Akukan mine

The Akukan mine (Russian: Рудник Акукан) operated during 1927-1932 for the excavation of muscovite (potash mica). It was located in the Akukan Ravine of the Akukan River,[lower-alpha 1] north of Baikal Lake, Buryatia, 40 km North-East-East off Nizhneangarsk, 7 km North of the village Kholodnaya (now settlement Kholodhy).[1]

There are documentary indications that to man the mine a Special-Purpose Camp (lager osobogo naznachenia) of OGPU was operated. It held both regular criminals and political convicts. At the same time there are documents regarding the use of the labor of "special settlers". In August 1932 the mine was closed as exhausted. The locals refer to the mine site as "the former labor camp". In the collection "The Beloved Northern Land" compiled by N.K Kiselyova the place is referred to both as a labor camp and a special settlement.[2] It is conjectured that the camp operated until 1931, and the special settlement thereafter.[1]

In 1930 it held about 200 inmates and there was an uprising and escape of the inmates.[1]

Currently a tourist trail exists from the automobile road to the site.[1]

Notes
  1. Akukan River is a left tributary of Chaya River, the latter being the right tributary of Lena River

References
  1. Рудник Акукан, Virtual Museum of GULAG (archived; the website was seized by Russian police in 2008)
  2. "The Beloved Northern Land" Любимый северный край : К 80-летию Северо-Байкальского района / [Сост. Н.К. Киселева]. - Улан-Удэ : Респ. тип., 2006. - 144 с., pp. 109-113 (Любимый северный край)

Further reading

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