Nephrites of the Republic of Buryatia. Where is jade mined in Russia: the largest deposits, mining methods and application Buryat jade products

The shootout in Oka is just part of the “jade iceberg.” It’s unlikely that anyone will tell the whole truth about what happened there. This point of view was expressed to Inform Policy by a person who has certain knowledge of what is called the “jade business in Buryatia.”

Let us note that he came to the conversation after much persuasion and a promise that his name and personal data would not be mentioned in any way.

It's not because I'm afraid. There are simply certain moral obligations to the people with whom I had to share a crust of bread in the taiga. For the same reason, I will not reveal all the secrets of jade mining.

Our interlocutor said that he would limit himself to some general information that would at least shed some light on what is happening in the “bear corners” of our republic.

- Let's start with a loud shootout in Oka. How often do such cases occur?

The situation there is something like this - the brigade has entered someone else's territory. The second party called the violators “to talk.” At the “strelka” someone’s nerves could not stand it... Oka is mainly run by one Ulan-Ude group, well-known in the 90s. By the way, she has a difficult relationship with the locals - Zakamensky, Tunkinsky, Okinsky. They don’t like strangers who encroach on their jade. However, what happened in Oka is quite a rare occurrence.

- Why?

But there was a shootout, right? This means that some kind of division did take place there. Is Oka jade really so valuable that people would kill for it?

Okinsky, Tunkinsky and Zakamensky jade, of course, has a price. But compared to Baunt’s, these are mere pennies. For a kilogram of Oka stone they give 500 dollars. There the jade gives off a greenish appearance. It is less valuable, called “stone from the seven” - jade from the seventh ore deposit. But you can also earn a foreign car or an apartment with it. Look how many expensive cars there are in the city and in the regions, driven by young people. Not officials, not deputies. All of them are officially unemployed. For the most part they are associated with jade. But in Baunt - yes there! There is especially valuable white jade there. Previously, a kilogram of top-quality jade from Kavokta fetched $5,000. Now, however, no more than 3000 bucks.

- For some, jade mining is something mysterious. How is everything going?

If we talk about specific methods of extraction, there are two of them. The first way is to dig, and on an industrial scale, using excavators, bulldozers and other heavy equipment. How do they get her there? It’s easy - real roads have already been paved in the taiga. It's safer to dig. Here they take in volumes. Jade is raked out in whole layers...

The second way is to dive into rivers. Such miners are called “divers.” They collect jade pellets at the bottom, which are very valuable. If you find a large white pellet at the bottom of the river, you are guaranteed for life. The price reaches 12 million rubles! But this is the most dangerous method of extraction. Divers die every year, despite expensive scuba gear, compressors, and professional skills. Well, there is a third way - theft. However, this is fraught...

- These are robberies, or what?

Theft. Robbery there, as they say, “won’t work.” The teams are very well prepared. They don’t take anyone there. Preference is given to people who are “experienced”, who know a lot and are capable, who have undergone special training; often the guys who work there are those who have been through “hot spots”. Many have weapons.

- Who goes to mine jade?

Irkutsk, Chita, Krasnoyarsk residents work in the taiga... From all over Russia. Recently, jade makers from Central Asia have appeared. They had their own deposits, but they ran out. So their “thieves” switched to Buryatia. But for the most part they are, of course, local. There are many urban ones, but even more rural ones. They are more resilient and know the taiga. And, most importantly, for them jade earnings are fantastic money. They usually enter the taiga in winter, when the rivers rise, and they can easily reach hard-to-reach points along the “winter road.” They bring in fuel and lubricants, food, equipment and tools. In addition, in winter the rivers freeze to the bottom. The searchers are chiseling the ice, looking for pellets. Then they sell it.

- Who buys? Chinese citizens right there?

There are no Chinese in the taiga, only ours there. I remember there were attempts by the Chinese to penetrate Baunt. They almost got shot there. And they sell the stone not in the taiga, but in Ulan-Ude, Irkutsk, Chita, etc. But jade goes only to China. Because no one else needs this stone.

- And how much can you earn from selling?

Well, the workers themselves don’t sell. They only mine. Then they give everything to the people who hired them, provided them with tools, food, and “roof.” All the money goes to the “common fund”, from which money is allocated to the workers. On average, it comes out from 600 thousand to a million rubles per season. For everyone.

- Isn't it too much?

Fine. The volumes are huge! They transport jade with KamAZ trucks; they say that even helicopters were used before. Sometimes 50 tons are exported per season! So do the math... Prices are lower now. The price fell because production volumes increased sharply. Now they are digging there on a huge scale.

- So we’ll write about how profitable this business is, and everyone and everyone will flock to the taiga...

