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PEAT EXTRACTION IN THE VOLYN REGION

PEAT EXTRACTION

On 02.02.2017, the municipal enterprise Volynpryrodresurs of the Volyn Regional Council received 4 special permits No. 6176, No. 6177, No. 6178, No. 6179 from The State Service of Geology and Mineral Resources of Ukraine (Derzhheonadra) with the approval of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Ukraine for the use of subsoil for the extraction of peat suitable for briquettes, compost and as peat soil for a period of 20 years.

Realisation of extracted peat

1. Field preparation

Prior to the start of mining, it is necessary to prepare a technological drainage network, which is built on the basis of existing reclamation channels, which are cleaned according to the previous design marks, and on the fields themselves, map channels are arranged, which are removed after the end of mining operations.

2. Swamp preparation

According to the norms of technological design of peat extraction enterprises, the surface is prepared for exploitation by cutting bushes and wood residues - suppressed vegetation that has no economic or commercial value.

3. Peat extraction

In milling, the peat is loosened with a tractor equipped with a milling drum or a knife cutter. The milling cutters remove a thin layer, turning it into crumbs. The peat loosened in this way dries naturally in the sun.

4. Windrowing of milling peat

The windrowing of milling peat is the final drying step and the preparatory step for harvesting. It is imperative that only dry peat is raked into windrows and that it is not allowed to get wet again, which is why favourable weather conditions are an important component of milling peat extraction.

5. Harvesting and stacking peat

The main task of windrowing is to collect the dried milled peat into triangular windrows parallel to the map channels. In windrows, peat is better protected from getting wet during precipitation. The finished milling peat is stacked throughout the extraction season.

6. Transportation and production

Milled peat is delivered by road or rail from the fields to the production facility, where it is further manufactured into finished products - peat briquettes for municipal and domestic needs, which meet the quality specifications of DSTU 2042-92.

Volyn is home to the largest peat deposits in Ukraine, and the development of peat deposits requires an integrated approach that takes into account geological, technological and environmental factors.

Around 81% of peat extracted in Ukraine is used as fuel due to its high energy value, driven by its high carbon content, and the remaining 19% is used as a peat mixture for horticulture, as peat soil promotes good root development of flowers, shrubs, crops and ornamental trees.

The extraction of this mineral is important for the country's economy and is one of the steps towards achieving Ukraine's energy independence. For some regions, peat briquettes are the main type of fuel.

In the industrial classification of peat deposits, there are 4 types: lowland, transitional, mixed and raised. Individual peat deposits may differ in age, length, geological, geomorphological and hydrological features. Accordingly, extraction technologies may also differ.

Consequently, the purpose of peat use also varies: production of peat briquettes for municipal needs, composting and as peat soil.

Before starting the development of peat deposits, it is necessary to collect information on the thickness of peat deposits, hydrogeological conditions of the deposits and make a qualitative characterisation of the mineral. In addition, constant radiation monitoring of manufactured products is carried out.

The first stage of peat extraction is drainage; before starting excavation work on the drainage area, preparatory work must be carried out: marking milestones, planning channel routes, removing stones, small stumps and other objects, and checking the passability of vehicles.

Next, a fire water supply system is created, i.e. a network of drainage channels is laid. Upon completion of mining operations, the drainage channels will be removed. Excavators with wide tracks are used to dig canals in bogs where peat is extracted. The wide tracks ensure the machine's stability on unstable ground, and the specially shaped bucket allows for efficient excavation. This is an important step in the peat extraction process, as properly laid channels contribute to efficient water drainage.

The milling method of extraction is the most common and refers to the layer-surface method, as the peat deposit is developed simultaneously in thin layers from the surface of the quarry in short cycles, which are processes

milling of the top layer of the deposit;
1-3 times movement;
windrowing of milled peat, which is the final drying operation and preparatory operation for harvesting;
stacking - gathering of finished products in stacks.

Milled peat is a mixture of small particles of various shapes and sizes. Peat crumb is produced by milling the top layer of a peat deposit. The peat is loosened to a depth of 2 centimetres, and then the top layer is removed and turned into crumbs using a tractor with attachments. The loosened peat is dried in the sun and then collected in windrows on the field. The milled peat is stacked immediately after drying.