Valkumey
Encyclopedia
Valkumey is an inhabited locality (an urban-type settlement
) in Chaunsky District
of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
, Russia
, located on the shores of Chaunskaya Bay
(part of the East Siberian Sea
). Population: 0 (2002 Census
);
were extracted from the Valkumey mine in the form of cassiterite
. The mining was done almost entirely by prisoners of and exiles created by the Dalstroy
GULAG
system. Shortly after the opening of this mine, further tin mines opened near Pevek
and Iultin
, and mining became the major element of the Chukotkan economy. Valkumey became one of the major centres of tin mining in the Soviet Union
, supplying a significant percentage of the tin required by the Soviet military.
By 1968, the population of the settlement had risen to 3,700. However, with the closure of the mine, the settlement was abandoned in 1998, with the remaining population moving to the town of Pevek
, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) up the coast to the north. As of 2009, Valkumey is included in the list of settlements currently in the process of being liquidated.
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...
) in Chaunsky District
Chaunsky District
Chaunsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the six in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. It is located on the northern shore of the autonomous okrug and in terms of the administrative divisions borders Shmidtovsky District in the northeast, Anadyrsky District in the...
of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug
Chukotka Autonomous Okrug , or Chukotka , is a federal subject of Russia located in the Russian Far East.Chukotka has a population of 53,824 according to the 2002 Census, and a surface area of . The principal town and the administrative center is Anadyr...
, Russia
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 on the shores of Chaunskaya Bay
Chaunskaya Bay
The Chaunskaya Bay or Chaun Bay is an Arctic bay in the East Siberian Sea, in the Chaunsky District of Chukotka, northeast Siberia.The bay is open to the north and is 140 km in length. Its maximum width is 110 km. Its mouth is defined by Cape Shelagsky to the east and an unnamed part of...
(part of the East Siberian Sea
East Siberian Sea
The East Siberian Sea is a marginal sea in the Arctic Ocean. It is located between the Arctic Cape to the north, the coast of Siberia to the south, the New Siberian Islands to the west and Cape Billings, close to Chukotka, and Wrangel Island to the east...
). Population: 0 (2002 Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
);
History
Valkumey was founded in 1941 when mining began in this area, and the first few tons of tinTin
Tin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
were extracted from the Valkumey mine in the form of cassiterite
Cassiterite
Cassiterite is a tin oxide mineral, SnO2. It is generally opaque, but it is translucent in thin crystals. Its luster and multiple crystal faces produce a desirable gem...
. The mining was done almost entirely by prisoners of and exiles created by the Dalstroy
Dalstroy
Dalstroy , also known as Far North Construction Trust, was an organization set up in 1931 by the Soviet NKVD in order to manage road construction and the mining of gold in the Chukotka region of the Russian Far East, now known as Kolyma. Initially it was established as State Trust for Road and...
GULAG
Gulag
The Gulag was the government agency that administered the main Soviet forced labor camp systems. While the camps housed a wide range of convicts, from petty criminals to political prisoners, large numbers were convicted by simplified procedures, such as NKVD troikas and other instruments of...
system. Shortly after the opening of this mine, further tin mines opened near Pevek
Pevek
Pevek is a town and Arctic port in Chaunsky District, part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. After Anadyr and Bilibino it is the third largest town in Chukotka. Population: Municipally, the town is subordinated to Chaunsky Municipal district and together with Apapelgino and Yanranay, is...
and Iultin
Iultin
Iul'tin is a small airport in Russia located 5 km northeast of Iul'tin. It consists of a small paved airstrip servicing a very remote mining town....
, and mining became the major element of the Chukotkan economy. Valkumey became one of the major centres of tin mining in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, supplying a significant percentage of the tin required by the Soviet military.
By 1968, the population of the settlement had risen to 3,700. However, with the closure of the mine, the settlement was abandoned in 1998, with the remaining population moving to the town of Pevek
Pevek
Pevek is a town and Arctic port in Chaunsky District, part of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Russia. After Anadyr and Bilibino it is the third largest town in Chukotka. Population: Municipally, the town is subordinated to Chaunsky Municipal district and together with Apapelgino and Yanranay, is...
, 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) up the coast to the north. As of 2009, Valkumey is included in the list of settlements currently in the process of being liquidated.