Institute of Geology of Karelian Research Centre of RAS (Petrozavodsk, Russia):

Lavrov O. B., Researcher, Head of a Museum of the Institute of Geology, e-mail: petrlavrov@list.ru

Karelian territory remains a considerable quantity of ancient mountain mining pits so far. Their considerable part is in the central part of republic and on Zaonezhsky peninsula. It is the well-known Voitsky mine where have been extracted the first native gold in Russia – the largest copper deposit of Voronov Bor and a number of other deposits. This article cites some historical data about opening and development of ore deposits. This data is obtained from archival and pre-revolutionary sources. Some of them are brought for the first time to the notice of the modern reader. Results of gold copper ores research are shortly mentioned by modern analytical methods. Extraction of copper in Zaonezhe began to be engaged still in eneolit and have continued already in 17th — beginning of 20th centuries. Here there is a unique possibility for studying a mining history of several centuries or maybe even millennium. Monuments of mining history crafts of mine, «antiquated holes» - can be used as objects of historical and geological tourism. The geological and mountain-industrial heritages of Kareliya demands are studied carefully.

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