They won't rush. Not everyone can go to the taiga. You need skills, the ability to survive. My friends who go there know how to shoot and fight well. The psychological factor must also be taken into account. Not everyone can live in the taiga in a close group for six months or a year. There are also “thieves” there, i.e. those who spent time in the camps. They are no strangers to living in spartan conditions.

Don’t forget that those who go there need considerable initial capital. You need tools, food, you need to pay to be allowed into the field. However, even if there is money, it is not a fact that they will let you through and, most importantly, they will let you out of there. Some, of course, make it through with a bang – they go it alone. They come for two weeks and go back. But this is rare. In addition, it is worth remembering that not everyone earns 600 thousand. Many return empty-handed or, even worse, in debt.

- So, before going, you need to make connections? With whom?

This is no longer a question for me... These issues are decided by people with connections in the criminal world. And they don’t hire just anyone. Certain “recommendations” are needed. By the way, the main income from sales accumulates with them. I heard that some seniors “raised” several million dollars per season. This is net income minus expenses for equipment, tools, food, and security. But even ordinary workers, if they’re lucky, have enough. It also happens that money is put into a common pot. This season they buy an expensive foreign car for one, and the next - for another.

- Well, who is behind the brigades in Baunt, Oka, Tunka? Our people, Irkutsk, Chita, Muscovites?

I say again that prefabricated teams work almost everywhere. Some walk on the “rooftops” of Ulan-Ude crime, others are envoys from Chita (this is mainly Baunt), others are from Irkutsk (Tunka prey). There are many who walk near Moscow. And not only the Moscow criminals, but also representatives of a number of official structures.

- There were a lot of rumors about grandfather Hasan, and about “red roofs”, and about state corporations...

I won't comment on this. I’ll just say – there is legal mining, and there is illegal mining. Our interlocutor flatly refused to talk about the specific people who run the jade business, citing the fact that he did not know their names. And he doesn’t want to slander anyone again.

The fact that very serious people are involved in the jade business was once said by the former Minister of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Buryatia, Viktor Syusyura. We think many people remember his famous phrase, which he said when leaving the pre-trial detention center: “In Buryatia, we stepped on the tail of the jade mafia.” But for some reason the general never said who exactly “stepped on the tail.”

It is worth noting another interesting fact. Jade has been mined for many years. However, the hype only began last year. Most likely, the disappearance of a major player in the person of Dylacha from the market shook the established balance. The deposits were temporarily left without an owner. Taking this opportunity, teams of “black diggers” attacked them, trying to grab a piece of the “ownerless pie” during this time. Perhaps there was another factor at work. On January 30 of this year, one of the associates of grandfather Hasan, known in the criminal world, a certain Timur Tbilissky (Mirzoev), suddenly died. The same one who, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, was responsible for issues in the illegal business related to mining. And there was interest not only in gold, but also in jade. Even then, the police warned that the death of Mirzoev’s authority could provoke a showdown in the jade sector. “New conflicts may arise in Moscow, Sochi, Irkutsk and Ulan-Ude. Timur has a percentage in the criminal business there, mining gold and stones like jade,” the Criminal World website reported at the time. Most likely, this also turned out to be true.

Certain progress began in a different direction. Last year, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that a number of high-profile arrests were allegedly related to the operational development of jade gangs. But these cases, in fact, were not completed. Interestingly, in December, the Buryatia prosecutor’s office accused the local Ministry of Internal Affairs of the fact that the police are very weak in their work in the “jade direction.” They say that there are certain developments that the police are in no hurry to take advantage of. Why? By the way, it was this message that prompted an inspection of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Buryatia - first by the Prosecutor General’s Office, then by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The result is known - Minister of Internal Affairs Alexander Zaichenko unexpectedly went on vacation with subsequent retirement. However, there may have been completely different reasons.

In the meantime, we can state that the jade redistribution has begun in Buryatia. But this time, completely different forces are taking on the division of the stone - more powerful and organized. Who? Time will show…

Reference

Jade is a monomineral aggregate. The peculiarity of the breed is that jade is very difficult to split into pieces. The strength of jade is comparable to steel. The color is varied - from almost white, through all shades of green (yellowish, grassy, ​​emerald, marsh) to almost black. Jade is used as an ornamental stone and as a unique material for making jewelry. Jade (Chinese: 玉, yu) is highly valued by the Chinese, who call it the “stone of life” and is their national stone. Jade in China was sometimes valued higher than gold and silver, because... This stone is believed to bring prosperity. An old Chinese proverb says: “Gold has a price, but jade is priceless.” The most famous varieties of jade in China.

Khotan is the most valuable variety of white jade, called “mutton fat color,” with a thick, waxy matte luster. In ancient times, only the emperor could use products made from such jade.

