Kirov mine: description, history, photo

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Kirovsky mine is one of the ten largest world developments, with a production volume of 11.5 million tons per year. It is currently the main asset of Apatit. The company employs over 13 thousand people. The plant is diversified and, in addition to developing a mineral deposit, is engaged in ore dressing and production of fertilizer concentrates.

Opening

In 1920, a group of geologists as part of an exploration expedition discovered a large resource deposit in the southern part of the Khibiny massif. The team of scientists was led by professor-minerologist A. E. Fersman, the reserves were estimated at 13 billion tons. The story of the discovery of the deposit tells that this treasure was discovered by accident.

A group of specialists purposefully moved to the port of Murmansk, on the way it became necessary to stop in Khibiny to replenish fuel supplies. Alexander Fersman, taking advantage of his free time, decided to explore the surroundings and, having reached the mountains, discovered huge, untouched by man, reserves of variousminerals.

During a detailed examination, it turned out that the main value is apatite. The mineral is used to make fertilizers. For the country, this was a huge gift, until that moment the necessary fertilizer was purchased in Morocco.

Getting Started

The development of the Kirovsky mine was started before the official opening and was carried out in a primitive way by hand. The pits were made by drilling, the rock was dumped with shovels, the extracted material was loaded onto horse-drawn carts.

The area, at that time, was not inhabited at all, all the work was carried out by "special settlers", in other words - prisoners. For a long time they had to live in dugouts, which in the conditions of the North was tantamount to death.

Official opening

In the summer of 1929, an unpaved highway was laid; in October, movement from the mine to the Belaya station began along it. The first director of the Kirovsky mine, Vasily Kondrikov, arrived along this road. The date of November 13, 1929 is the birthday of the trust "Apatit" and the official opening of the production association, which later received the name of Kirov.

In a short time, Kondrikov managed to create urban infrastructure - to build houses, to give the migrants apartments and the opportunity for social adaptation. Also, under his leadership, the Severonickel plant was founded, and the industrial development of the deposit began. Until the end of 1929, the mine output amounted to 1.5 thousand tons of raw materials.

Wartime

Since 1937, the Kirovsky mine has introduced a system of layered mining of deposits with the use of breaking mine charges. The subfloors were distributed in blocks with a step of 6-8 meters. In an explosive way, on average, it was possible to bring down up to 100 thousand tons of rock. By 1939, mining capacity reached 2.6 million tons of ore per year.

During the war, the city and the Kirovsky mine were in close proximity to the front line. Some of the workers were drafted into the army, most of them were, equipment and some personnel were sent for evacuation to the Urals and Kazakhstan. Work was not interrupted only at the experimental mechanical plant, where they launched the production of products necessary for the front.

During this period, rich ores in the amount of up to 1.3 thousand tons were mined at the Kirovsky mine, all raw materials were used to make Molotov cocktails. The necessary equipment was installed in mine workings, production was carried out around the clock. During the two war years, the enterprise was repeatedly bombed, the shops and other production facilities of the plant were damaged.

Recovery

Restoration work began in 1943, a year later the Kirovsky mine resumed activity in the required volume - ore began to be mined, the processing plant began to produce concentrate. By the early 1950s, the country needed more phosphate fertilizers.

To increase the gross product at the Apatit plant of the Kirovsky mine, two newobject - Yuksporsky and Rasvumchorrsky. Meanwhile, plants for the production of phosphate fertilizers were being built. In 1964, an open pit was founded on the Rasvumchorr plateau at a height of 1 kilometer, called the "Central Mine". Most of the work was mechanized, there were excavators, dump trucks, drilling machines.

Capacity buildup

In the mid-60s, the ANOF-2 processing plant was launched, which became the largest in Europe. Since 1964, the practice of forced caving and multi-rig drilling has been introduced everywhere at the Kirovsky mine, in one shift a worker walked 70 meters, which was one of the highest productivity indicators. In 1979, for great achievements in mining and in connection with the 50th anniversary of its activity, the enterprise was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor.

In the second half of the 80s, the Kirovsky mine produced more than 60 million tons of ore on the mountain. Shipment of finished products was made from three processing plants and amounted to 200 million tons of first-class concentrate. In 1989, the Kirovsky and Yuksporsky mines merged into a single conglomerate.

