Museums - Special issue

Special issue of "Gornyi Zhurnal" (Mining Journal), devoted to the 80-th anniversary of Kirovsk town (Murmansk Oblast), is based on the materials of Kirovsk Historical and Local History Museum with a memorial of S. M. Kirov and exhibit room.

The richest deposits of apatite-nepheline and rare-metal ores were discovered in the valley at the bottom of a Kukisvumchorr mountain. The first group of 18 persons came to this valley on June 8, 1929. The first republican trust «Apatit» was organized on November 13, 1929. On October 30, 1931, the small miners settlement received a status of a town and its first name — Khibinogorsk.

Much has changed since 1931. Discovery of richest deposits of natural resources in Khibiny mountains became a stimulus to researching of other regions of Cola North. Geologists discovered the largest deposits of copper-nickel and iron ores. A number of towns were built around these deposits, but Kirovsk was the first town. This town became the place of construction of sovkhoz «Industriya» – the first agricultural enterprise in polar region. There were also built the first Khibiny mining and scientific station under the USSR Academy of Sciences; the first polar-alpine botanical garden (the most northern botanical garden in the world) and the first avalanche service.

People from all sides of our country came to work to this region. Nowadays, young generation of Kirovsk inhabitants studies for further implementation of new plans and projects, which promise to be not less grandiose, than the projects, which were realized by older generation. One of such «Khibiny projects» is going to be creation of special economic zone for development of sports and international tourism.

This special issue tells about the creation of a town in Khibiny tundra – the first industrial center in Kola North. Readers will get to know more about old-residents and heroic explorers of Kirovsk.

D. V. Dmitrienko,

Governor of Murmansk Oblast since 2009 till 2012.

You may find below more details about the issue or book printed or electronic version of the journal.