Author:
Name & Surname: Plakitkina L. S.
Company: ERI RAS (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Head of Laboratory for Substantiation of Development and Regulation of the Coal and Peat Industry
Scientific Degree: Candidate of Engineering Sciences
Contacts: luplak@rambler.ru

Coal production in the Southern, North-Western, Central, Ural, Volga, Siberia and Far East Federal Districts of Russian Federation in 2014 made 358.2 million tons, including 22.3% of coking coal and 77.7% of power coal. Russia is the world’s 6th coal producer after China, USA, India, Indonesia and Australia. In 2014 Russia delivered 322.7 Mt of coal to the market, out of which merely 59.9% was consumed domestically. The tendency toward the decline in demand for coal in the domestic market is of the long-term nature. Russia is the world’s 3rd exporter of coal after Indonesia and Australia. During 2014, the world trade-price of Russian power coal continued abating. Currently, the coal industry in Russia faces some internal and external challenges that cause a decrease in domestic coal consumption and a reduction in the potential export deliveries. Development of the coal industry in Russia, in accordance with the Russian Energy Strategy for the period up to 2035 involves the following: Increasing coal output from 354.6 to 359 Mt in the baseline scenario and up to 423 Mt in the target scenario in 2012–2035. Coal production will change from 201.4 Mt to 211 and 224 Mt, respectively, in Kuzbass, from 35 Mt to 41 and 68 Mt in Russia’s Far East and from 92.3 Mt to 91 and 114 Mt in Eastern Siberia. Further gain is expected in black and power coal dressing. Within the specified time period, Kuznetsk, Kansk–Achinsk and Pechora Coal Fields will remain the base ones. In the mid- and long-run, along with the primary coal fields, new deposits are going to develop coal production in Eastern Siberia and Russia’s Far East (Elegest and Mezhegey deposits, Ulug-Khem Basin in the Republic of Tyva, Apsatsky deposit in Transbaikalia, Elginsk deposit in the Republic of Sakha, Amaam deposit of Bering Coal Basin in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug). Coal export in 2012–2013 will grow from 126.9 Mt to 150–155 Mt in the baseline scenario and to 185–200 Mt in the target scenario. Labor efficiency will rise 3.5–3.7 times by 2035 as against its level in 2012. Average prime cost of 1 ton of coking coal (VAT and railroad rates excluded) with advance 1.5–1.6 times as compared with the coking coal cost in 2012, the same figure for power coal is 1.75–1.85 times.

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