The collapse of the USSR led to a drop in productivity and the shutdown of many production sites at the plant. Ore mining was reduced by a factor of three, state funding almost completely stopped, it became almost impossible to sell products, most operations were carried out with the hope of future payments. The situation improved at the end of the 1990s with the advent of JSC "Apatit" (Kirovmine) of new management.

After the collapse of the country

To overcome all the consequences of a large-scale crisis in 1999, the PhosAgro Association was created, uniting all manufacturers of phosphate fertilizers. In 2002, the public organization PhosAgro receives the legal status of a closed joint stock company and is engaged in the operational management of the production and economic activities of the Kirovsky mine. As well as several other enterprises in Russia and the CIS countries involved in the production of fertilizers. In 2003, with the participation of scientific institutions, the concept of development of ZAO PhosAgro was developed.

Thanks to the implementation of innovative programs, Apatit OJSC (Kirovsky mine) received the opportunity and capacity to put into operation a new horizon +172 meters, from which 3 million tons of raw materials are extracted per year. In accordance with long-term plans until 2020 and beyond, the level of ore extraction should be 8.5 million tons annually, which requires investments of up to $1 billion. The total capital until 2020 will amount to more than 450 million dollars only in the raw material base.

Social responsibility

Throughout the history of the development of the Kirovsky mine (Murmansk region) and the company "Apatit", the company's interests included concern for the environment and responsibility to employees. The plant is a city-forming economic entity for two cities - Apatity and Kirovsk. Infrastructure, social and residential buildings appeared thanks to the direct participationfactories.

The mine of the Kirov region is no less important for the entire region. Uninterrupted operation and full capacity utilization of the enterprise ensure the operation of the Murmansk Commercial Port and Shipping Company, the Oktyabrskaya Railway, and also contribute to filling the budgets of the two cities and the North-Western region of Russia as a whole.

Modernity

Field of activity of JSC "Apatit" - development of Khibiny deposits, extraction and enrichment of apatite-nepheline ores, production of a range of fertilizers (concentrates). The company is the world leader in the production of high-grade raw materials and the only enterprise in Russia that produces nepheline concentrate.

The enterprise includes deposits:

• Apatite Circus.
• Kukisvumchorrskoe.
• Nyorkpakhskoe.
• Koashvinskoe.
• Yukspor.
• Rasvumchorr Plateau.

Ore enrichment is carried out at two factories - ANOF-2 (commissioning in 1963) and ANOF-3 (full commissioning - 1988).

Vacancies

Crashes at the Kirovsky mine are a frequent phenomenon, the last one was recorded on April 7, 2018. Local residents assure that such an event only impresses an unprepared person. Those who have lived in Kirovsk or Apatity for at least a few years are not afraid of such things, especially since most of the townspeople are employees of the company.

Vacancies at the Kirovsky mine are open for many positions, the company oftenis in search of handymen, specialists in the repair and maintenance of electrical equipment, there are announcements about the need for support staff. The main functional force is sinkers, underground miners and drivers of underground electric transport, explosives. Also, a lot of engineers are employed at the mine - these vacancies open much less often, but if you want to feel the romance of the North, the mountains and great achievements, then it is always possible to find a type of activity at the mine.

The company does not experience an acute shortage of personnel, many of the company work in dynasties, but from time to time jobs need to be filled. The telephone number of the Kirovsky mine is known to the townspeople, even if they are not part of the main staff. The enterprise is a determining factor in the life of the whole region, according to experts, the leadership positions in the industry and the region will remain with it for many more decades in the future.

Address

Kirovsky mine is located in the Murmansk region on the outskirts of the city of the same name.

Today it is the largest apatite deposit, where more than 20 kilometers of mine workings are drilled annually, more than 700 kilometers of wells are cut, the length of exploited horizons is more than 300 kilometers, and over 60 kilometers fall to the share of haulage workings. Modern technical equipment has been introduced at the Kirovsky mine, research work is being carried out. The history of the development of the largest apatite deposit will continuefor a long time, giving the region the opportunity to develop and providing jobs to thousands of people.