Xiuyan is a jade that is colored white or light green. Typically semi-transparent.

Lantian is a yellow jade interspersed with green.

Nanyang jade is the most common jade, which is also called Dushan jade. This is a translucent jade, colored yellowish or white with pinkish, green, and yellow inclusions.

In Buryatia, 150-200 tons of jade can be mined per year. This is the largest share in the jade business, since out of one and a half dozen explored jade deposits, more than 90% are located in our republic. Let us list the most promising deposits.

The list of subsoil areas proposed for licensing by geological services several years ago included:

1. Bortogolsky occurrence of jade, located in the southeastern part of the Eastern Sayan, Okinsky district. Forecast resources are estimated at 21.2 tons of high-quality jade.

2. Prospective area of ​​the ore field of the Ospinskoye deposit (flanks of ore bodies) (Okinsky district). Forecast resources are estimated at 50 tons of high-quality jade.

3. Placers and deposits of the river. Tsipa and its tributaries in the Bauntovsky district. Prospective area is 4.5 sq. km. Inferred resources are estimated at 50 tons.

4. Aktragda-Amalat Square in the Bauntovsky district. Prospective area 4 sq. km. Inferred resources are estimated at 50 tons.

5. Placers and deposits of jade river. Bambuika and its tributaries in the Muisky district. Forecast resources are at least 50 tons. The length of the valleys is 70 km with an average width of 50 m.

Note that this list does not include the Kavoktinsky jade deposit, and deposits in the Zakamensky and Tunkinsky districts are not indicated.

In the world jade market, the main share is occupied by stone from Canada, Australia and Taiwan. However, the cost of this raw material is 10-100 times lower than the cost of jade from Buryatia. Chinese jade buyers are ready to pay $500 for 1 kg of green stone, and up to 10 thousand dollars per 1 kg for especially valuable “white jade”.

Photo geolog.megasklad.ru

this pellet was sold for about 6 thousand dollars

It all started not by chance, on this river with the funny name Bambuika, a small tributary of the Vitim. For a long time this Evenki, harsh land was unknown. Only rare hunters disturbed her peace from time to time. During the construction of the BAM, as a result of surface exploration, jade was discovered. However, there was no time for it then; the construction of the century was going on. And only in the 80s was the jade of Buryatia given worthy attention. Then, during the years of perestroika, few people in our country understood the market value of the stone; the interest was purely scientific, on the part of geologists and historians. In the early 1990s, in the Muisky district, under the Mezentsev administration, the first licenses for stone mining began to be issued. The first samples were exported to Ulan-Ude, where they were sold is unknown, at that time there were no large Chinese entrepreneurs. At the end of the decade, the first major players, Irkutsk entrepreneurs associated with certain government agencies and mining institutes, appeared on the market. Entrepreneurs are beginning to establish connections with Chinese businessmen who were previously involved in Buryat timber and the import of cheap consumer goods from the Middle Kingdom. Naturally, for the Chinese such cooperation was more than profitable, because who else, if not they, knows the true value of jade. The potential was understood and appreciated.

All this time, the Buryat government is officially “sleeping,” although some officials are already trying to influence the state of things by introducing their people and their companies into the small but promising jade market. At first, jade was calmly transported from Mui and Baunt by plane to Ulan-Ude and Irkutsk. We are talking about valuable and high-grade jade, the cost of which reaches up to $3,000 per kilogram, so a couple of suitcases could cost a fortune. During the time of the then leadership of both the Mukhino airport and the small airports of Taksimo and Bagdarino, there was nothing to be afraid of, there was not even a banal visual inspection of things on domestic airlines. As time passed, the rumor that there was first-class jade in Buryatia spread to the underground Chinese jade market. Representatives of criminal structures poured into the republic, conflicts began with the previous buyers, who, by the way, had already become quite rich. Our crime also did not sleep, in Ulan-Ude, in Taksimo, in Kyakhta, Naushki... However, the “redistribution” did not last long, a couple of armed skirmishes, conversations on concepts and the boys dispersed peacefully.

Until recently, namely before the arrival of new leadership in the republic, the situation was stable, characteristic of a self-regulating criminal market. The increase in the number of the Chinese diaspora is noteworthy, and most importantly, the qualitative change. There were more rich, young people...representatives appeared in the government agencies of Buryatia, who officially or unofficially helped solve the problems of foreigners, brought together sellers and buyers of green gold.
And everything would be fine, only the newcomers simply began to “greyhound,” as Buryat market participants put it. Sensing a complete sales monopoly, the Chinese resellers shamelessly began dumping prices; within a year the price was “dropped” almost in half. despite the fact that jade has only increased in price on the Chinese market. The sellers were not happy with this situation.

