In the Urals opened excursions to the only emerald mine in Russia
In a unique excursion you can participate in the Urals – in the Sverdlovsk region began to let tourists to the Mariinsky mine. It is the only emerald deposit in Russia and one of three existing in the world.
Mariinsky mine has developed for its guests three tourist routes lasting from 40 minutes to 5 hours. The program includes a visit to the museum of the enterprise and its productions, tourists will be able to see unique machines, see precious stones still in the rock, learn about the history and nuances of their extraction, and also become prospectors themselves for a while and participate in the washing of ore and the search for rare minerals.
Officially, the mine was called "Mariinsky" in honor of the Orthodox St. Mary of Egypt. It was founded in April 1834 by the commander of the Yekaterinburg Laminatery Factory Y.V. Kokovin. The modern mine was opened on the basis of the emerald-beryllium deposit. The main components of the deposit are emerald and beryllium oxide, associated - chrysoberyl, phenakit, alexandrite, phlogopite, lithium, rubidium, cesium.
Among the major finds of the mine are the legendary "Emerald Kokovina" weighing more than 2 kg., emerald plaster "Miner's Glory" (6 kg), "Governor's" (1.1 kg), emerald crystal weighing 1.6 kg. "Marin Dar".
According to the press service of the regional government, the first tourists visited the mine on April 11. Guests saw the extraction of emeralds, alexandrites, phenacites and beryls, sorting, evaluation and storage of precious stones. The first tourists were looking for jewelry, and found beryl, quartz and apatite in the breed. All findings by law had to be left in the company.
Photo: marmine
Source: nakanune