Динамика золотодобычи в Сибири в 1920–1922 гг.

Abstract

The article aims to analyze the dynamics of gold mining in Siberia in 1920–1922 years and to determine the role and importance of the Siberian gold industry on the all-Russian scale. This is achieved through a consistent research of the annual gold indicators in Siberia as a whole, as well as production indicators in each major gold mining region of Siberia (except for the territories that were part of the Far Eastern Republic). The dynamics of the number of employees engaged in gold mining in Siberia during this period is also studied. The main historiographic problem of the history of gold mining in Siberia in 1920–1922 is the lack of data on metal mining in absolute parameters; research is mainly based on relative indicators. The article is based on data from statistical reporting materials of the Main Committee of the Gold and Platinum Industry (Glavzoloto) of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet of the National Economy, which systematically published information about the all-Russian and regional production in specialized periodicals. To clarify and expand the understanding of the organization of the gold industry in Siberia, archival data of the State Archive of Novosibirsk Oblast was used. In 1920–1922, more than 7 tons of gold were mined in Siberia, which accounted for 85% of all-Russian gold mining during this period. The absolute leader of Siberian gold mining, like in the pre-revolutionary period, was Lensky gold mining area, which in 1920–1922 gave 84,85% of all-Siberian gold mining. In 1920–1922, Middle Siberia (Yenisei Province) produced more than 1 and Western Siberia about 0.2 tons of gold, which amounted to 12.25% and 2.3% of the all-Russian result, respectively. The period of 1920–1922 was one of the most difficult for the emerging Soviet gold industry both on a national scale and for specific gold mining regions, including Siberia in particular. The main reasons for the crisis of the Siberian gold industry were, first of all, the lack of food, huge difficulties in organizing the delivery of goods to the mining areas, the decline of the technical condition of mines. In some areas, attacks by armed gangs posed a serious threat to the work of gold mining enterprises. During 1920–1922, the authorities were forced to focus on the support of only the largest and most efficient (in terms of production of the metal) units Lenzoloto and Enzoloto. The rest of the gold-mining regions of Siberia switched to prospecting works. As a whole, the central and local authorities, making great efforts, provided a significant increase in Siberian and all-Russian gold mining.