Udachny
Encyclopedia
Udachny is a town in Mirninsky District of the Sakha Republic, Russia
, located 1370 kilometres (851.3 mi) northwest of Yakutsk
on the Markha River. Population:
diamond deposit was discovered in 1955, its name meaning "lucky" in Russian
. Due to its isolated location, it was not exploited until the 1960s. In conjunction with the beginnings of diamond production, the urban-type settlement
of Udachny was founded in 1968; town status was granted to it in 1987.
As part of a plan to create the basin for a tailings dam for diamond mine, a 1.7 kilotonne atomic bomb was detonated 98m underground near Udachny on October 2, 1974. Original plans had called for eight similar explosions to be conducted; however, due to radioactive fallout being far greater than expected, the project was halted after the first blast. The shaft in which the explosion was held was not plugged until eighteen years later, with an estimated 7 to 20 meter thick concrete 'sarcophagus'.
for the state-owned ALROSA
corporation.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, located 1370 kilometres (851.3 mi) northwest of Yakutsk
Yakutsk
With a subarctic climate , Yakutsk is the coldest city, though not the coldest inhabited place, on Earth. Average monthly temperatures range from in July to in January. The coldest temperatures ever recorded on the planet outside Antarctica occurred in the basin of the Yana River to the northeast...
on the Markha River. Population:
History
The Udachnaya pipeUdachnaya pipe
Udachnaya pipe is a diamond deposit in the Daldyn-Alakit kimberlite field in Sakha Republic, Russia. It is an open-pit mine, and is located just outside the Arctic circle at . Udachnaya was discovered on June 15, 1955, just two days after the discovery of the diamond pipe Mir by Soviet...
diamond deposit was discovered in 1955, its name meaning "lucky" in Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
. Due to its isolated location, it was not exploited until the 1960s. In conjunction with the beginnings of diamond production, the urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlement
Urban-type settlement ; , selyshche mis'koho typu ) is an official designation for a type of locality used in some of the countries of the former Soviet Union...
of Udachny was founded in 1968; town status was granted to it in 1987.
As part of a plan to create the basin for a tailings dam for diamond mine, a 1.7 kilotonne atomic bomb was detonated 98m underground near Udachny on October 2, 1974. Original plans had called for eight similar explosions to be conducted; however, due to radioactive fallout being far greater than expected, the project was halted after the first blast. The shaft in which the explosion was held was not plugged until eighteen years later, with an estimated 7 to 20 meter thick concrete 'sarcophagus'.
Economy
Diamond mining remains the principal economy activity in the town, Udachny is the second most important diamond production site after MirnyMirny, Sakha Republic
Mirny is a town in the Sakha Republic, Russia, located west of Yakutsk on the Irelyakh River . Population: It was founded in 1955 after the discovery of a nearby kimberlite pipe by expedition led by Yuri Khabardin; it has had town status since 1959.The town is served by Mirny Airport.There is a...
for the state-owned ALROSA
Alrosa
ZAO ALROSA , is Russia's largest diamond company. Alrosa is engaged in the exploration, mining, manufacture and sale of diamonds. The company's operations are located primarily in the Sakha Republic/Yakutsk region. Alrosa accounts for approximately 25% of the world's rough diamond supply and 97%...
corporation.