THE_MINING_MUSEUM (1)

THE MINING MUSEUM

(горный музей)

The building of the Mining Institute housing the mineralogical collection was designed by the Russian architect A. Voronikhin. The museum housed on the first floor originated(возник) from the Chamber(камера) of Russian and foreign minerals in which the most noteworthy samples(примечательные образцы) of minerals, ores(руды) and industrial goods(пром. Изделия) were collected, as ordered by(по распоряжению) the Bercollegium. The collection was being particularly enriched(обогащ.) due to the donations(пожертвований) by field parties. For instance, one of the parties brought about 50,000 samples of Siberian minerals, ores and rocks(породы). Whole collections and sometimes separate items were purchased from Russian and foreign owners. Numerous(многочисленные) gifts of ex-students of the Mining School were also of great value(значительны).

At present more than 36,000 samples are exhibited in 18 halls of museum. Six halls (from II to VII) are dedicated to mineralogy, a fundamental science for all branches of geology. The exhibitions comprise 15,000 mineral samples and objects made of gems(др. Камней) and semi-precious stones(полу-драг. Камней). Purely geological objects are displayed in seven halls (from XI to XVI). In hall XVII various rocks(породы) including building and ornamental stones(поделочных камней) are represented. The department of the study of the metallic, non-metallic and combustible minerals set up not long ago occupies halls XVIII-XX. History of geological exploration and mining equipment is on display(представлены) in halls VIII and IX.

The importance of the Museum is not limited only to the wonderful samples collected and displayed there, but it is first and foremost a peculiar(своеобразный) “stone text-book” for students. Similar to the course of lectures delivered at the Institute, the mineralogical department begins with the presentation of general notions of mineralogical science. (Подобный курс лекций в институте, минералогического отдела начинается с представления общих понятий минералогических наук.) In the museum we could see the models crystal structures of minerals. Minerals are also displayed according to their chrystallomorphologic types and physical properties such as colour, luster(блеск), hardness(твердость), magnetizationНамагничиваемость) etc. There is a special exhibition “Ontogeny of minerals” illustrating the reconstruction of “biographies” of minerals and demonstrating different ways of crystal generation.( Существует специальная выставка "Онтогенез полезных ископаемых" иллюстрирующих реконструкции "биографии" минералов и демонстрации различных способов кристаллов поколения.)

There are many unique minerals and mineral objects in the Museum. One of the oldest and the most remarkable exhibits is an enormous block of Uralian malachite weighing 1,504 kg., which was donated to the “Mineral Chamber” by Empress Catherine II.( Один из старейших и самых замечательных экспонатов является огромный блок уральский малахит весом 1504 кг., Которая была передана в дар "Минеральные палата" императрицы Екатерины II.) And the enormous copper nugget(медный самородок) (842 kg) from Kazakhastan known as “Bearskin” should also be mentioned.

The Mining Museum has a large collection of iron meteorites. Two of them are on display: “Avgustinovka” in hall III and a large 450-kg sample of the famous meteorite rain which fell over the mountains of the Sikhote-Alin Range in the Far East in 1948.