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Mineral resources
The Smolensk Region has about 1.9 thousand discovered, estimated and exploited deposits of minerals, 56 underground fresh water basins, 12 spas and brines. The estimated value of the exploited deposits combined with the discovered ones amounts to 321,9 billion rubles, the value of the exploited deposits reaches 231.8 billion rubles.
Mineral deposits contain such coal formations as brown coal, clay, ragstone and carbonates; chalk deposits include cement, phosphate rocks and plaster; quarternary period complexes consist of turf, sapropel, low-melting clay loams and clay, gravel, sand and travertine).
Construction materials include clay loams, deposits of clay suitable for ceramic brick production, expanded clay aggregate and drainage pipes; they also have the deposits of silicates, building sand, gravel, rocks used for limestone production, crushed stone, plaster and stone.
The volume of the extracted gravel reaches 92,3% in the amount of the extracted minerals (except hydro-mineral resources).
The Smolensk Region takes a leading place in Central Federal District for extraction of gravel (25% from the total exploitation in CFD).
Underwater basins providing fresh water are actively exploited, they are also used for industrial and agricultural purposes. The region has the production of bottled mineral water. Deposits of sapropel are used for balneological purposes.
475 licensed companies are involved in the exploitation of mineral resources, 78 of them extract the most commonly occurring mineral resources.
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