In May 2010 an agreement was signed between scientific and industrial organizations on joint efforts to draft a mining technologies development plan and feasibility study for the Kholodninskoye and Bakcharskoye deposits. MBC Corporation plans to apply for a tender for state funding for cooperation between higher education institutions and organizations involved in high-tech industry projects.

The tender is held in accordance with the Russian Government Decree No. 218 of April 9, 2010 “On state support of cooperation between Russian higher educational institutions and high-tech producers.” As the name states, Government Decree No. 218 aims to strengthen state support of science and innovation in higher education by providing grants to support cooperation between Russian higher education institutions and business corporations.

The grant awarding procedure includes a government tender of projects that involve higher education institutions in R&D. The projects are developed jointly by business corporations and educational institutions.

The Kholodninskoye and Bakcharskoye deposits are combined in one project because both deposits are strategically important for the development of Western and Eastern Siberia, and both are in special ecological areas (the first one being in the Central Ecological Zone of Lake Baikal and the second one adjacent to the Vasyuganskoye Biosphere Reserve). Finally, complex hydrogeological and geotechnical conditions make the development of these deposits difficult.

The following organizations have signed an agreement to work together on the technical projects: MBC Corporation, The Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), the Institute of Geology of Ore Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy and Geochemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IGEM RAS), the Institute of Comprehensive Exploitation of Mineral Resources of the RAS (IPKON RAS) and the Geoecology Institute of the RAS (IEG RAS). The authors’ conception of the project includes not only the usual information technology and mathematical modeling, but aerospace technology and supercomputers as well. A scientific and technical council (STC) consisting of eminent scientists and experienced technologists has been set up to organize the preliminary works. Its members are:

• M.S. Bortnikov, Chairman of the STC, Academician of IGEM RAS
• V.A. Chanturia, Academician of IPKON RAS
• K.N. Trubetskoy, Academician of IPKON RAS
• D.R. Kaplunov, Corresponding Member of IPKON RAS
• Yu.G. Safonov, Corresponding Member of IGEM RAS
• V.I. Osipov, Academician of IEG RAS
• A.S. Viktorov, Doctor of Geology, IEG RAS
• T.V. Kondranin, Doctor of Technical Sciences, MIPT
• V.I. Starostin VI, Doctor of Geology and Mineralogy, Moscow State University;
• S.N. Garichev, Doctor of Technical Sciences, MBC Corporation.

An agreement was reached with V.T. Trofimov, vice-Rector of Moscow State University, on the participation in drafting the project of the appropriate professionals from the university. Scientists from Tomsk higher education institutions will also be enlisted to help with the project.

The main objectives of the project are:

1. Study the engineering-geological and hydrogeological conditions
2. Justify the methods to be used in the development of the deposits
3. Develop ore concentration technologies
4. Justify the production in terms of environmental safety
5. Build complex models of the deposits using aerospace and information technologies as well as supercomputers.

A feasibility study on the development of the Kolodninskoye and Bakcharskoye deposits will be prepared, along with a calculation of the reserves and complex computer models of the deposits. After achieving the stated goals, it will be possible to advance to the next phase, which includes the design of the mining and processing plants and the preparation of the financial feasibility study.

MBC Corporation is also preparing applications for other projects, which are supposed to take part in the contest.

Information on the current status of the development of the Kholodninskoye deposit can be found here>>.