Mining in the asian part of Russia: potential, economy, manpower and engineering personnel
L.A. Puchkov, V.L. Petrov
Moscow State Mining University, Russia
Abstract
The article gives information about the results of analysis of provision of mining complex of the Asian part of Russia with engineers. Analysis has been conducted by Educational and Methodical Association of the Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining and by the Center for Strategic Research at Moscow State Mining University.
Introduction
Up-to-date economic indices of the Russian Federation development are depends, in many respects, on source of mineral raw materials of the Asian part of Russia. Entry of Russia into the international system of turnover of mineral resources raises a problem of competitive mining and processing industry. Volumes of source of mineral raw materials demand complex approach to solution of this problem and the level of mining development determines prospects of its solution.
Adduced materials are the result of investigations have been led by Educational and Methodical Association of the Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining and by the Center for Strategic Research at Moscow State Mining University.
1. General characteristic and potential of source of mineral raw materials of the Asian part of the Russian Federation
Traditionally mining is the whole complex of engineering operations in the earth’s crust. This definition covers a wide range of activity: mining of solid mineral resources, oil and gas production, underground building and many other operations in the earth’s crust. In the world practice the sphere of application classifies minerals and other types of georesources, i.e. coal, oil, gas and uranium are the class of power materials, etc. Numerous statistic investigations, reflecting the human activity in the earth’s crust are formed by analogous principles.
Mining development character is defined by the quantity of extracted mineral products, mining output, quantity of mining enterprises and their employees, cost of mineral production. For more details one can enlist a wide range of additional parameters. Methodic and statistic base for such estimation is absent as in the world practice as in Russia. In global view significance belongs to answers for the following questions: what countries, economic associations and regions of the world are the leaders of mineral production, what are the volumes of this production, which are the mineral raw material production lines, how controllable and stable is the system of mineral products spreading?
It’s common knowledge that the range of extracting minerals characterizes the state of development of mining, because almost each extracting mineral brings its peculiarity in dependence of the deposit, system of exploitation and mining equipment.
This finds confirmation in the world analytic publications, where the parameter, defining the state of mining in the country, economic association or geographic region, is the quantity (spectrum) of extracted minerals.
Diagram (fig. 1) reflects the contributions of the countries by the point of the quantity of extracting minerals denominations.
There are 166 mining countries in the world. 107 countries mine from 1 to 10 minerals, among them 18 countries, which mine only one mineral. 35 countries mine from 10 to 20 minerals, 7 countries – from 20 to 30 minerals and 23 countries – over 40 minerals (fig. 1). Diagram shows that there is a tendency in the world for concentration of mining power by spectrum of extracting minerals. There are only 10 countries in the world, each of which mines over 30 types of minerals. Data (fig. 2) testify, that the main mining states in the world are Russia, China, USA, Australia, Brasilia, India, SAR, Canada, Iran and Mexico. Data, given for the first time, about the Asian part of Russia testify that this region plays a significant self-dependent role in international system of turnover of mineral resources.
33 types of mineral raw material have been extracted by mining complex of the Asian part of Russia. As source of mineral raw-material resources of the region has unique characteristics by the point of quantity of explored mineral deposits, their potential output, nearness to the world markets of mineral raw-material consumptions, etc., there is no doubt that the role of the region in mining development on a world scale will rise in the current century.
Fig. 3 presents distribution of 10 countries by specific volume of mineral raw-material output. Specific estimation of the countries by mineral raw-material output shows, that there is some redistribution among mining countries, including three leaders in the field of mining output: now the first place belongs to the USA, then follows China and Russia. These 3 countries mine practically 41% from the total minerals output, including 87,1% - ferrous metals and ferroalloys, where Brasilia is the leader (28,9% of the whole output), 61,1% - non-ferrous metals, where Australia is the leader (31% of the whole output), 43,7% - noble metals, where the leadership belongs to Australia too (11%of the whole output), 62% - energy supply minerals, where the leadership belongs to the USA (17% of the whole output).
In specific indices the Asian part of Russia also introduces sufficiently weighty component in the world output of mineral products – 2,8%, leaving behind such mining states as SAR, Iran, Mexico and Brasilia.
