Geological and economic assessment of the Kaa-Khem coal deposit in the Republic of Tyva: challenges and development prospects

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-4-114-117

Читать на русскоя языке V.O. Oorzhak
Tuvan Institute for Integrated Exploration of Natural Resources, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kyzyl, Russian Federation
Russian Mining Industry №4/ 2026 p. 114-117

Abstract: This article presents the results of a comprehensive geological and economic assessment of the Kaa-Khem coal deposit, located in the central part of the Republic of Tyva. The relevance of the study is explained by the need to efficiently utilize coal resources to ensure energy security and industrial development of the macro region in the changing market environment. The objective of the study is to determine the investment attractiveness and the key barriers to deposit development based on analyzing the geological, mining, infrastructure, and market factors. The research methods included a critical analysis of the geological exploration data, a comparative analysis of field development plans, an assessment of logistics, and an analysis of the economic model sensitivity to changes in the key parameters, i.e. the coal price, production and capital costs. The study revealed that, despite significant D-grade coal resources characterized by favorable technological properties, the project's medium-term profitability remains low. The main constraints include the extreme remoteness from the key consumers and railway lines, high specific capital costs of developing the mining facilities and transport infrastructure, as well as complex geological conditions. The novelty of this work lies in its comprehensive, quantitatively justified approach to assessment, which links the economic risks not only to the market prices but also to the unique regional characteristics of the Republic of Tyva. The main conclusion is that development of the Kaa-Khem deposit at the current stage is not so much a commercial project as a strategic and socio-economic one, which feasibility needs to be assessed within the context of the Republic of Tuva's long-term development programs.

Keywords: Kaa-Khem coal deposit, geological and economic assessment, balance coal reserves, mining conditions, transport infrastructure, mineral economics, Republic of Tyva, hard coal, economic feasibility of developing the deposit

Acknowledgments: The work was carried out within the framework of the state assignment of the Tuvinian Institute for Exploration of Natural Resources, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, under project No.1023033100464-7-1.5.1

For citation: Oorzhak V.O. Geological and economic assessment of the Kaa-Khem coal deposit in the Republic of Tyva: challenges and development prospects. Russian Mining Industry. 2026;(4):114–117. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30686/1609-9192-2026-4-114-117

Information about the article

Received: 11.03.2026

Received after peer review: 04.05.2026

Accepted for publication: 26.05.2026

Information about the author

Valery O. Oorzhak – Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Associate Professor, Leading Researcher, Tuvan Institute for Integrated Exploration of Natural Resources, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Kyzyl, Russian Federation; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2985-0722; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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