Mineral materials and aggregates in the Baltics

Mantas Makulavicius
CEO
Milsa Group
Lithuania

Mineral materials and aggregates used in transport infrastructure, construction or any other purposes importance is undeniable. Its usage and extraction not only benefits economics and social environment, but also should be sustainable. Socio-economic activities such as increasing housing, infrastructure demand and manufacturing sector has guided the growing demand for non-energy mineral resources. There are over 50,000 mines around the world in which approximately 200 types of mineral resources are in use. Based by European Aggregates Industry data the European aggregates sector represents 15.000 companies (mostly SMEs) operating through 26.000 sites, with over 200.000 employees. Aggregates are the second most used natural materials worldwide, only after water, and consequently are the biggest mining branch by production volume. For example, the European average aggregates demand is 6 tons per capita per year, meaning the use of 1 Kg of aggregates per hour.

By definition, aggregates are inert material, while primary aggregates are produced from natural sources extracted from quarries and gravel pits and in some countries from sea-dredged materials (marine aggregates). Secondary aggregates are recycled aggregates derive from reprocessing materials previously used in construction, demolition residues and by-products from other industrial processes. There are currently no viable alternatives to the large-scale use of aggregates in construction. Aggregates are the core building material in all our homes, offices, social buildings, and infrastructures: without aggregates these would literally fall apart. The construction of a typical new home uses up to 400 tons of aggregates (both end product and concrete) – from the foundations through to the roof tiles. Aggregates are used to build schools, hospitals, museums and other social or public buildings. An end-product in themselves as railway ballast, armor stones, beach replenishment, aggregates are also raw materials used in the manufacture of other vital construction products such as ready mixed concrete (made of 80% aggregates), pre-cast concrete products, and asphalt products (made of 95% aggregates).

Since aggregates are mostly mineral materials extracted from the nature, it’s reasonable to investigate current situation of Baltic states geological treasuries and its reserves. Based by Lithuanian Geological survey data, 17 kinds of mineral reserves/resources have been explored to various degree of detail in Lithuania. Ten of these (limestone, dolomite, sand, gravel, clay, chalky marl, peat, sapropel, opoka and oil) are under exploitation. Dolomite beds in Lithuania are detected in many geological systems, but only dolomite deposits occurring near the land surface in the northern part of Lithuania are considered to be of a practical significance. There are some inland oil drills, but the production and resources are quite small compared to oil rich countries. There is valuable resources of anhydrite as well, but it is not being extracted so far. Due to geographical placement of Lithuania, there is no opportunity to extract granite aggregates according to economical rationality. So it must be kept in mind, that igneous rocks are imported to Lithuania as to all the other Baltic countries.

The subterranean depths of Latvia are rich in the resources of various mineral materials that can be used to produce construction materials: the resources of sand and sand-gravel, dolomite, clay, limestone, gypsum rock, peat, and sapropel are widely available. The principal mineral found in Latvia is limestone, with an approximated reserve of 6 billion cubic meters. Limestone is mainly used as a raw material for cement and concrete. The reserves are sufficient enough to provide 85% of the raw material for its cement industry. The deposits are spread throughout the country and occur at fairly shallow depths. Gypsum rock is also among the most valuable land resources, Latvia provides this resource to all the Baltic States. Dolomite, in turn, is a widely spread mineral resource and presents a major source of mechanically resistant stone materials. Thirty the most important deposits of gypsum rock, limestone, dolomite, clay, quartz sand, gravel, sand, stone, and sapropel are included in the list of mineral deposits of national importance.

Furthermost in Estonia, 944 various sized deposits (incl. oil shale, peat, crystalline rocks, gravel, sand, clay, dolostone, limestone, phosphorite, sea mud) are registered. The kukersite oil shale is the most important mineral resource in Estonia. At present, of the total 10–12 million tons mined per year, slightly over 80% is burnt directly in thermal power plants as pulverized fossil fuel. The chemical industry uses about 15% of the mined oil shale for oil recovery, and about 3% goes to the cement industry. The Estonian deposit is the largest commercially exploited oil shale deposit in the world; its total reserves exceed 7 billion tons of oil shale. Other mineral materials include more than 900 sand and gravel deposits for road and industrial building, clay deposits, used mainly as a raw material in the ceramics and cement industries. Resources of limestone are used as a raw material in producing lime, cement and building stone, but also in glass, chemical, pulp and paper industries. Dolomite is suitable for glass and finishing stones, used in the chemical industry and as road and industrial building material.

While analyzing each of the Baltic country, it can be stated that geology among them is similar with some exceptions. There is no very expensive mineral materials, but the area is resourceful for aggregates used in transport infrastructure and construction. Usage of aggregates is a function of the state of a national economy: Together with the growth of the economy, the demand for sand, gravel, and crushed stone increases, as they are essential for infrastructural development and commercial and domestic building activities. With the upcoming big projects such as the Rail Baltica, usage and extraction of mineral materials and aggregates will definitely increase. We all just have to think about most economical way to extract and use our natural treasures in the most sustainable way.

Expert article 3330

>Back to Baltic Rim Economies 5/2022

To receive the Baltic Rim Economies review free of charge, you may register to the mailing list.
The review is published 4-6 times a year.