Society

In the late 19th century, Russia mined 40 times more platinum than the rest of the world combined. And yet, despite the skyrocketing demand, over 80% of that was exported to Europe at a meagre cost. What did a mining engineer do to stem the flow of huge losses?

Students, postgraduate students, and staff of St. Petersburg Mining University celebrated the 78th anniversary of the total liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi blockade by laying flowers at the monument to the fallen in the courtyard of the first academic building. Despite the vacations, dozens of people came to the ceremony organized by the Council of Students. This holiday in St. Petersburg-Leningrad is very personal, which sets the tone for all the speeches.

St. Petersburg Mining University students say their alma mater is one of the top higher educational institutions in Russia

Boris Bokii is rightly considered one of the founders of mining science who propelled early-20th-century coal mining to a new level. His brother was by no means a less prominent figure. Up to date, he is often called ’the most unusual person in the history of Soviet intelligence services.’

When Yuri Bilibin was convincing officials that there were large reserves of placer gold in the country’s northeast, members of the commission expressed disbelief. They wanted even to re-certify him as a mining engineer. The expedition took place, nevertheless. The participants lost provisions and part of their equipment while rafting, almost dying of cold, but the nuggets they found on the banks of the Kolyma tributaries changed the whole of gold mining in Russia.

Educational work with youngsters must be improved, the university rector notes

Are streets of EU towns and cities decorated for Christmas? What about traditional fairs and festivals? Have they been cancelled this year? And how badly has the spread of the Omicron variant affected the sentiment amongst locals?

St. Petersburg Mining University team named ’Oil Workers and the Pump’ took second place in the Autumn Cup of the International Engineering CASE-IN Championship

Alexander Column, the focal point of Palace Square in St. Petersburg, Russia, is set to last at least another 300 years. That’s what conservation professionals, who are taking care of the monument, say. However, local geologists have expressed their doubts about the accuracy of the figures. What are the odds the column won’t collapse right before our eyes?

In the late-19th century, Alexander Auerbach, a renowned mining engineer, set up mercury production, becoming thus the first to do so in Russia. His business was expected to be an imminent success. So how come 20 years later, he declared himself bankrupt?