Republic

Investment projects for processing brown coal and slate coal signed in Minsk on September 18

On September 18, Minsk, OAO Belgorkhimprom and Polar Stars Group S.A. company (Luxemburg) signed the investment projects for processing brown coal and slate coal in Belarus. As BelTA informed earlier, on September 18, President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko met with Polar Stars Group CEO Nikolay von Keler. Nikolay von Keler presented two investment projects for extracting and processing brown coal and slate coal in Belarus to Alexander Lukashenko. The Belarusian government had already discussed the projects. These projects lie within the area of the national security and independence of this state. If they are accomplished, Belarus will be able to advance far in addressing these issues. Belarus’ total brown coal reserves are estimated at roughly 1.5 billion tonnes. The largest deposits are located in the Gomel oblast (Zhitkovichi, Tonezh, Brinevo deposits). Quality parameters of Belarusian brown coal is close to those of coals in South Ural Basin (Russia) and Dnepr Basin (Ukraine), which are now explored for power generation purposes. Among other options Belarusian brown coal can be burnt to produce electricity or electricity and heating energy simultaneously, can be gasified to produce generator gas, can undergo thermochemical processing to produce engine oils or methanol. Highly effective technologies are used planetwide to produce energy using brown coal and slate coal. Belarusian scientists have corresponding technologies, too. The optimal solution for using brown coal and slate coal in Belarus will be made on the basis of a competent feasibility study.