil shale and uranium.Oil & Gas is playing a major role, but their reserves are gradually reduced, and somewhere in the middle of this century will be exhausted.At the same time, coal reserves will last for another 200 years, even with the most intensive production.
Therefore, the global coal industry is becoming more and more popular.Now about 44% of electricity is generated by thermal power plants using coal.It is also indispensable in metallurgy in the smelting of ferrous metals.Most coal deposits are concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, North America and the CIS.For example, China has nine parts coal reserves, and Russia - the sixth.In Kazakhstan concentrated 3.6% of world reserves.
leading exporters of coal are countries such as the USA, Australia, South Africa, Venezuela and Colombia.Also, these include the Canada, Indonesia, Poland, China and Russia.The coal industry in these countries provide global demand for coal by 90%.A major importers of this product are some countries in Asia, such as Japan, Taiwan and South Korea, as well as most countries in Western Europe.
Russian coal industry - is 193.3 billion tons of proven coal reserves.Within this figure, deposits of anthracite, lignite, hard coal and coking coal.At present, coal is mined in 16 coal basins, which cover the 85 municipalities of the Russian Federation.This 58 municipalities are whole coal-mining territories that formed around the coal enterprises.
Now the coal industry of the Russian Federation - a 85 mines, which for a year gives to the surface about 383 million tons of coal.For example, in 2011 these mines were produced 336 million tons of coal, which is the highest since the collapse of the Soviet Union.The largest coal producing basin is currently the Kuznetsk basin.But, apart from the Kuznetsk Basin, in Russia there are a few more promising fields.It cuts the Far East, Eastern Siberia and the Kansk-Achinsk basin.Development of these fields will increase the production of Russian coal.
But at the same time, the coal industry is an industry problem.The main problems include her injuries in the workplace.This is due to the fact that some countries spend a little money to support the industry.As a result, there is a shortage of funds for health and safety, and this leads to injury and death of miners."Leaders" in this context are such countries as Russia and China.In the mines of these countries die every year hundreds and even thousands of people.
Even during the extraction and processing of coal to cause serious damage to nature.It is associated primarily with the constant emissions of methane contained in the mines, in the Earth's atmosphere.Also, processing of coal is not environmentally friendly process.For example, in the preparation of coal coke is heated to a certain temperature.As a result, it emits carbon dioxide and other harmful compounds, and in large quantities.These pollutants contribute to the greenhouse effect.
But despite the fact that the characteristics of the coal industry covers many issues, the industry in the world today is still one of the most important.Coal is now one of the main energy sources, because its reserves will suffice for many years.Besides its prices stable and much lower than the prices of its direct substitutes.For example, the use of fuel oil at thermal power costs 1.5 more expensive than coal.And if in the near future will be developed new sources of energy, by 2030 coal will be the primary source of energy.