And here Alexander Evgenievich enters the arena with his project of “driving” the jade market under the wing of the state. In fact, our officials’ calls for decriminalization of the industry are an attempt at direct sales to China under the supervision of the state, and, accordingly, maintaining prices at the same level. Well, here we can add an advantage in competition with Irkutsk residents))) In any case, it is a question of money, big money and even more potential money. Again, I have no doubt that the Government will be able to do this; business is so specific. The source itself is localized and protecting it from “wild” divers will not be difficult. The myth that there will be a powerful resistance was invented to make the picture colorful))) One detachment of well-armed riot police and the bear prosecutor recognize the power of Nagovitsyn.

The question is different, about licensed miners. At the last press conference, Nagovitsyn spoke about the need to review and update licenses in accordance with current legislation, although he did not specify which part. Is it possible? I don’t know, but the case smacks of legal proceedings, and accordingly, a war is planned, but a civilized war, in courtrooms. Some miners are willing to have even half the criminal income than practically nothing from the real value.

ps and to catch up, I will be very glad if, first of all, our leadership pays attention to the ecology of Tsypa, Bambuika and Vitim. In mining areas, bulldozers have dug up the river bottoms (the optimizers are bad), and every year the situation there is getting worse and worse. Previously, in those places there was delicious fish, but now there are only grimy, bearded men.

Good day, friends! You probably know that our country is very rich in oil and gas. However, not only practical raw materials are mined in Russia, but also decorative stones, including jade. The semi-precious mineral has been discovered in many regions, and new mines are constantly being searched for. Let's look specifically at where jade is mined in Russia in order to once again be surprised by the wealth of our homeland.

Value of the stone

Jade is an unusual breed. It is found quite often in the earth's crust, and therefore is not considered precious, but if you look at the history of the mineral, you can only be surprised at how revered it was in ancient times.

The gem was considered an invaluable, loyal friend. It was used to make tools, weapons for hunting and combat, decorative items, jewelry, dishes, etc. With such a seemingly comprehensive practical “earthly” role, jade was deified. The Aztecs, for example, performed all sacrifices only with a jade knife, and the Chinese imperial seal was made of the mineral as a symbol of approval of power by the gods. It was also believed that the gem protected against natural disasters, epidemics, war, and pestilence.

However, there was something to respect the mineral for. Jade is a very durable rock; a curious experiment was conducted at one of the factories in Siberia - a steam hammer was brought down on a block of stone, and there was no dent or scratch left on it. What makes the gem so unshakable is its special viscosity characteristics; it seems to be woven from millions of tightly woven felt threads. It should be noted that jade is not afraid of either fire or even the most caustic acids.

The history of the discovery of jade in Russia

Since ancient times, the stone has been known in Russia, and although the first mine was developed only in the 19th century in the Eastern Sayan region, there is historical evidence that the peoples living here have used the gem since the Paleolithic era. It probably played a special significance in funeral culture, since archaeologists often find the stone in burial grounds.

The history of mining for our country begins in 1821 with a walk by an ordinary teacher of the gymnasium Shchukin along the Onot River in the city of Irkutsk. The man discovered an unusual find, which he immediately reported to St. Petersburg. Unfortunately, no one paid the slightest attention to the information received from a simple school minister - despite the fact that there was interest in the stone - it was actively exported from China. Shchukin did not give up and continued to write, and when more than a dozen special letters arrived at the bureaucratic structure, they gave up in St. Petersburg and sent an official to Irkutsk.

Already in the middle of the 19th century, thanks to the concern of the common man, Russia was able to extract more than 700 pounds of semi-precious stone, and by the end of the century one could see amazingly beautiful jade jewelry and products from Russia at London and Paris exhibitions.

Development of mining in the 19th century

The opening of the first mine started a chain reaction, one after another new sources of jade deposits were discovered in the country. Leonid Yachevsky occupied a special place in the history of the search for deposits; he not only discovered several mines in the areas of the Kitoi, Onot, Urik and Belaya rivers, but also discovered a huge boulder of rock, which was dubbed the “general’s mineral.” Unfortunately, the fate of the impressively large gem turned out to be sad. Initially, it was decided to make a gravestone from it for Tsar Alexander III, but his wife did not accept the idea, explaining that the rock was not light enough. As a result, the block was simply stolen by illegal miners.

By the beginning of the 20th century, 80 tons of jade were mined. The pace gradually increased, but in 1939, two years after the discovery of the largest Ospinskoye deposit, official mining of the rock was stopped for vague reasons. The state began to deal with the mineral again only in 1965.