Which is the role of mineral raw-material complex of Russia in formation of the whole industrial potential, the role of separate classes of mineral products in mineral raw-material complex, in the economy of the country and its separate regions? Answers to these questions may serve the basis for strategic decisions elaboration in the sphere of mining development.
There are two classes of mineral products, which are notable for technology of its exploitation: oil and gas, solid mineral resources. Apportionment of these two classes is conditioned by the fact, that several decades ago in Russia mining and oil and gas production was separated. As a result of such division at present time mining as a sphere of human activity in the earth’s crust is realizes mainly through extraction of the solid mineral resources. However, one could observe mutual adoption of scientific and technological decisions during mineral raw-material output (heavy oil recovery my mining method, leaching technology, etc.).
Comparative analysis of production output in terms of money in mineral raw-material complex of Russia and its Asian regions in 2004 is presented on fig. 4.
Adduced data shows, that in terms of money oil and gas plays the leading role in mineral raw-material output in Russia (RF) and the main part of this production is concentrated in the Ural Federal District (UFD). In the Siberian (SFD) and the Far East Federal Districts (FEFD) the output of solid mineral resources significantly increases oil and gas output. Paradox appears: share of production of the both classes of mineral raw materials in these three federal Districts makes up practically the same number – 70% from conformable production in the whole country.
Taking into account the certain indices of the industrial production output in the Russian Federation and in its federal districts diagram of mineral raw-material complex contribution in industrial production output in 2004 will be the following (fig. 5).
Data analysis shown in fig. 5 allows making some conclusions: mineral raw-material complex of the country provides 22,4% from industrial production output. Solid mineral resources output accounts for 4,4% from the industrial production output in the country. In the Ural and the Far East Federal Districts mineral raw-material complex plays the leading role in the formation of industrial production output.
2. Manpower of mineral raw-material complex of Russia and its Asian part
Peculiarities of technological processes and labor conditions at mining enterprises undoubtedly affect formation of manpower potential.
Typical feature of mining branch of industry in Russia is the presence of considerable number of mining enterprises in remote regions and regions difficult of access, where these enterprises are, as a matter of fact, the only industrial enterprises and where infrastructure development has been finished as far back as Soviet Union and also in regions with hard climate conditions.
Just because of this reason watch methods of manpower utilization have been lately wide applied. Well-known companies in Ural, Siberia and the Far East form their experienced worker potential at the expense of watch workers from the other regions, where volume of mining industry’s output are reducing and skilled manpower is not claimed.
Analysis of really applied manpower in mineral raw material complex of the Russian Federation has been carried out with marking out regions in the Asian part of the country as well as by separate components of mining industry. Potential manpower has not been taken into account.
At present time 1.064.900 people are work for mineral raw material sector of Russia. 29,07% from them work on the territory of the Ural Federal District, 22,37% – the Siberian Federal District, 10,05% – the Far East Federal District, 38,15% – the other federal districts of the Russian Federation.
To mark out a segment of manpower worked for mining of solid mineral resources let us present the results of analysis of employment of real manpower in that type of economical activity (fig. 6). Data from the diagram show that 57,09% from the whole actual manpower deals with mining of solid mineral resources belongs to Russia.
Almost 38% of manpower busy in solid mineral resources mining is concentrated in the Siberian Federal District, 15,6% – in the Far East Federal District and 12% – in the Ural Federal District.
Indices shown in the diagrams and indices carried out on their base have quite logic explanation. Thus, solid mineral resources mining always accompanies by the necessity of using of special technological complexes (mines, open casts, strippings, concentrating mills, etc.) with high capital intensiveness. Salvation of these problems demands cooperation of considerable volume of manpower. It is the source of heightened work input in the sector of mining industry and it explains exceeding actual manpower in the sector of solid mineral resources mining over manpower in the other sectors of mineral raw-material complex.
To reflect the structure of real manpower in sectors connecting with extraction of separate types of solid mineral raw material it is necessary to group some indices according to principle of its final utilization in industry. To simplify let us mark out the following basic classes:
- Solid mineral resources, extracting mainly for needs of traditional power engineering of the country (bituminous and brown coal, peat, processes of their beneficiation and agglomeration).
