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https://doi.org/10.26516/2541-9641.2026.1.156

EDN: KLCXHW

Mica Mining in the Baikal Region in the 17th–19th Centuries

S.V. Snopkov^1,2, I.A. Bogdanova¹

¹Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russia

²Irkutsk National Research Technical University, Irkutsk, Russia

Abstract. The Baikal area is one of the regions in Russia that contains rich deposits of mica. The search for and extraction of mica in the Baikal region began in the 1680s. By the early 1700s, there were several mica mining centers in the region, which were used for windows. However, by the early 1900s, the mica mining industry in the Baikal region had largely ceased due to the development of glass production and a decrease in demand for mica. The revival of mica mining occurred in the early 20th century with the emergence of new applications for phlogopite and muscovite.

Keywords: mica, Baikal region, mica mines, Vitim deposits, Biryusinsk deposits, and Slyudyansk deposits

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Snopkov Sergey Viktorovich,

Candidate of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences, Associate Professor,

Karl Marx st., 1, Irkutsk, 664003, Russia,

Irkutsk State University,

Associate Professor,

91 Lermontov st., Irkutsk, 664033, Russia,

Siberian School of Geosciences Irkutsk National Research Technical University,

Researcher,

email: snopkov_serg@mail.ru

Bogdanova Irina Anatolyevna,

Karl Marx st., 1, Irkutsk, 664003, Russia,

Irkutsk State University,

Senior lecturer,

email: irinairk@gmail.com

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