From investigation history of Gorny Altai by P.A. Chihachev in 1842

The article reveals a significant event in the history of investigation of Gorny Altai in pre-Soviet time -the geological expedition of a Russian scientist P.A. Chihachev in 1842. The work analyses the aim and tasks of the scientific expedition,which had no analogue either before or after 1842. The Ministry of Finance entrusted the outstanding scientist who had Europeanrecognition with the investigation of all the south-eastern part of the Altai region, which was not investigated because of its remotenessfrom the main mining centres of Zmeinogorsk and Salair districts, and because it was uninhabited and hard to reach as well. The FinanceDepartment, which rented the entire Altai mountain district, thought it to be important to hold general geological investigation ofore wealth in that part of Altai. The department intended to find out the prospects of industrial development of stream and ore gold andother ore resources in South-Eastern Altai. Another aim of the scientist was exploration of the region bordering with the Chinese Empireand detection of river heads of the main rivers of South-Eastern Altai: the Chuya and the Chulyshman. The work describes in detail theroute of the scientific expedition. While investigating the geological structure of the banks of the Sema, the Ursul, the Katun, the Chuya,the Chulyshman and their inflows, the scientist compiled the pictures of rocks, which he studied during the expedition. P.A. Chihachevpointed out three goldfields, which he found in the course of his journey, they are the basins of the Sema, the Ursul and the Chuya.Along the Chulyshman inflow -the Kairu - he investigated an iron-ore deposit and came to a conclusion that the deposit was promisingfor industrial development despite its remoteness and inaccessibility. He found demonstrations of brown iron in other regions of GornyAltai. The work underlines the significance of Chihachevs geological discoveries in Gorny Altai. In some places the scientist foundcinnabar and almost one hundred years later following the tracks of Chihachevs expedition the Soviet scientists found large deposits ofmercury. The scientist paid attention to the displays of non-metallic rocks and minerals. Afterwards in the last third of the 19th centurythe scientists conducted searches of asbestos for its industrial mining. When conducting prospecting works P.A. Chihachev used wellboring. The significance of the investigation in 1834 is in the fact that besides clarification of the geological picture of Gorny AltaiP.A. Chihachev studied the hydrology, described the flora and fauna of the district, he also discovered the river heads of the Chuya andthe Chulyshman and the phenomenon of permafrost in South-Eastern Altai. Chihachev left many valuable recommendations and suggestionsconcerning the economic use of natural resources of Gorny Altai.

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