The 60-80s of the 20th century became golden years for jade mining in Russia. The Ulan-Khodinsky mine was opened in 1965, the Khamarkhudinsky mine in 1973, the Boldoktinsky mine in 1974, and the Khargatinsky mine in 1977. The year 1978 became especially significant - a point for the extraction of snow-white jade appeared on the map of Russia; this rock is formed in a different way than green. Gems were discovered in the Vitimsky district; currently the mine is called Buromskoye.

It is worth noting that jade is a stone of a very wide color palette, but green gems are most often found in nature. It was with them that until 1978 they mainly worked in Russia, occasionally encountering red, blue, and black minerals. No one expected to find a white stone; it was believed that a rock of this type could only have formed in China.

Mining of the mineral is still developing, with more and more deposits being discovered. For example, in 2003, the Akademicheskoye jade deposit was discovered in the Urals. Gem reserves in the Krasnoyarsk Territory are estimated at almost 350 tons; Buryatia is actively being explored - the Khotiya and Udokan mines have recently been put into operation.

Jade is actively exported, mainly to China, but, of course, there are quite a few problems in the industry that need to be solved. Firstly, Russia sells stones at very low prices, and secondly, illegal mining, carried out using explosives, is thriving. Today, regional authorities - active gem miners - are developing measures to solve the problem.

The special place of Buryatia in jade mining

Altai, Southern Urals, Kamchatka, Tuva, Bashkortostan, Chelyabinsk region... it would take a long time to list the locations of jade deposits in Russia, but even taken together they cannot compare with the reserves of gems in Buryatia.

• Buryatia is a real storehouse of a wide variety of precious and semi-precious stones. Most of the jade deposits are also based in this region. Currently, about 90% of all jade is mined there, and of the 16 active deposits today, 13 have been discovered in Buryatia. It is noteworthy that production rates are growing; over the last twenty years, the figures have increased almost 18 times.
• In total, there are five active mining areas in the region - Muyskoye, Bauntovskoye, Zakamenskoye, Tunkinskoye and Okinskoye.
• Gems of rare shades - blue, red, white - are found in mines located in the northern part of the region on the border with the Trans-Baikal Territory. The most promising are the Kovytinsky, Golyubinsky and Ospino deposits. The Ospinsky mine produces apple-colored jade in the cat's eye style - it is highly valued in Europe.
• By the way, in the Trans-Baikal Territory, adjacent to Buryatia, there is another interesting deposit - Udokanskoe, its remarkable feature is that it contains stones of a honey or gold hue, which are extremely rare in nature.

Jade mining in Russia is a very promising industry; studies show that the deposits of the mineral in our country are huge. Given that work is currently underway at many large mines, new ones are already being prepared, and this is another reason to be proud of the wealth of resources of our country.

Team LyubiKamni

The history of Buryatia is much deeper and more ancient, dating back to the nomadic pagan tribes, Genghis Khan, intertwined with the Russian Cossacks and the formation of Russian statehood.

And, what is most interesting, at all times, one of the most mysterious minerals of Buryatia has been an integral part of the history of the republic. We are talking about jade.

Through me

In the emergence of an interesting historical phenomenon, characteristic only of our republic, closeness with the eternal connoisseur of jade, China, may have played an important role. Although... It is known that during the times of scattered nomadic tribes, ornamental stone was already valued and used as a bargaining chip. And Genghis Khan, who united the Mongol world, carried with him a jade seal, carved in the shape of a tiger, with a unique imprint.

The Russian state turned its attention to jade in the 19th century, when Cossack discoverers found deposits of the mineral in the Eastern Sayan Mountains. The empire did not attach much importance to the mineral; it was used to make trinkets and was sometimes used as a finishing stone in construction. They seriously returned to jade only in the Soviet years, when geologists discovered a scattering of deposits in Buryatia. Before the war, the Ospinskoye, Gorlykgolskoye, and Ulankhodinskoye deposits were discovered, and it was established that jade was found on the Vitim River and its tributaries. Then, much later, in the 80s, jade was found not only in Baunt and Muya, but also in Zakamna, Tunka and Oka.

The times of perestroika and the crisis of the 90s, unfortunately, did not write the best page in the history of Buryat jade. But, fortunately, this period is already behind us.

Decriminalization and temples

In 2013, President Vladimir Putin, by decree, instructed the Rostec State Corporation and the country's law enforcement agencies to decriminalize stone mining. In parallel with the cleanup of outright crime, they began to build an “industrial, state-oriented system for the extraction and processing of jade in the republic.” The joint-stock company "Zabaikalsky Mining Enterprise" (JSC "ZGRP") was registered, which over five years of successful activity demonstrated that jade mining is not a crime, but a technological, transparent and useful work for the region, capable of bringing real benefits to both the state and local residents.

