Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi - Mineral Resources Management

Mineral deposit is commonly defined as natural accumulation of mineral commodity that can be economically mined. The existing classification of resources and reserves as for example United Nations Framework Classification (UNFCR) or JORC Code have adopted the uniform definitions of particular their categories, but do not touch the problem how the mineral deposit itself is defined. If global estimates of resources are composed or comparisons, made the criteria defining mineral deposits and their resources and reserves should be simultaneously presented to avoid miscomparisson of not comparable items. The criteria defining mineral deposit and its resorces commonly used are: - the greatest depth oflocation (or the greatest allowable stripping ration ifdeposit is located close to the surface, suitable for opencast mining), - cut off values ofmineral quality parameters, - the lowest acceptable deposit thickness, - the lowest acceptable mineral accumulation, defined as amount of mineral per square meter surface. There are no natural values ofsuch criteria that can be used for delineation ofthe mineral deposit and they should be arbitrally selected. At opportunity study stage, threefold approach can be proposed for finding them: 1) based on analogy, considering the data from existing mines and mining projects, 2) based on rough economic estimates considering reported costs and values ofmineral commodities, 3) based on general data on applicable mining and mineral processing technology standards considering mining safety rules and marketable mineral quality standards. Such mode of defining mineral deposit and its resources is ilustrated by copper ore deposit example.

The production ofhard coal in the world in 2000 amounted to 3638.7 million tons, 27 million tons or O. 7% less than in the preceding year. The two prime main coal markets are the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. The imports ofcoal by the Asia-Pacific markets grew in 2000 by 10.5%, amounting to as much as 300 million tons. Beginning from 1980, the sea trade of the hard coal increased at the pace of some 8% annually, while the trade of the coking coal increased by 2.2%. The coal continues to occupy the top of the list of fuels for electrical energy generation. The power plants of the EU countries imported over 104 million tons in 2000. Also the growth of imports was reported, by 39% as compared with I 996 and by 45% in relation to 1991 data.

The energy problems must be considered globally, both with respect to the sources of energy and functioning markets and with respect to the environmental protection. The energy fossil raw materials, as compared with the remaining prime energy carriers, arc decisive for the development ofthe word economy. The world reserves ofthe hard coal in 200 I were estimated to be equal to 5191 Gt, offwhich nearly half (2459 Gt) were located in Asia and Eastern Europe, including the Russian Federation. The enbrmous reserves of hard coal are found in North America (1202 Gt), which constitutes more than 23% of the world hard coal reserves. The worldwide production ofhard coal in 2000 amounted to 3639 Mt, including 3142 Mt of steam coal and 497 Mt of coking coal. The considerable increase in the production of hard coal occurred in Australia, Africa, Asia and North America. In Europe, for the period of 20 years of the last century, the drop in hard coal production by 292 Mt was reported. The consumption ofcoal in the work in 2000 amounted to 3738 Mt, including steam coal at the rate of3220 Mt and coking coal at the rate of 518 Mt. Europe reduced the consumption of coal by 193 Mt, including 148 Mt of steam coal and 45 Mt of coking coal, which was due to the considerable restructuring of the mining industry in the EU countries. The domestic reserves as at 2000 exceeded 39.3 Gtoe, off which more than 99.5% are the coal reserves. The remaining, primary energy carriers, i.e. crude oil and natural gas both constitute as little as 0.51% of the national reserves of energy carrying raw materials. The domestic balance reserves of hard coal as at December 31 1999 were equal to 18 152 Mt, including industrial reserves equal to 8 354 Mt. The geology reserves ofbrown coal are found in 78 deposits and amount to the total ofover 13 984.14 Mt, including the reserves recognized in detail (4455 Mt). The industry reserves of the developed deposits arc equal to 1778.5 Mt. The national power system is the largest and most significant system in Central Europe. The gross production of energy in Poland in 2000 amounted to 145 I 69 GW·h, including the total production ofpublic utility power plants equal to 133.8 TW·h, offwhich hard coal fired power plants generated 84 153 GW·h, while public utility brown coal fired power plants produced 49 677 GW·h.

The paper analyses the development of coal prices on the international markets. The comparison of prices in Asia and Europe is given as well as comparison of coal prices with prices of crude oil and natural gas. Some projections of future coal prices development is shown.

The paper presents sources and production of dimension and road stone in Poland in recent years, as well as characterise developments of their domestic market in the 1990s. Development of foreign trade of dimension and road stone is also widely characterised. As a summary, future outlook of domestic market of dimension and road stone is anticipated.

