Mining Institute of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (Perm, Russia):

Kadebskaya O. I., Senior Researcher, Candidate of Geographic Sciences, e-mail: icecave@bk.ru

Perm State National Research University (Perm, Russia):

Maksimovich N. G., Deputy Director on Scientific-Research Work of Natural-Science Institute, Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences

Perm National Research Polytechnical University (Perm, Russia):

Trushkova N. A., Assistant

This paper shows the history of exploitation of Kungur Ice Cave and estimated prospects of development of excursion and science activity within this cave. Kungur Ice Cave is the natural cavity, originated by strong influence of karst processes. This cave is widely known in the world as one of most interesting objects of speleotourism. The cave is one of the best features of Perm region. During last 100 years of exploitation of Kungur Ice Cave, there have been numerous changes of morphology and microclimate of this cave. Excursion activity is resulted in accumulation of different pollutants in grottoes (rooms) of the cave. The cave is exploited by “Stalagmite-excurse” Ltd. as excursion object and by Mining Institute of Ural Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences as natural underground laboratory. Despite of long exploitation, Kungur Ice Cave is a stable natural-anthropogenic system. Further exploitation of this cave must include the complex system of monitoring of all important parameters of environment and all changes in state of the cave and neighbourhood. Except all present ways of using of the cave, it’s also possible to use it as a place for speleotherapy. The speleotherapy essence consists in action on a human organism by natural, physical factors, that is specific to caves and caused by geophysical location and a rock chemical composition of this massif. The most important factor is the air ions composition or more precisely easy air ions concentration in the air. The carried out researches proved the fact that the Kungur Ice Cave possesses one of the major factors for the speleotherapy. This factor is easy air ion elevated concentration.

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