The importance of coal mining in the development of the Arctic region

Extraction of the Arctic natural resources is the basis for the development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF), economic stability and energy security of Russia in the long term. The importance for the implementation of large-scale resource projects in the Far North is associated with logistics, which is provided by the Northern Sea Route. This article discusses the importance of the Arctic coal resources extraction for the integrated development of the Arctic region. At the moment, a number of large Arctic coal mining projects are being implementing. We analyzed their positive and negative aspects in the general context of the Arctic advancement, using general research methods of working with open data and publications. In addition, we have developed a step-by-step SWOT analysis of the Arctic coal extraction which includes five main points considering both the implementation of the Arctic coal mining projects and the overall socio-economic advancement of the Russian Arctic. As a result, we assessed the positive and negative aspects of the Arctic coal projects as well as the main opportunities that such projects open up and the threats that may affect the implementation. The study novelty lies in the application of the author's SWOT analysis methodology to the study of strategic prospects for development of the Arctic coal resources. It can be detailed by the research of the prospects of specific coal mineral resource centers.The author's methodology can also be applied to other types of Arctic mineral resources analysis.