Management of the native sulphur deposits in the Carpathian Foredeep during the period 1953-1993

Abstract

Intensive exploration and prospect works, carried out in the Carpathian Foredeep up to 1975, resulted in the discoveries o f new native sulphur deposits, enlarging the national sulphlate resources. In 1976 the identified economic reserves of sulphur these deposit was estimated at 984.3 mln t. The resources of identified deposits together with the output until this time (over 34 mtn t) and the exploitation loss (larger than output), were calculated at over 1 mld t. After 1976 the sulphur resources gradually decreased. Further research has not located new deposits and the prospect of enlarging total resources seems to be uncertain, especially to depths of 500 m. This article presents the phases of the examination and management of sulphur resources during the last forty years as well as the volume changes of sulphur output, national consumption and export. About 75% of sulphur production is exported (in the last decade this volume increased from 69 to 78.6%). Ecological concerns, other sources of sulphur production and the drop of the world trade price for sulphur, suggest, to the authors, significant decrease of output in the future. Although such a situation prolongs the time until deposit exploitation, it enables the proper resource protection and optimizes the indexes of resource utilization. From the other side, the recession in the sulphur industry may disturb the positive balance of the export and import of chemical minerals, and it could involve social-economical troubles.