Kursk Magnetic Anomaly
Encyclopedia
Kursk Magnetic Anomaly is a territory rich in iron ores located within the Kursk
, Belgorod
, and Voronezh
oblasts in Russia
, and constitutes a significant part of the Central Chernozyom Region. The Kursk Magnetic Anomaly is recognized as the largest magnetic anomaly
on Earth.
The Kursk Magnetic Anomaly
(KMA) was first discovered in 1733 by the Russian astronomer and academic Pyotr Inokhodtsev while preparing the maps of the General Land Survey at the behest of the Russian government. It was not investigated again until 1874 when I. N. Smirnov conducted the first geomagnetic survey of European Russia. In 1883, N. D. Pilchikov an assistant professor at Kharkiv University
conducted a series of 71 observations of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. These revealed a much larger extent than previously measured and for the first time attributed the anomaly to the presence of iron ore. In 1884, on the basis of this discovery, Pilchikov was awarded the silver medal of the Russian Geographical Society.
Serious investigation of the economic potential of the anomaly occurred under the leadership of Ivan Gubkin
in 1920-1925, originally based upon the possibilies for oil. Rich ores were discovered in the region of the anomaly about 1931. The ores are spread over an area estimated at 120,000 km² and are magnetite
quartzite
s disseminated throughout metamorphic rocks and Pre-Cambrian granitoids. Surveyed ore reserves of ferrous
quartzite are presently estimated at more than 25 billion tonnes of 32-37% Fe
and more than 30 billion tonnes of 52-66% Fe. The open pit method is used to mine this ore at the Stoylenskoye, Lebedinskoye, and Mikhailovskoye deposits. Underground mining methods are used for the Korobkovskoye deposit.
Kursk Oblast
Kursk Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Kursk.-Geography:The oblast occupies the southern slopes of the middle-Russian plateau, and its average elevation is from 177 to 225 meters . The surface is hilly, and intersected by ravines...
, Belgorod
Belgorod Oblast
Belgorod Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia . Its administrative center is the city of Belgorod. Population: 1,532,670 .-History:...
, and Voronezh
Voronezh Oblast
Voronezh Oblast is a federal subject of Russia . It was established on June 13, 1934.-Main rivers:*Don*Voronezh*Bityug*Khopyor-Economy:...
oblasts in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, and constitutes a significant part of the Central Chernozyom Region. The Kursk Magnetic Anomaly is recognized as the largest magnetic anomaly
Magnetic anomaly
In geophysics, a magnetic anomaly is a local variation in the Earth's magnetic field resulting from variations in the chemistry or magnetism of the rocks. Mapping of variation over an area is valuable in detecting structures obscured by overlying material...
on Earth.
The Kursk Magnetic Anomaly
Magnetic anomaly
In geophysics, a magnetic anomaly is a local variation in the Earth's magnetic field resulting from variations in the chemistry or magnetism of the rocks. Mapping of variation over an area is valuable in detecting structures obscured by overlying material...
(KMA) was first discovered in 1733 by the Russian astronomer and academic Pyotr Inokhodtsev while preparing the maps of the General Land Survey at the behest of the Russian government. It was not investigated again until 1874 when I. N. Smirnov conducted the first geomagnetic survey of European Russia. In 1883, N. D. Pilchikov an assistant professor at Kharkiv University
Kharkiv University
The University of Kharkiv or officially the Vasyl Karazin Kharkiv National University is one of the major universities in Ukraine, and earlier in the Russian Empire and Soviet Union...
conducted a series of 71 observations of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. These revealed a much larger extent than previously measured and for the first time attributed the anomaly to the presence of iron ore. In 1884, on the basis of this discovery, Pilchikov was awarded the silver medal of the Russian Geographical Society.
Serious investigation of the economic potential of the anomaly occurred under the leadership of Ivan Gubkin
Ivan Gubkin
Ivan Mikhaylovich Gubkin was a Russian geologist and president of the 1937 International Geological Congress in Moscow. He was a petroleum geologist particularly interested the region between the Volga and the Urals....
in 1920-1925, originally based upon the possibilies for oil. Rich ores were discovered in the region of the anomaly about 1931. The ores are spread over an area estimated at 120,000 km² and are magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
quartzite
Quartzite
Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock which was originally sandstone. Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tectonic compression within orogenic belts. Pure quartzite is usually white to gray, though quartzites often occur in various shades of pink...
s disseminated throughout metamorphic rocks and Pre-Cambrian granitoids. Surveyed ore reserves of ferrous
Ferrous
Ferrous , in chemistry, indicates a divalent iron compound , as opposed to ferric, which indicates a trivalent iron compound ....
quartzite are presently estimated at more than 25 billion tonnes of 32-37% Fe
FE
Fe or FE may refer to:* Iron * Fe , the f-rune of the Younger Futhark* Fe * Fe * "Fe" , a song by Jorge González...
and more than 30 billion tonnes of 52-66% Fe. The open pit method is used to mine this ore at the Stoylenskoye, Lebedinskoye, and Mikhailovskoye deposits. Underground mining methods are used for the Korobkovskoye deposit.