- Metallic ores (iron ores and ores of non-ferrous metals).
- Uranium and thorium ores.
- Mineral raw material for construction materials industry (gravel, sand, stone, etc.).
Data, reflecting the structure of actual manpower spreading according to marked out classes are shown in tab. 1.
Table 1
Such structure of manpower spreading in many respects explains by geographic location of large deposits of mineral raw materials. In the same time one could make a conclusion, that the Far East Federal District does not have sufficient actual manpower for the development of such important component as mining of mineral raw material for construction materials industry (mining of sand, gravel, crushed stone, clay, stone, etc.). The situation on a dead certainty will affect an infrastructure development of those federal district regions.
3. Provision of mining enterprises by engineering personnel
Quality of manpower is one of the main factors in estimation of investment attractiveness of the regions. Generally accepted practice testifies, than the base of criteria for manpower quality is its educational level. Thus, while estimating regional investment attractiveness it’s often used an index of manpower quality, defined as a share of population with full secondary education. Using of such criteria for estimation of manpower quality doesn’t reflect veritable index of quality, because professional training of personnel of the branch of industry turned out to be not taking into consideration. Therefore the most rational for such estimation is application of an index, reflecting a share of workers for this branch of economy who have a higher professional education. This index couldn’t be use directly while investigations (including spot check) by organs of State Statistics. Let us establish basic indices of actual manpower quality in mineral raw materials complex while using results of All-Russian cencus of the population (fig. 7).
Data in the diagram show, that mineral raw materials complex of the Central Federal District is supplied by engineering personnel as much as possible.
Such situation is a consequence of the range of reasons: availability in the region large-scale mining enterprises using up-to-date equipment and technologies for mining and treatment of mineral raw materials, presence of considerable amount of institutes of higher education in the Central Federal District, which lead training of mining engineers and able to provide necessary qualification for engineering personnel, claimed at mining enterprises, high level of concentration of administrative machinery and representatives from mining companies and firms of Russia in the Central Federal District, carrying out mining in the regions of the country.
Comparison of the obtained data about mineral raw materials complex provision with engineering personnel with data about the employment of population in separate branches of mineral raw material complex allows carrying out information about the quantity of employed mining engineers in Russia (fig. 8).
Taking into account that the length of mining engineer’s work from the start moment in his career to pension age is in average 20-25 years and using the obtained magnitudes while quantitative estimation of corps of mining engineers it’s possible to define an annual requirement in mining engineers in Russia 9and its federal districts) during the modern level of mining development in the country. This requirement accounts 4.500-5.000 men per year. Correspondingly in the Siberian Federal District it is 1.400 men per year, in the Far East and Ural Federal Districts – 600 men per year each. Analytic data of Educational and Methodical Association of Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining testify that there were trained over 4.165 mining engineers in Russia in 2004 [3]. This information helps to define the level of mining industry provision with engineering personnel – 83-92%. This index has been found out under conditions of all reproduction of engineering staff.
4. Higher mining education in Russia and its Asian part
The foundation for the system of mining engineers training in Russia is historically formed university centers, which realize the programs of training of specialists in direction “Mining” (according to All-Russian Classifier of Educational Specialties). Training is proceeded according to current State educational standard and competed with conferment of qualification of mining engineer. Thus, now training of mining engineer is carried out by seven main specialities: Mine Surveying, Open Pit Mining, Underground Mining of Mineral Deposits, Beneficiation of Mineral Resources, Construction of Mines and Underground Structures, Blasting Operations, Physical Processes of Mining and Oil-and-Gas Production and by specialty Mine Machinery and Equipment (direction “Technological machines and equipment”).
In Russia Ministry of Education and Science of Russia have established specialized State and Social organ of control for mining education in the country on base of Moscow State Mining University. This organ is called Educational and Methodical Association of Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining (EMA). EMA leads the work for improvement of the system of mining engineers training, elaborates projects of State Educational Standards, approximate educational plans and programs, carries out an expertise of educational literature, confers and recommends to conferment special marks of EMA and Ministry of Education and Science for publications of high quality, provides an expertise of documentation concerning the development of higher mining education in Russia, makes a suggestion about improvement of educational process, organization of personnel, methodical and material and technical provision, conducts arrangements directed to improvement of the system of mining engineers training.