The head of Buryatia, Aleksey Sambuevich Tsydenov, highly appreciated the company’s long-term work in the republic: “ZGRP is a company that other jade miners should follow as an example. This concerns the high quality of project preparation, their implementation, the quality of mining operations, and the volume of tax payments. The company creates jobs for residents of the region and pays them “white” salaries. Now they are seeing an increase in the cost of the stone they sell, that is, the price of jade sold by the company has increased significantly. In turn, due to tax deductions that come from ZGRP, our republican budget revenues are correspondingly growing, the company definitely deserves the support of the region.”

In the period from 2014 and including the 1st quarter of 2018, taxes and insurance contributions were paid - 697 million rubles. Financial assistance was provided for socio-economic development over the same period - more than 49 million rubles.

You don’t have to look far for an example. Buryatia is the center of Buddhism in Russia, and ZGRP takes an active part in the construction of datsans, allocating funds for the purchase of materials. For example, in the Kyakhta region of Buryatia, the construction of the Palace of Buddha Vajrasattva continues with funds from the ZGRP, the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia told the publication.

Recently, alarming news spread across the media: a temple of one of the local Buddhist communities was put up for auction. We were talking about 19 million rubles.

I turned to many people for help in this matter. But only ZGRP responded to my request,” said the rector of the Lamrim community, Choi-Dorzhi Budaev. “The management of this enterprise paid the required amount, and we saved the temple. We will be able to resume services soon. I can say that for ZGRP such a broad gesture will bring success in work and prosperity to employees and their families. And we will try to subsequently reimburse the company for this amount.

“I turned to many people for help... But only the ZGRP responded to my request,” said the abbot of the Lamrim Buddhist community, Choi-Dorji Budaev.

Strong support

Since the founding of ZGRP JSC, positive changes have occurred in the Bauntovsky district. From the first days of operation, the company determined that one of its important missions should be social responsibility to the population. Hundreds of residents of the region and the republic received stable and well-paid jobs at ZGRP. Almost half of the company's employees are residents of Baunt. People like the working conditions. And indeed, there is everything you need: furniture, TV, cable TV. You can go to the gym, play billiards or table tennis. Football and volleyball tournaments are held. For uninterrupted communication, a telephone line has been installed and the Internet is operational. Employees' salaries are calculated strictly "in white" and there is a full benefits package.

The number of employees during the production season at ZGRP in 2017 was 248 people. The average salary is more than 91 thousand rubles per month.

"They understand our problems"

ZGRP has established strong friendly relations with the local district administration, with which annual Agreements on socio-economic cooperation have been concluded for many years. Despite the fact that the main task of the enterprise is the production process, ZGRP directs part of its profits to solve social problems of local residents. This made it possible to change the social and economic situation for the better. The head of the Bauntovsky district, Nikolai Kovalev, notes that since 2014, the district has annually received gratuitous assistance from the enterprise from 8 to 9 million rubles.

For the period from 2014 to the present, financial assistance has been provided to the Bauntovsky district in the amount of more than 34.5 million rubles. Other districts - more than 14.6 million rubles.

There are many positive aspects in the activities of ZGRP in our area. This is employment for the population - with the arrival of the enterprise, official jobs appeared,” says the head of the district, Nikolai Kovalev. - We have a remote and hard-to-reach area, this leaves its mark. It’s good that a large enterprise has entered our territory, and its leaders understand the specifics of the area, the problems and difficulties, and make a great contribution to improving the standard of living.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to the management of the Transbaikal Mining Enterprise.” Thanks to their financial support, we are able to gradually solve many pressing social issues,” said, summing up, the head of the Bauntovsky district, Nikolai Kovalev.

A friend who always helps

Particular attention is paid to the development of the reindeer herding industry. When members of the Evenk family community “Taktykan” bought a herd of several dozen deer in the Trans-Baikal Territory, the question arose: how to bring in the animals? ZGRP came to the rescue, allocating more than 100 thousand rubles. Let’s remember the Mordonov family (“IP” has already talked about these amazing people), which was able to leave the population of the Taloy enterprise. Especially for them, ZGRP bought 10 breeding deer in the Okinsky district. A winter camp with warehouses and a power plant was built for the reindeer herders. The Mordonovs were taken on the staff of the enterprise. The results were not long in coming - in 2017, the number of animals increased, 53 calves were born. The Mordonovs plan to increase the reindeer herd to 500 heads.

“The enterprise constantly allocates funds for food for shepherds and the purchase of feed for deer in distant pastures located 200 or more kilometers from populated areas,” said local resident Albina Nadmitova.

