Institute of Geology, Karelian Research Center, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petrozavodsk, Russia:

L. S. Skamnitskaya, Senior Researcher, skamnits@krc.karelia.ru

N. S. Biske, Senior Researcher, Candidate of Geologo-Mineralogical Sciences

In conditions of steady accelerated growth of the graphite market, most of Russia's demand for crystalline graphite is met through import. In order to provide the local industry with its own highquality graphite raw materials, new deposits close to consumers should be involved in the development. Karelia has many occurrences of fine – coarse crystalline graphite. Graphite ores of the Ikhala ore field, located in the Northern Ladoga area, South of Lahdenpohya are of industrial interest. The field includes Ikhala deposit and nine occurrences with total reserves and forecast resources of graphite more than 17 million tons. Graphite is crystalline large flake. Natural types of ores are established, their spatial and quantitative interrelations are defined, features of material composition and structure are studied. The main natural type of ore is fine – medium grained biotite-feldspar gneiss with flake graphite content from 2 to 6%. Diaphthorized gneisses are enriched with graphite and pyrrhotite. The graphite bearing migmatite is relatively distinguished as a natural type due to its small areas among migmatized gneisses with graphite. Ikhala deposit is licensed, it conducts exploration work. The field is characterized by favorable mining and technical conditions (the possibility of open-pit mining) and geographical and economic location: proximity to the industrial centers of the North-West of Russia, developed infrastructure, the border position of the territory. The carbon content and proven reserves of Ikhala deposit exceed current Tayginskiy ones.

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