Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Coal Country Notes

Ukraine

Proved amount in place (total coal, million tonnes)	45 164
Proved recoverable reserves (total coal, million tonnes)	33 873
Production (total coal, million tonnes, 2005)	78.4

Ukraine's coal endowment is one of the largest in Europe. The WEC Member Committee for Ukraine reports that the proved amount of coal in place exceeds 45 billion tonnes, of which 45% ranks as bituminous, 49% as sub-bituminous and about 6% as lignite. The reported mining parameters associated with these resource assessments are (respectively) maximum depths of 1 800, 1 800 and 400 metres, and minimum seam thicknesses of 0.55, 0.60 and 2.7 metres.

A recovery factor of 75% is attributed to all three ranks, implying proved recoverable reserves of some 15 billion tonnes of bituminous, 17 billion of sub-bituminous and 2 billion of lignite. Most of the bituminous and sub-bituminous deposits are located in the Donets Basin in eastern Ukraine.

Over and above the massive tonnages reported as proved, the WEC Member Committee quotes estimated additional amounts in place totalling more than 11 billion tonnes, with a broadly similar breakdown by rank as for the proved component, and the same implied recovery factor of 75%.

Coal production in 2005 is reported by the Ministry of Coal Industry as just over 78 million tonnes, but without a breakdown by rank. The principal outlets for Ukrainian coal are the iron and steel industry (51% in 2004) and power stations (37%).