Team:
"Adventurers from Saratov"
"Welcome to Russian National park"
project
My name is Dasha
and I tell you about the history of salt mining.
It was very interesting information for me because we use this product at home every day.
But not everyone knows exactly how it is made.
Before and now
Lake Baskunchak has been known since ancient times, it is famous for the purest salt - 98%. It was mined, starting from the VIII century by hand, and sent along the Silk Road.
The first mention of this place is found in historical sources since 1627. At that time, salt was extracted with help of shovels and crowbars. It was delivered on camels from the lake to the shore.
Since the 1920s mining has been improved. Machines and combines have been used and railroad has been laid for export. With help of special equipment it is possible to produce up to 300 tons of salt in an hour.
In 1884 the Baskunchak railroad was built for the export of salt from Lake Baskunchak to the Volga River. The movement along the Baskunchak railroad was made only during navigation on the Volga. The length of the road was 76.3 km. The main cargo of the road was salt.
Today "Bassol" is one of Russia's largest companies for salt production. It's located in this region.
The Baskunchak is unique in terms of inexhaustibility. Its reserves are constantly replenished in a natural way.
It is interesting because human intervention practically did not damage this particular ecosystem.
In 1927 scientists tried to reach the bottom of the carbonation and determine the underlying rock. Wells were drilled, excavations were made and work was carried out. They stopped at a mark of 257 meters but they did not reach the bottom.
Despite the endless salt reserves, the lake is still in a protected area. It means that careful treatment of it is regulated by the State organisations.
Lake Baskunchak, where the main salt deposit of our country is located, is not only a unique natural place, but also an important resource of Russian economy.
