Scientific publications

Karelia ranks first in Russia in terms of explored reserves of traditional feldspar rocks – ceramic and mica pegmatites. A significant part of the pegmatite deposits have been worked out; some objects with estimated reserves remain in the reserve. The article provides a brief overview of the state of the quarries and dumps left after the mining of the Hetolambina and Chkalovskoe ceramic pegmatite deposits – the main sources of high-grade feldspar raw materials. The material composition of the dumps, composed of mineral fractions (quartz, mica, feldspars), which are raw materials of substandard size and quality, was assessed. A substantial part of the dumps is overburden and host rocks – amphibolites, gneisses, gabbros, gabbro-norites. We show that the chemical composition of feldspar fractions, consisting of pure microcline, microcline and plagiomicrocline pegmatite, makes them potentially suitable for the production of fine and construction ceramics, vacuum glass, high-grade technical glass, and sheet glass. The wastes from ore separation plants and the Chupa grinding and processing plant are represented by crushed material with quartz-feldspar composition. Analysis of the possibility of integrating fine-grained concentration wastes into the feedstock showed they can have a positive effect on the technological characteristics of the facing ceramic tiles production process. Rocks, industrial minerals, and waste dumps of mining enterprises of the Louhi District of the Republic of Karelia, which was included in the Russian Arctic Zone, are of interest not only as promising mineral raw materials, but also as mining and industrial heritage destinations.