Mining engineers training carries out in 31 institutes of higher education and in 26 branches of the institutes. Among the institutes of higher education, which carries out training of mining engineers are three universities (Moscow State Mining University, Sc.-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University) and Ural State Mining University (Ecatherinburg)), seven classic universities and 19 technical universities and institutes. In all from 1994 to 2004 in Russian institutes of higher education trained 36.240 mining engineers according to indicated specialties.
The largest input into formation of the corps of mining engineer have been brought in by Moscow State Mining University, Sc.-Petersburg State Mining Institute (Technical University), Ural State Mining University (Ecatherinburg), Kuzbass State Technical University (Kemerovo) and South-Russian State Technical University (Novotcherkassk). That institutes of higher education have formed more then half of the whole potential of mining engineers during the indicated period.
Higher mining education in the Asian part of Russia is realizes in 13 universities and 15 branches of the institutes. In the Ural Federal District such institutes are: Ural State Mining University (Ecatherinburg) and Magnitogorsk State Technical University. In the Siberian Federal District: Krasnoyarsky State University for Non-ferrous Metals and Gold, Kuzbass State Technical University (Kemerovo), Siberian State Industrial University (Novokuznetsk), Irkutsky State Technical University, Tchytinsky State University, Norilsky Industrial Institute, Tomsky Polytechnic University (branch of the institute – Yurginsky Technological Institute). In the Far East Federal District: The Far East State technical University (Vladyvostok), Yakytsky State University, Pacific State Institute (until 2005 it’s been Khabarovsky State Technical University), North International University (Magadan). Total graduation during the period from 1994 to 2004 in these universities is 18.055 mining engineers. Data about mining engineer graduation during indicated period of time from these universities is given in tab. 2.
Table 2
The largest input into formation of the corps of mining engineer in the Asian part of Russia have been brought in by Ural State Mining University and Kuzbass State Technical University (Kemerovo) – 47,6% from total volume of mining engineers graduation in all institutes of higher education in the Asian part of the Russian Federation.
Results of quantitative estimation of structure of mining engineers’ graduation in federal districts of the Asian part of Russia during 1994-2004 are presented at diagram (fig. 9).
Thus, training of mining engineers during indicating period has been concentrating in the Ural and Siberian Federal Districts, where more then 45% of mining engineers from the whole graduation have been trained. In 2004 in the Ural Federal District 755 mining engineers have been graduated, in the Siberian Federal District – 1.390 and in the Far East Federal District – 275 mining engineers. Comparison of the obtained data with data, reflecting the requirements in mining engineers in examined federal districts allows to make the following conclusions:
- In the Siberian Federal District graduation in institutes of higher education corresponds to requirements in mining engineers at mining enterprises according the modern level of mining development.
- In the Ural Federal District graduation in institutes of higher education slightly heightened requirements in mining engineers in the sphere of production.
- The Far East Federal District experienced deficiency in mining engineers. Obviously, mining enterprises in this district use analogous resources from the other branches of national economy or from the other regions.
Conclusions have been made on base of averaged magnitudes of federal districts provision with engineering personnel and under condition of the up-to-date state of mining industry.
Conclusion
Results of investigations, reflecting the conditions of mining in Russia and its Asian part, role of mining in industrial productions at the regions, testify, that potential of the Ural, Siberian and the Far East mining complexes has been practically formed. It provides the needs of the country in mineral raw material and plays a considerable role in its economy.
Derived results are of great importance for estimation of the potential of engineering personnel at mining enterprises and parameters of their reproduction. Estimating procedure and methods of data receipt eliminate large-scale and cumbersome inspections and allow deriving adduced characteristics and planning the programs for training of mining engineers.
Current system of mining engineers training in Russia – Russian Higher Mining Education is able to provide constantly growing requirements of mining complex of the country for highly skilled mining engineers according to up-to-date conditions of mining development.
For more details one could read publications [1-3].
