**Table 2.**

*Iron ore reserves covered by ongoing open pit mining activities in Kryvyi Rih, Mt. [10].*

Generally, the analysis of the situation of underground mining in Kryvyi Rih reveals a threat of gradual reduction of the resource provision and consequent decline of the commercial potential. Iron ores in the amounts of the billions of tons are accounted at underground mining enterprises as so called balance iron ore reserve (meaning the resource which mining is economically feasible and which parameters satisfy accounting requirements). This resource can provide the basis for mining development for more than 100 years ahead. However, in fact, the situation is far from optimistic for individual enterprises and for the deposit as a whole. Currently, underground mining of naturally rich iron ores is carried out only at seven mines of three mining enterprises and one more underground mine exploits magnetite quartzites.

Overall, during the last 10-15 years, the gap between the designed capacity and actual production of enterprises was reduced due to pressure from the market that forces the enterprises to adapt design solutions of current and new projects in order to minimize expenditures, increase technological efficiency and enhance competitiveness. However the drawbacks are not yet overcome and technology still lags behind the market demands, so capacity utilization of most mines does not exceed 70-80%. Such capacity utilization weakens competitiveness on the global market and undermines Kryvyi Rih deposit's production potential.

In 1990, the share of rich ore in the total iron ore production in Kryvyi Rih was 26.3%, while in 1995 it was reduced to 23.5%, and at the end of 2019 – to 14%. Currently, compared to 2007 (the most successful year in the period from 1995 to 2019), the production volume decreased from 62.98 Mt. to 58.27 Mt. or by 7.5%. A more significant drop is observed in comparison to 1990, making 59%.

Key reasons for production decline of rich iron ores in Kryvyi Rih can be summarized as follows:


The problems listed above are accompanied by the lack of scientifically sound strategy for underground mining on the national level. Due to long term and

**27**

*History and Current State of Mining in the Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Deposit*

view, and will have sensitive social consequences in the region.

in the flooding prevention mode, pump up to 40 Mm3

area of 5 000 ha and contain over 2 billion m3

and pits annually, of which highly mineralized water makes 16-17 Mm3

**4.3 Environmental aspects**

very briefly.

Nearly 30 Mm3

**4.4 Iron ore quality**

of 50 Mm3

At the same time, as much as 589.7 Mt. of rich iron ore is deposited at depth from

Analysis of the environmental issues of iron ore mining requires separate study and goes beyond the scope of current chapter. Therefore we address this topic here

Currently operating mining enterprises of Kryvyi Rih, including those operating

Tailing ponds (6 operating and 2 closed ones) of the mining enterprises occupy the

contain over 13.0 billion t of overburden rocks. Underground voids reach volume

number of potentially hazardous objects such as underground mines, open pits, tailing ponds, industrial sites, disturbed land and underground voids are located.

yet, in general, development of iron ore mining is quite steady. Total production of crude iron ore has exceeded 3 billion t per year and has tripled since 1999. As anticipated by Fitch in Global Iron Ore Mining Outlook, global crude iron ore production will grow modestly from 3.348 billion t in 2019 to 3.482 billion t in 2028, which represents average annual growth of 0.2% during this period being a significant slowdown from an average growth of 4.5% during 2009-2018 [11]. Therefore, taking into account growing iron ore mining capacities, especially in Brazil, iron ore market shall become

. Overall, in Kryvyi Rih iron ore deposit on the area of 300 km2

The global output of iron ore is in compliance with dynamics of the world economy,

of return water is in a continuous technological loop at the 5 MPPs.

of ground water from mines

of ore concentration wastes. Dumps

annually.

, a great

1500 to 2500 m. In addition, 4.2 Gt of easily concentrated magnetite quartzites locates at depth of 30-1500 m (2.2 Gt at operating mines and 2 Gt at temporarily closed mines). Most of magnetite quartzites occur at depth of up to 700 m.

intensive exploitation of underground mines in Kryvyi Rih, the reserves of naturally rich iron ore significantly decreased and make 309.2 Mt. at the depth above 1500 m. The depth of mining has reached 1200-1400 m and approaches the critical lifting capacity of mines. The average reserve endowment makes 22.4 years, which, at first glance, is sufficient for economically sustainable development of underground mining enterprises. However, taking into account the duration of all the operations required for commissioning of new deeper horizons as well as subsequent involvement of new iron ore material types or transition to a combined twostep mining and hoisting scheme, the development perspective is rather uncertain. When evaluating the state of the raw material base, we cannot omit the fact that exclusion of low-grade lump ores from the total unprocessed ore supply in order to achieve required quality of marketable products results in even more intense exhaustion of the reserves. The yield of marketable products at different mining enterprises varies in the range from 84% to 86%. But even with this yield, the iron content of marketable iron ore products usually reaches just 57.5-59.0%, which is not sufficient for competitiveness. Noteworthy, in the longer perspective the discharge of substandard raw materials is not only inevitable, but can even increase. Considering the current state of the deposit, we anticipate that, in the next 5-10 years, the enterprises can face a number of difficulties in maintaining optimal production capacity and, in 15-20 years, a greater reduction in output and closure of some mines. This process is irreversible from technical and economic points of

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96120*

#### *History and Current State of Mining in the Kryvyi Rih Iron Ore Deposit DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96120*

intensive exploitation of underground mines in Kryvyi Rih, the reserves of naturally rich iron ore significantly decreased and make 309.2 Mt. at the depth above 1500 m. The depth of mining has reached 1200-1400 m and approaches the critical lifting capacity of mines. The average reserve endowment makes 22.4 years, which, at first glance, is sufficient for economically sustainable development of underground mining enterprises. However, taking into account the duration of all the operations required for commissioning of new deeper horizons as well as subsequent involvement of new iron ore material types or transition to a combined twostep mining and hoisting scheme, the development perspective is rather uncertain.

When evaluating the state of the raw material base, we cannot omit the fact that exclusion of low-grade lump ores from the total unprocessed ore supply in order to achieve required quality of marketable products results in even more intense exhaustion of the reserves. The yield of marketable products at different mining enterprises varies in the range from 84% to 86%. But even with this yield, the iron content of marketable iron ore products usually reaches just 57.5-59.0%, which is not sufficient for competitiveness. Noteworthy, in the longer perspective the discharge of substandard raw materials is not only inevitable, but can even increase.

Considering the current state of the deposit, we anticipate that, in the next 5-10 years, the enterprises can face a number of difficulties in maintaining optimal production capacity and, in 15-20 years, a greater reduction in output and closure of some mines. This process is irreversible from technical and economic points of view, and will have sensitive social consequences in the region.

At the same time, as much as 589.7 Mt. of rich iron ore is deposited at depth from 1500 to 2500 m. In addition, 4.2 Gt of easily concentrated magnetite quartzites locates at depth of 30-1500 m (2.2 Gt at operating mines and 2 Gt at temporarily closed mines). Most of magnetite quartzites occur at depth of up to 700 m.
