The Industry and Technology Department of the Institute for the Study of Siberia: establishment, activities and contribution to the development of the Siberian region

This article explores the foundation and operation of the Industry and Technology Department of the Institute for the Study of Siberia (ISS) on the basis of a wide range of sources, documentary publications and scientific literature. During the work of the Section of Chemistry and Chemical Technology and the Section of Geology and Mining, a lot of important questions were raised. Among them were the creation of the platinum, gold, lead, zinc, silver and iron mining industries; the foundation of a number of research institutes in the key industry fields; the establishment of peat mining, electrochemical and aluminum industries; the establishment of the cellulose and paperboard production, production of wood alcohol, acetone, acetic acid and its salts, formalin, tar, turpentine, colophony, various resins, creosote substances, etc. In summary, during the work of the aforementioned sections, monumental tasks were set, the accomplishment of which could make Siberia an advanced industrial region. The work of the Industry and Technology Department of the ISS is analyzed. At first, the work could not be started due to the fact that the Institute for the Study of Siberia was not an official state institution and could not get any funding from the government. The work of the department members proceeded within the framework of their scientific specialty. For example, N.P. Chizhevsky researched the problem of metallurgical fuels, I.I. Bobarykov studied the mechanical and chemical properties of the Siberian forests, G.G. Povarnin worked in the field of researching the mechanical and chemical properties of leather, L.N. Bogoyavlensky researched radium detection and extraction, V.Yu. Mostovich researched the lead and zinc ores of the Ridder deposit, etc. The activities of the Industry and Technology Department during the period of Soviet rule are analyzed. In the early 1920s, the department was almost completely dormant due to the absence of gas, electricity and heating in the laboratories of Tomsk University and Tomsk Institute of Technology. Also, the practicality of the department existence as such came into question, given the tendency of the Soviet Government to concentrate all technical studies in the Council of National Economy. Despite all of that, the department continued its operation. On March 21, 1920, members of the department presented the program on research of flax cultivation, sheep breeding, wool and cloth industry, salt lakes exploration, forestry, bee-keeping and poultry raising, iron and metal industry, etc. Therefore, as can be seen, the Industry and Technology Department set tasks much more modest than those presented by the participants of the Section of Chemistry and Chemical Technology and the Section of Geology and Mining at the Congress on the Foundation of ISS. The main reason for that was the poor economic situation of the Russian Government headed by A.V. Kolchak, which was unable to provide the department with necessary funding.

Keywords

Authors

References