References
1. L.A. Puchkov. Russia in mining world. // Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. 15th Anniversary of RANS. XXI. Mining and metallurgical Section. – P.p. 280-288 (in Russia).
2. L.A. Puchkov, V.L. Petrov. Development of Mining and Higher Mining Education in Ural, Siberia and the Far East of Russia. // Proceedings of Institutes of Higher Education. – Mining Magazine, No. 4, 2005. – P.p. 125-147 (in Russia).
3. Employed Population according to Types of Economic Activity. / Totals of All-Russian Cencus of the Population. – Vol. 8. – Moscow: IIC “Statistics of Russia”. – 2005. – 614 p. (in Russia).
4. Goskomstat of Russia. Information about Social and Economic State of Russia. Industrial Production in 2004. – Moscow, 2005 (in Russia) .
5. About Conditions and Application of Source of Mineral Raw Materials of the Russian Federation in 2003. State Report. – Ministry of Natural Resources. – Moscow, 2004 (in Russia).
6. Report about Reproduction of Source of Mineral Raw Materials in the Russian Federation in 2004 and about Prospects for 2005. Report from a Branch of Industry. – Ministry of Natural Resources. – Moscow: “Aerogeology”, 2004 (in Russia).
7. L. Weber, Y.Zsak. World Mining Data. Minerals Production. – Vienna, 2004.
8. Mining Annual Review. 2004.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
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Puchkov Lev A. – rector of Moscow State Mining University, Associate member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Prof., Dr. Sc., Chairman of the Soviet for Educational and Methodical Association of Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining . |
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Petrov Vadim L. – vice–rector of Moscow State Mining University, Prof., Dr. Sc., Vice-chairman of the Soviet for Educational and Methodical Association of Institutes of Higher Education in the Field of Mining. |
Contacts:
Moscow State Mining University, Leninsky prosp., 6, Moscow, 119991, Russia
Tel./fax: +7 (095) 237-30-02
E-mail:
FIGURES:
Y – Numbers of the countries
X – Quantity of mineral products denomination
Fig. 1. Mining countries distribution by the point of the quantity of extracting minerals denomination
Y – Quantity of mineral raw material denomination
X – Country (Russia, China, USA, Australia, Brasilia, India, SAR, Canada, Russia (Asia), Iran, Mexico)
Fig 2. The basic mining countries distribution by the point of the quantity of extracting mineral products denomination
Y – Specific volume, %
X – Country (USA, China, Russia, Russia (Asia), Australia, India, Canada, Brasilia, SAR, Iran, Mexico, the other 156 countries)
Fig. 3. Specific volumes of minerals’ output in the leading mining countries of the world
Y – Volumes of production, mlrd. rubles
X – Regions (RF, UFD, SFD, FEFD)
Fig. 4. Comparative analysis of production output in mineral raw-material complex of Russia and its Asian regions in 2004:
1 – solid mineral resources, 2 – oil and gas
Y –Volumes of production, %
X – Regions (FEFD, SFD, UFD, RF)
Fig. 5. Contribution of mineral raw-material complex of Russia and federal districts of its Asian part in industrial production output in 2004:
1 – solid mineral resources, 2 – mineral raw material complex
Y – Manpower, thous. men
X – Regions (RF, UFD, SFD, FEFD)
Fig. 6. Diagram of contribution of actual manpower employed in liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and solid mineral resources (data are approximate to whole numbers)
1 – solid mineral resources, 2 – oil and gas
X – Regions (Central, North-Western, Southern, Ural, Siberian, Far Eastern)
Fig. 7. Diagram, reflecting provision of branches of mineral raw material complex of Russia with engineering personnel
Y – Engineers, men
X – Regions (UFD, SFD, FEFD, RF,)
Fig. 8. Diagram of contribution of the corps of mining engineers of Russia with making up the federal districts in the Asian part of the country
European part of the Russian Federation – 50%, 18.200 men; UFD – 17%, 6.000 men; SFD – 28%, 10.300 men; FEFD – 5%, 1.770 men
Fig. 9. Structure of mining engineers’ graduation in accordance with federal dustricts of the Asian part of Russia during 2004-2004
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