Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russia

E. V. Belyaev, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor, evgvbelyaev@kpfu.ru

The analysis of graphite reserves in the Russian Federation exhibits a low supply of operating plants with the workable reserves of the mineral. Solution to the problem of shortages is seen as creation of new hubs of sources of raw materials and establishment of centers of graphite ore mining and processing in the developed regions. The article presents the minerageny analysis of graphite reserves in the area of the North Caucasus. The location patterns and geological structure features of graphite sources are discussed. It is found that this carbon-bearing material is difficult to process. The test ore type contains stratified carbon-bearing nanostructures and fine single-layer nanotubes which are readily recoverable to flotation concentrates. The implemented research is a framework for the development of novel advanced technologies for treatment and recovery of graphite. The area of the North Caucasus holds many points of mineralization of shungite and crystalline and amorphous graphite, which allows assessing graphite prospects in the region as positive. The analysis of the available information identifies a zone of the North Caucasus minerageny and two subzones of the Main Ridge and Digora–Ossetia minerageny. The Technology Analysis, Testing and Certification Center of the TSNIIgeolnerud Institute produced graphite concentrates at the yield of 43.6 % and ash content of 85 % (conditional graphite content of 15 %) after a single-cell flotation test, and the three subsequent recleaner flotations produced a concentrate with the yield of 7.1 % and ash content of 80 % (conditional graphite content of 20 %). Carboniferous slate of the Dzhimara deposit is difficult-to-process. The current processing methods and flowsheets (flotation, sorting, chemical methods, etc.) are unable to produce the common marketable graphite grades from the low-quality ore of the Dzhimara deposit. However, the electron microscopy studies show that the carbon-containing substance and matrix of this ore are plentiful of multi- and, less often, single-layer carbon nanotubes readily recoverable to concentrate in flotation. Thus, the main graphite prospects in the area of the North Caucasus Federal District are associated with metamorphic rocks (PR2-PZ1) highly frequent in Karachay-Cherkessia and Kabardino-Balkaria. Commercial-scale development of crystalline and amorphous graphite sources depends on development of advanced processing technologies, including a nanoscale.

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