Institute of History and Archeology, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Yekaterinburg, Russia

S. V. Golikova, Leading Researcher, Doctor of Historical Sciences, avokilog@mail.ru

The article reviews the correspondence between the notable figures in mining art—Senator and Mine Inspector of the Moscow Mine Directorate V. Yu. Soimonov and Governor of the Blagodat Mountain Mining District, Oberbergmeister N. R. Mamyshev in the period from 1823 to 1825. The correspondence followed their cooperation at the Interim Yekaterinburg Mining Committee which accumulated actual processes in the mining industry in the Ural, systematized them, scaled up and gave a powerful impetus. The administrative measures promoted in the first turn activation of geological exploration works. A case-study of the Blagodat Mountain Mining District shows that expeditionary parties not only studied areas with a view to discovering gold deposits but also explored the subsoil using a deep drilling method, novel at that time. The result (including efforts aimed at organization of the precious metal placer mining in the winter period) was the increment in gold production. The cause-and-effect of such activities was accumulation of observations, suppositions and hypotheses on geological structure of the Ural Mountains. Administrative high-ranks participated in discussions aimed to promote elaboration of a new knowledge on the structure and wealth of mineral resources in the Ural. The scope of the discussions encompassed the key issues of the contemporary petrology and lithology, and, first of all, understanding of gold and diamond content of the area. Mining practitioners carried their points which encouraged consolidation of a mining corporation. Paternalism was another way of welding the professional community responsible for the critical basic and mining industries, which V. Yu. Soimonov and N. R. Mamyshev believed to belong.

1. Kulibin S. Vladimir Yu. Soimonov. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1894. No. 2. pp. 262–266.
2. Shilov A. V. The Intermin Yekaterinburg Mining Committee of 1823 and development of the Ural gold industry. Issues of History of the Ural. Issue 16: Genesis and Development of Market Relations in the Ural. Sverdlovsk : Izdatelstvo Uralskogo universiteta, 1980. pp. 48–54.
3. Tikhomirov V. V. Applied geology in Russia in the early 19th century. Essays on History of Geological Knowledge. Moscow : Izdatelstvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1953. Vol. 1. pp. 36–76.
4. Danilevskiy V. V. Russian Gold. History of Discovery and Exploration until the Middle of XIX Century). Moscow : Metallurgizdat, 1959. 380 p.
5. Morozov A. F., Cherkasova T. V., Mezhelovskiy N. V., Gusev G. S., Kilipko V. A. Russian geological cartography: The Past, the present and the future. Razvedka i okhrana nedr. 2007. No. 2-3. pp. 15–25.
6. Rukosuev E. Yu., Kurlaev E. A., Shumkin G. N. Mining Works in the Ural in the 18th–early 20th Centuries: Noble Metals. Yekaterinburg : UrO RAN, 2020. 320 p.
7. Kamenskaya O. Yu. Features of formation and development of geology as a scientific branch of knowledge in Russia of the 19th century. Vestnik MGPU. Seriya: istoricheskie nauki. 2020. No. 1(37). pp. 27–31.
8. Mikityuk V. P. Nikolai R. Mamyshev. Engineers of the Ural: Encylcopedia. Yekaterinburg : Uralskiy rabochiy, 2001. p. 344.
9. State Archive of the Sverdlovsk region. Fund 345. Inventory 1. File 6. List 1–33.
10. Extract of a traveller’s letter written from the Ural Mountains to the President of the Universität Dorpat, State Counsellor Evers, with comments of the Principal of the Blagodat Mountain Works Mr Mamyshev. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1826. No. 11. pp. 171–177.

11. State Archive of the Sverdlovsk region. Fund 345. Inventory 1. File 15. List 1–10 overleaf.
12. Expeditionary party guidelines on the Ural Ridge geognosy and ore and placer gold prospecting. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1829. No. 4. pp. 1–43.
13. Gallyakhovskiy. Comments on geognosy in the area of the Blagodat Mountain works. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1827. No. 10. pp. 25–49; No. 11. pp. 23–41.
14. Kozlov A. G. Creators of Science and Technology in the Ural in the 17th–early 20th Centuries: Bibliography. Sverdlovsk : Sredne-Uralskoe knizhnoe izdatelstvo, 1981. 224 p.
15. Tikhomirov V. V. Newcomer on organization of geological mapping in Russia. Essays on History of Geological Knowledge. Moscow : Izdatelstvo Akademii nauk SSSR, 1955. Vol. 4. pp. 215–225.
16. Zhelezkin V. G. Paternalism in the government-owned mining industry in the Ural in the 19th century. Metallurgical Works and Peasantry: Problems of Social Organization of Industry in Russia and Sweden in Early Industrial Period: Collection of Scientific Papers. Yekaterinburg : Nauka, 1992. pp. 95–101.
17. Prokhorova I. E. Belinsky vs Shevyrev: Implementation of confrontation strategy in magazine polemic of 1836. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 10. Zhurnalistika. 2012. No. 2. pp. 68–83.
18. Pecherskaya T. I. Retelling as a tool of interpretation: History of debates between Sovremennik and Russkoe Slovo. Karabikha : Historical Literature Volume. Yaroslavl : Akademiya 76, 2016. No. 9(9). pp. 235–250.
19. Svinin P. P. Picture of gold sand digging in the Ural Mountains, 1824. Otechestvennye zapiski. 1825. No. 57, Iss. XXI. pp. 3–28.
20. Mamyshev N. [R.] Reply to Mr B. V. Sh. Vestnik Evropy. 1809. No. 22, Iss. XLVIII. pp. 154–155.
21. Sokolov. Thoughts on the Ural gold placers. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1826. No. 12. pp. 3–54.