This article presents the history of interesting facts about Malyshevsky emeralds. This stone was discovered in the Urals for a long time, however, it still amazes the townsfolk with its beauty and size. Many admire the elegance of rings with Malyshev emeralds, despite their overall dimensions.
Today, high-quality emeralds are a privilege of Colombia, but this has not always been the case. In the period from the middle of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, imperial Russia was famous for the Ural Malyshev emeralds, which had a bright grassy hue. The stones got their name thanks to the deposit of the same name.
Discoveries and developments. History of Malyshev emeralds
The first Ural emeralds were accidentally discovered at the beginning of the XIX century. At that time, not many knew what the legendary mines of Cleopatra look like.
It is believed that the first to find the Ural mines was tarry by the name of Maxim Kozhevnikov. This man uprooted a tree with roots and found in the earth under stones with a green color. Resin who did not know anything about such stones took the gems found for aquamarines, and therefore did not attach much importance to this event. However, after some time, he nevertheless reported the find, sending the stones for examination. The result of the examination showed that resin found emeralds in the Malyshevsky mine.
An emerald of Ural origin shocked connoisseurs with its quality and characteristic bright green hue. The best stones were delivered to the emperor, that is, they did not go on sale. At the royal court jewelry was created with Malyshev emeralds. They could easily "compete" in beauty and grace with Colombian crystals.
The master of the granite factory in Yekaterinburg, Yakov Kokovin, conducted an examination of emeralds of the Malyshevsky deposit. In the end, he said that the development of copies would be primarily his merit. He organized the extraction of minerals, his people found a deposit, and it was he who established that the Ural mines are surprisingly rich.
The Malyshevskoye deposit continued to exist serene and supply emeralds to the market. This mine never stopped working. People died, power changed, and work was in full swing at the mine.
Mine during the USSR
However, in the thirties in the USSR they were more worried about safety than about beauty. Therefore, for a rather long period of time, the Soviet authorities put the extraction of Malyshev emeralds into the background and concentrated all their attention on the extraction of beryllium ores. Since then, the mine has been wholly devoted to the search for beryllium ore, as this was demanded by the country's needs.
Beryllium ore was used in the defense industry and many other industries. Thus, the displaced Malyshev emeralds were forgotten for a long time. At that time, no one had the idea of developing a deposit for the extraction of both ore and precious stones. Dynamite, used in the process of beryllium ore mining, smashed emeralds or caused numerous cracks on expensive and rare stones.
Ore continued to be mined until the collapse of the Soviet Union, after which the mine was closed and miners were allowed to go home. However, the leave of these workers did not last long.
Since privatization swept Russia in 1993, the Ural gem deposits were privatized. For example, the Malyshev Emeralds OJSC appeared.
After three years of work under the leadership of private companies, the richest field has turned into a kind of "feeding trough" of criminal elements. Based on the current situation, the then leaders of the company soon announced that the field was unpromising. Further development at the site of the mine ceased. Mines were at risk of flooding.
Failed resuscitation
In 2008, attempts were made to reanimate the mine and bring it back to life. A foreign organization came to the rescue of the bankrupt company, which offered investments for the development of the deposit in the amount of $ 12 million. But the “resurrection” of the Malyshevsky mine did not take place, despite the fact that it had already announced the opening of the mine and the recruitment of personnel for work. Investments were suspended, the Western company did not fulfill its promises, since the leaders of the bankrupt company could not submit the necessary documents for obtaining a license.
Mine today
But the Ural emeralds have not sunk into oblivion. Over the past few years, rich copies have passed into the hands of the state. Authorities were able to save the Malyshevskoye field from flooding and ruin. The mine was purchased from individuals.
The field was discovered for the following reasons:
- it is a great place to mine beryllium ore;
- extremely rich in emeralds;
- also distinguished by deposits of rubidium and other valuable metals.
Forecasts
According to experts, the Malyshevskoye field plans to produce more than 700 kg of emeralds. These figures are approximate, but they will be a confirmation of the profitability of the mine.
It is known that the price for one carat of jewelry with Malyshev emeralds reaches $ 3,500.
However, emphasis is again being placed on the extraction of beryllium ore, while emeralds will be mined as an accompanying product.
The development and development of the Malyshevsky field remains, one way or another, a priority.
In addition to searching for emeralds and ores, the mines will serve as a place for the mining of rubidium and other metals.