The article presents full mineralogical and chemical characteristics as well as physical and mechanical properties of mineral fibre (basalt, glass and ceramic) waste formed in the process of insulating materials' dismantling. On the basis of chemical investigations (using an electrone microprobe), X-ray and OTA analyses, changes in microstructure, chemical and phase compositions were determined after insulating materials had been used. The examined fibres have been ranked in the following order with respect to the increasing degree of changes: basalt, glass and ceramic. In basalt and glass fibres, changes occur only in chemical composition of individual fibres. Use of ceramic fibres leads to formation of new phases: mullite and cristobalite. Comparison of physical, mechanical and chemical properties of mineral fibre waste with those of asbestos (completely different) must result in different technological characteristics, including respirability, which in the case of mineral fibre is less aggressive in terms of biological effect on a human organism. It cannot be excluded, however, that the increased respirability (signalled in the literature) ofcertain types of ceramic fibres partially results from a supporting role played by chemically different secondary fibres formed in devitrification process. In the case ofceramic fibres examined by the author these are newphase fibres, easily separable from each other at higher temperatures.

The Żuławy Elbląskie area is located in the eastern part of the Vistula River delta. The area is a partly depressed flat, alluvial plain. The monotonous relief of the delta is contrasted by elevations of the Ilawa Lake District and the Elbląg Upland. From the west the area is bordered by Nogat arm which, along with its Cieplicówka arm and with the Elbląg River constitute the principal part ofhydrographic system ofthe Żuławy. The aquatic system is also strongly influenced by the Drużno Lake. The most part of the Żuławy Elbląskie area must be subjected to the land drainage. Two groundwater horizons arc important for water supply: Pleistocene-Holocene (Quaternary sands) and multiage (oldest Pleistocene units, Tertiary sands and Upper Cretaceous carbonates and siliceous sediments). The Żuławy Elbląskie area is recharged laterally from the surrounding uplands. The infiltration ofmeteoric waters is less important due to impermeable cover and intensive drainage through the system of collector trenches, canals and pump stations. Utilization ofgroundwaters is highly limited by their quality, which deteriorates with the distance from the uplands due to increasing concentration of chloride ion (up to 600 mg Cl/dm3). Another deteriorating factor is the excess of Fe and Mn as well as the increased concentrations of ammonia. The groundwater balance and the assessment of groundwater resources were based upon the modelling studies. Three model variants were considered: Variant O - reconstruction of natural position of groundwater table (unexploited groundwaters), Variant I - reconstruction of hydrodynamic conditions for 1999 (model revision) and Variant 2 - hydrodynamic prognosis at the optimum exploitation of groundwater intakes. Simulations allowed to determine the total amount of groundwaters involved in recharge and drainage of the Żuławy Elbląskie horizons. Total amount ofgroundwaters in the Pleistocene-Holocene horizon is 21,090 m3/24 h under natural conditions (Step O) and 35,040 m3/24 hal maximum exploitation (Step 2). For the multiage horizon the amount of groundwaters under natural conditions (Step O) is 8,440 m3/24 hand increases 5 times at maximum exploitation (up to 43,900 m3/24 h, Stage 2). The disposable resources obtained from modelling are: 24,000 m3/24 h for Pleistocene-Holocene horizon and 38,400 m3/24 h for multiage horizon.

A number of by-products, such as ash, slag, dust and toxic gases arc produced during exothcrmal reaction of coal burning. The gases emitted into the atmosphere constitute the very serious problem due to considerable difficulties related to gases removal. This applies chiefly to sulfur and nitrogen oxides. In 1998, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Natural Resources and Forestry issued the ordinance regarding the permissible level of pollutants emitted into the atmosphere as a result of hard coal burning. This ordinance was aimed at adjusting the Polish standards to European Union standards. Also the European Union countries modified their regulations and in the year of 200 I approved two Directives regarding the emission of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide. The paper deals only with the nitrogen oxides problem. The genesis of their origin, the emission standards and the emission level have been presented. The mechanisms of converting the nitrogen into the nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide have been discussed, as well as the impact of temperature on NO, generation has been explained. In the light of awareness with regard to the reasons for and effects of the nitrogen oxides, the efficient methods of counteraction have been presented. These include the primary methods involving the prevention of oxides generation, and secondary methods, restricting the emission of oxides already generated. The problem of nitrogen oxides is very complicated and requires further research and enhancing of the currently used reduction methods.

Taking into consideration rivals present at a certain foreign market, mining companies may apply both market gap and imitation strategics to develop export of the produced minerals. The most frequently used forms and conditions for effective application of these strategies, as well as benefits resulted from these marketing strategies were analysed. Hazards connected with application of these strategies were also considered.

The paper presents tendencies of development and change in mining technology of copper ore deposits over thirty years of experience. Technical aspects of formation and minimization of the dilution processes in Polish copper ore mines, whose total yearly output amounts to 28-32 million tonnes of copper ore, have been thoroughly analyzed.

Discounted cash flow analysis (DCF) is worldwide used tool of mineral projects evaluation. Practice shows, however, that these techniques systematically undervalue mining projects. This defect of DCF technique is partially compensated by popularized in last years option-pricing methods, which were adopted from financial market practice. Such methods allocate value to managerial flexibility. Option-pricing research shows that this methodology always provides with higher values than DCF technique. The primary objective of this paper is critical assessment of classic discounted methods and presenting, as an alternative, the methodology based on option theory.