The Kuzbass state technical university, Kemerovo, e-mail: [email protected]
Siberian Branch of the Academy of Mining Science issued a monograph «History of Mining Development» in the Publishing House «Nauka» (Science) in Novosibirsk in August 2009.
The introducing book is a unique publication on 511 pages comprehensively elucidating the history of mining from ancientry to nowadays. The authors have been working on it for over 10 years analyzing and summarizing extensive material: the bibliography comprises 101 sources. By coverage and material systematization, the resent publication without overstatement can be referred to an encyclopedia of the mining development history within global experience.
The first part is dedicated to historical review of mining development as a world phenomenon, as well as to particularities of home science and practice. The second part presents phases of evolution of the major branches of mining industry starting from prospecting and exploration of minerals, finishing with education development, management, and mining legislation. A reader will find a fascinating review of historical evolution of equipment and technology for geological prospecting, construction and operation of mines, mechanical breaking, drilling and blasting of rocks, timbering of mine workings, mine transport, surveying and minerals preparation. The available information concerning the bottom of the Seven Seas and offshore fields development, conception of the space geology elucidates the future prospects of mining development. The third part is devoted to outstanding scientists, talented researchers and enthusiastic miners since earliest till modern times. There are rare biographical data and review of basic works, characterizing contribution of each scientist into mining development. The fourth part and the last one exposes evolution of the miners’ overalls and mining engineers’ uniform from various countries.
The book is notable for its high printing quality. In abundance of factual materials, it is easy to read. To its highs, it is necessary to refer a good literary language and elegance of style. The book is full of illustrations: it has about 400 drawings and photographs, many of them are unique.
The presenting publication may be rather useful for mining and geological exploration specialists, lecturers and authors of study aids on various specialties of Mining. It is not less important to state the purpose of the book as a means of popularization of human activities – mining. It will be also interesting for school graduates who thinks about future occupational choice.
If the information is interesting to you the authors of the book are ready to consider translating the book into English and publishing it for the concerned specialists abroad especially in the countries of the highly developed mining industry.
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