Almost 80% of the country's sapropel reserves are located in the Vitebsk region. What other mineral resources is the region rich in?
This was reported at a meeting of the environmental protection service, where the issue of rational subsoil use was discussed. In the near future, all information will be transferred to district executive committees for the possible development of investment projects.
In particular, Zhanna Aleinikova, Deputy Chairperson of the Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection, noted that a number of districts have peat deposits suitable for integrated development, including science-intensive products: versatile substrates, a wide range of sorbent materials, biologically active growth stimulants, feed additives, and fungicidal and bactericidal preparations.
Vitebsk region concentrates 77% of the republican sapropel reserves. Proven balance reserves exceed 500 million tons. The most promising directions for sapropel use include the production of fertilizers, including those with high nitrogen and phosphorus content, liming materials, biologically active growth-stimulating preparations for plant nutrition, and mineral-vitamin feed additives for farm animals. The priority for development could be 78 lakes with a deposit thickness of 5 to 15 m. Vitebsk region also has 180 depleted peat fields underlain by sapropels, with resources of about 160 million tons. Extraction in such places is simpler, and material costs are 4 to 6 times lower.
To date, 28 mineral water deposits have been explored, of which only slightly more than half are being exploited. Over the past few years, annual volumes of 20 thousand cubic meters have remained practically at the same level.
The meeting also addressed the issue of rational use of fauna and flora. The Deputy Head of the Department of the Regional Committee for Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
Vasily Kirpichenok said that the forest cover of the Vitebsk region is 41.3% (1 million 861 thousand hectares). Over the past two years, the forestry enterprises of the Vitebsk State Production Forestry Association have fulfilled the tasks for creating forest crops, harvesting, hauling, and processing wood. Up to 20 types of products are manufactured in the production workshops, with exports amounting to 68.5 million dollars (136.7% of the plan).
In recent years, there has been stability in the populations of the main species of game animals in hunting grounds: elk, deer, roe deer, capercaillie, and black grouse. The total revenue from hunting management over two years amounted to 109.9 billion non-denominated rubles, including 53.4 billion rubles from foreign hunting tourism. 17 thousand residents of the Vitebsk region hold a state hunting license.
Sergey Lyashuk, Vitebskiye Vesti.