In the Evenki village of Rossoshino, which is located near the Kavoktinskoye field, social infrastructure has been updated with the support of ZGRP. The Rossoshinskaya school-kindergarten was renovated, the catering unit was put in order, plastic windows were installed, and the building was sheathed with metal profiles. The territory has been landscaped, office equipment, furniture, etc. have been purchased. The enterprise provides annual support for the institution’s material and technical base in the amount of 500 thousand rubles. In 2016, assistance was also provided to the library - in the amount of 150 thousand rubles. The local cultural center received 150 thousand rubles, and the necessary camping equipment was purchased for the Dolgan children's speleological club. This year, the students of the circle planned an expedition to Baunt Lake. 200 thousand rubles are allocated for the implementation of the project.

This is significant support, after all, the revival and preservation of the culture of small peoples is an important and necessary goal, says Oksana Tsybikova, director of the Center for Evenki Culture.

“Thanks to ZGRP, we were able to provide children with everything they needed and switch to federal state standards,” says Valentina Namsaraeva, director of the MBOU Rossoshinskaya School-Garden.

Help is coming!

In the village of Bagdarin, the ZGRP annually helps the unique Center of Evenki Culture and National Crafts. Funds are allocated for the repair of the building and roof, heating systems, and the company co-finances field events outside the republic. Thus, the children's ensemble "Hoshinkan" annually goes to festivals in Russian cities and takes prizes.

In 2016 - 2017, we made a separate effort to strengthen and support the material and technical base of the Museum of the Peoples of the North of Buryatia. In total, 300,000 rubles were allocated from the ZGRP fund in 2016, and 800,000 rubles in 2017. The heating system was repaired and a new boiler was installed. Plans for 2019 include the construction of an extension to the museum, said Olga Bakumenko, deputy head of the local administration for social issues.

Every year, the mining enterprise allocates funds to repair the premises of the only health camp in the area, “Voskhod”. Through the joint efforts of the district administration and ZGRP, the camp is being brought into compliance with sanitary and fire safety requirements. Funds are steadily allocated for the organization and holding of various events at the regional level: Surkharban, the Evenki festival Bolder, the Northern Hole fishing trip, the Northern All-Around festival, etc.

According to the deputy head of the local administration for social issues, Olga Bakumenko, in 2016, 300 thousand rubles were allocated from the ZGRP fund, in 2017 - 800 thousand rubles. These amounts were used to repair the heating system and install a new boiler. Plans for 2019 include the construction of additional premises for the museum.

Roads and medicine

ZGRP also participates in solving such important tasks as the repair and restoration of local roads and bridges. In 2017 and 2018, funds were allocated for the maintenance and repair of the public local road Baisa - Rossoshino in the amount of 1 million rubles. In addition, 250-300 thousand rubles are allocated annually for the repair of roads in the village of Rossoshino, said the head of the Bauntovsky district, Nikolai Kovalev. For intra-district roads, compulsory filling is carried out. In 2016, 200 thousand rubles were allocated for ZGRP funds. In 2017 - 500 thousand rubles, this year 100 thousand rubles are planned.

And together with the Bauntovskaya Central District Hospital and with the financial support of ZGRP, it was decided to purchase dental equipment. This will allow residents of the Bauntovsky district to quickly and inexpensively solve their problem with dental treatment. Other projects are also being successfully implemented.

Every year, ZGRP allocates more than one million rubles for the repair of roads in the village of Rossoshino.

"Steel Battle"

The management of the enterprise pays a lot of attention to the support and development of local sports and martial arts. “Thanks to the support of ZGRP, our fighters Bazar Zhalsapov, Ayur Galsanov, Zandan Tsydenov, Anton Opanovich are participating in professional MMA tournaments. This year our fighters took part in international professional tournaments and won everywhere!” - said the general director of the promotion company Baikal FC Anton Buseyev.

According to him, on May 12, an international professional MMA tournament “Steel Battle” was held in Ulan-Ude, dedicated to the 73rd anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War. Last year, ZGRP helped prepare and send the national team of the republic to the Irkutsk region MMA championship among students, and then organized the departure of Semyon Borkhonov to the Russian MMA championship.

“Thanks to ZGRP, we have one of the most equipped halls in both Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. We train children, students, and adults,” says Anton Buseyev, general director of the promotion company Baikal FC.

Manufacturing and school

Let us note one more important point. In Ulan-Ude, a unique jade processing plant, TD “OrientalWay”, has been operating for several years, which, together with ZGRP, forms the production chain: mining, processing, processing and sales. That is what any serious business strives for.