Initially, no more than 100 miners worked at the field. The recruitment of more staff was later announced, and the staff expanded significantly over time. The mine has become a workplace for 600 workers of various profiles.
Unjustified fears
Previously, there were rumors that this mine is not being developed, because the famous company De Beers, engaged in the extraction of emeralds in Colombia, does not allow the Ural gems to enter the international market.
It was assumed that the notorious company was trying to maintain a branch of the championship in the sale of emeralds and was in every way sophisticated to put "sticks in wheels" to the Malyshevsky mine. The company's actions to block access to the international market consisted in doubting the quality and value of Malyshevsky stones.
However, these rumors have not been confirmed. All the fears of the townsfolk will be dispelled when they see that the Ural emeralds will fill with themselves store shelves around the world. And then lovers of precious stones will be able to appreciate bracelets, earrings and rings with Malyshevsky emeralds.
Features of Emeralds
Malyshev emeralds are distinguished by the following properties:
- they are characterized by high hardness - about 8 units, according to the Mohs scale;
- they are quite large;
- have a characteristic grassy green color.
The hardness and other characteristics of the stones are unchanged, that is, inherent in stones of both high and low quality. All salt lies in the shade and transparency of the emerald. In the case when the crystal is transparent and has a bright green color, its value jumps to the maximum point.
The gems of Ural origin in the latter indicator are not inferior to the most expensive Colombian emeralds.
There is only one problem - in the Urals, only 5% of the stones from the total size of production are high-quality, which significantly increases their cost.
Almost all crystals with a green tint found on the territory of the Malyshevsky deposit are large in size. An example is the emerald called “President” - its weight was about 1.5 kg.
"The president"
However, the fate of the “President” is rather contradictory. It was indeed discovered in the early 90s of the last century and named after the first president of the Russian Federation. The stone was to be handed over to Yeltsin himself, but then this decision was changed. Later, the fate of the crystal was to become the property of the Diamond Fund - as a result of the outstanding debt of the mining company, the emerald was confiscated from its leaders.
Employees of the company stopped their work when unpleasant but truthful rumors began to hover around the new owners. The organization was not going to pay its employees a salary and declared itself bankrupt. In the light of these events, the legendary President stone was sold for only $ 150,000, while its true value was three times as much.
Curse of the Emerald
Among the Colombian people, there is a belief that only the person who got it or found it is destined to become the owner of the green crystal. In this regard, companies and individuals interested in profit are engaged in emerald mining in the country. Such people are called "treasure seekers."
Searchers extract stones, but this leads to the fact that they often become victims of criminal elements. Bandits without a twinge of conscience take away the found gems from the miners, sometimes brutally cracking down on them.
On the territory of Russia there are also many superstitions associated with stones. Some people believe that emeralds are endowed with powerful energy and can cause disaster. In support of these words, several true stories are given.
History of Kozhevnikov
The story of Maxim’s resin, who was “lucky” to discover the first few gems, is the first “curse story”. After he managed to find a deposit of stones, he retrained and became an employee of the mine. Hard work and other circumstances significantly affected the life of Kozhevnikov. A few years after the momentous event, the resin died from tuberculosis.
Evil Rock Overtaking Kokovin
This is the second victim of emeralds. A craftsman from a granite factory was literally fascinated by crystals. He did not cease to admire their beauty. According to people who knew him, in his office was hidden one large emerald, in which he simply did not cherish a soul. One day, a state adviser visited his office, to whom he told all the delights of his treasure. Naturally, such frankness did not benefit him.
They came to him with a warrant to pack all the gems in the office and send them to the emperor for examination.
The parcels were inspected by L. A. Petrovsky, who also had a special love for gems. An envious examiner informed Nicholas I that he had not discovered a valuable emerald during the examination of the stones sent. This news angered the head of state, and he ordered the arrest of Jacob.
Petrovsky did not experience the slightest remorse. His actions led to the detention of the master. Subsequently, the court could not justify Jacob, although the stone was not found either in the apartment of the suspect or in his workplace. Kokovin was sentenced to several years in prison. And, although he was released ahead of schedule, his imprisonment greatly undermined his health - he suddenly died already at large.
Lev Petrovsky subsequently influenced the discovery of new emerald deposits in Russia. However, history remembered him as an unscrupulous thief who stole a stone and blamed this other person.