Kuznetsk Basin, Coal basin in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia.
The Kuznetsk Basin is a coal basin in southwestern Siberia between the Kuznetsk Alatau and Salair mountain ranges in Kemerovo Oblast. It spreads across a hilly landscape with rivers and forested areas.
Coal deposits were found here in the 18th century but remained barely exploited for a long time. Industrial projects on a large scale started in the late 1920s under Soviet leadership.
Coal mining has shaped the life of this region for nearly a century and brought new settlements into being. Mining traditions continue to appear in local communities today.
The region is reachable by rail and road connections, mainly through larger cities in Kemerovo Oblast. Visiting possibilities depend heavily on local authorities and safety conditions.
Some coal seams here rank among the thickest in the world and reach down to great depths. This thickness makes extraction economically interesting despite the remote location.
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