As the director of the factory, Valery Blyskavka, said, the mined jade is very heterogeneous, the content of varietal jade does not exceed 10, in individual veins 15%. Moreover, varietal jade is not separate pieces, it is smeared, located inside the host rock with crusts, skarns and defects. And in order to isolate varietal jade, production operations are needed to open the stone and enrich it.

Since 2014 and including the 1st quarter of 2018, the Oriental Way Trade House has paid more than 106 million rubles in taxes and fees to budgets of various levels. During the same period, the factory processed over 861 tons of jade.

By law, all mined jade must be put on balance sheet, regardless of its quality. Low-quality jade needs to be processed/beneficiated in a civilized environment to significantly increase the volume of commercial jade that can be sold with added value. This is what the Oriental Way Trade House is doing, whose factory now sells not only raw jade purchased from ZGRP, but also enriched jade and its own processed products. The factory's production capacity allows it to process several hundred tons of jade annually.

The company employs about 50 people. Initially, the factory recruited local residents under 25 years of age. These were simple guys who wanted to learn the complex art of stone cutting. Experienced craftsmen from China were invited for training. Later, a school was opened on the basis of the factory to train jade processors from local youth.

In the near future, the management of Oriental Way plans to open a new production facility on the basis of the Industrial Park of Buryatia. Thus, a national school of jade stone-cutting art will be founded in the republic. However, it is still necessary to learn how to make artistic products, souvenirs, organize exhibitions, exchange experiences, create and form traditions. All this is possible subject to the expansion of production on the basis of small enterprises and family cooperatives.

Over the years of work, ZGRP and Oriental Way have created an unusual precedent in the republic. Enterprises were able to not only bring jade out of the shadows and direct the flow of money from its sale into a legal channel with the payment of taxes and duties, but also raised the idea of ​​​​how to conduct business to a completely different level. After all, a big and smart business is not only the ability to obtain benefits with fewer losses, but also social responsibility to its employees and residents of the region.

An ancient Chinese proverb says: “Gold has a price, but jade is priceless.” From time immemorial, jade has been worshiped in the Celestial Empire and believed in its healing and magical properties. Nowadays, only the lazy do not know about the practical significance of this stone. Meanwhile, Chinese entrepreneurs are flocking to Russia's jade regions.

At a Chinese airport, you can take even a block of jade into your hand luggage. By scanning items for safety, employees will carefully and respectfully place the stone in your hands. Jade in this country personifies the best of human virtues.

The sacred stone of the Ruler of Heaven and the emperors of China symbolizes cosmic energy, strength, power, immortality, purity.

China has practically exhausted its jade reserves and turned its attention to the neighboring region. Jade deposits in the Eastern Sayan Mountains, in the Vitim region of Transbaikalia and in the Polar Urals. Until the 2000s, no one paid attention to jade. Shortly before the Beijing Olympics, prices for this ornamental stone skyrocketed and the Chinese were willing to pay black market prices for it. Thousands of miners (legal and illegal) rushed to Buryatia...

60s of the last century. An outlying village on the border with Mongolia. “I remember that as a child, my grandmother scolded us and covered the stones with oilcloth. When they were steaming in the bathhouse, they threw this stone into the stove. It was believed that a special warmth came from it. This was the whole value of jade, then unknown in our area,” recalls one of the residents of the Buryat village of Mondy.

The famous Chinese jade products are known all over the world: boxes, cups, plates, vases, figurines of deities and jewelry creations by celestial craftsmen. White jade is considered the most valuable mineral. According to official data, about 270 tons of jade are mined annually, but according to illegal reports, more than 700 tons are sent to Chinese markets every year. This area is now under the control of gangster groups; the police annually seize tens of tons of valuable minerals from illegal trafficking. But somehow these raw materials continue to be exported in huge quantities to China.

The jade topic remains relevant not only in news releases of local and federal media. Even in the local feature film “Bulag. Holy Spring" is a story about people risking their lives. They are driven by only one passion - to make money. Will jade bring wealth to the locals and happiness to the Chinese? That's not what the film is about. In the consumer world, we are losing our original roots - the tradition of not disturbing the natural and spiritual balance.

A real boom is happening in the precious metals markets in Guangzhou and Suzhou. In Burma and Cambodia. A small stone, the size of a fingernail, can cost hundreds of millions of yuan. Sellers store stones in different sheds and warehouses.

There are people hunting for a special white jade (pellet). The stone is located in the depths of the waters and many brave guys dive, but are not always able to swim to the surface.

They are simply killed and the stone is taken away. It would seem that such a stone is unlikely to bring happiness. But for the Chinese, the philosophy of stone is more important. And he will be happy.

Buddha said that the source of our suffering is our desires. The desire to be richer, more beautiful, healthier... Jade is part of the world. This is the emerald philosophy of China.