Arktikugol

Arktikugol (Russian Арктикуголь to German: Arctic coal; often Arktikugol Trust, also Arcticugol ) is a coal mining company in Russian (formerly Soviet ) state ownership, which in Barentsburg on Svalbard (Norway ) is established. Arktikugol is heavily subsidized by the Russian government.

History

Beginning of Soviet activities

After February 9, 1920, the Spitsbergen Treaty all the countries that signed this treaty, equal rights for degradation of natural resources zubilligte, it came on July 29 this year to the first resolution of the Soviet Union in terms of their interests in the coal mining in the north.

The mines in pyramids were first exploited by a Swedish company in 1917, they were part of the SpetsbergenSvenska Kolflt. In Grumantbyen the Anglo Russian Grumant Company was active from 1920 to 1926, the Swedish company bought up 1926. Sojusljesprom signed on June 12, 1931 agreement, as a result, they took over the Anglo- Russian company entirely. In Barentsburg, the experimental mining operation started in 1900, from 1921 to 1932 was the NV Nederlandsche Spitsbergen Compagnie ( Nespico ) active here. 1932 finally got these mining facility in the possession of the Russian company.

Emergence and development of the Trust

On July 30, 1931 suggested Sergei Bergawinow, the head of the company Sojusljesprom to organize the Soviet coal plants in Svalbard in a new Trust. On September 25th of this year Grigory Konstantinovich Ordzhonikidze handed, chairman of the National Economic Council, the Soviet commissioners a proposal for the establishment of the Trust Arktikugol, which was adopted on 7 October 1931. On the same day it came to the signing of the Articles of Association; Trust seat was Moscow.

From 1941 to 1947 all the mines were shut down. The mines in Grumantbyen were then still in operation until 1961, In 1998, the closure of the mines of pyramids due to poor economy. The settlement remained completely intact, however, was a ghost town.

News

Today Arktikugol is the only non - Norwegian mining company on Svalbard. The annual production of coal, about 120,000 tons, is considered to be unprofitable; Russia is nevertheless at the site Svalbard fixed, among other things, the deep fjords for its submarines to use. Currently Arktikugol plans to open a new mine in Colesbukta ( between Longyearbyen and Barentsburg near Grumant, Norwegian: Grumantbyen ), in the vicinity in 1962 another ( non-Russian ) mine was closed. This project is controversial because of the ecological importance of that region and there rich tundra vegetation, but approved by the Norwegian side. The company's proprietary research station regards the reaction leading to new mine road the only problem for the environment - but as the coal should not be transported overland but by sea, even this environmental risk would be avoided. Artikugol plans to open this mine for 2010 and will thereby raise more than half a million tons of coal, which clearly is still below the mark of the Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, which produces around three million tons of coal per year, the annual production. The new mine will be 50 to 60 years in operation.

On October 17, discovered in 2006 Norwegian inspectors in Barentsburg a smoldering underground fire. An outbreak of an open fire, it was feared, which quite Barentsburg for an indefinite period would have had to be evacuated. Also problems in the environment could not be excluded. On 3 November, the fire seemed under control, but there are doubts that Arktikugol knows how to deal due to poor equipment with such problems. This is not also the only incident in the recent past: In 1996, in a plane crash 141 people lost their lives, in September 1997, about 20 Russian miners died in an explosion on 30 March 2008 came two Russian and Ukrainian workers in a crash of a Mi -8 helicopter in the company's possession died after it fell on the landing maneuvers in a gust of wind.

Work and life in society

The workers will receive a two-year contract for operation entry. In mutual satisfaction the workers can remain after this time as long as they want. For the miners, the company operates its own, held in socialist prefab architecture settlement in which nearly 500 people live, including a few children and 100 women. The latter are in a factory, are produced in the Norwegian national costumes, a job. Through a revival of the mines in Grumant, the population of the settlement Arktikugol could double to about 1000. Arktikugol operates in addition to a research station also has a cafeteria, a supermarket and a hotel.

Ranked among the miners in Arktikugol Soviet times still to the privileged class, the life of today about 600 workers is characterized by extreme isolation, and flights to Murmansk and subsidies from the mother country are becoming increasingly rare. The workers make today come mainly from Ukraine and earn barely a tenth of the workers of the Store Norske Spitsbergen Kulkompani, the Norwegian society in Longyearbyen, but more than in other mines in the former USSR.

Own currency

Within society Arktikugol there was a separate currency ( rubles and kopecks ), which is often referred to as the northernmost in the world. Coins and banknotes from Arktikugol are scarce and in demand by collectors. Banknotes are available in two series (1961 and 1979 ), coins from the 20th century three (1946, 1993, 1998 ), the series from 1998 has never been in circulation. The coins from 1993 had to be withdrawn from circulation after a few months, since Norway has criticized the fact that the assertion of Российская Федерация ("Russian Federation" ) and Шпицберген ( " Spitzbergen " ) gives the impression that group of islands belong to Russia. The coins were minted in St. Petersburg; the first two series are considered tokens. Two commemorative coins to the Kursk disaster and the terrorist attacks in New York are known from the year 2001, their status as a coin is, however, doubted. Also stamps were printed for Arktikugol.

Today, the payments in the Company's markets and works canteens cash by means of smart cards, the wages of the laborers receive less of these expenses until the end of the employment relationship.