Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Interest in the city of Norilsk began when geologists discovered rich deposits of nickel, copper and cobalt in the area in the beginning of the 20th century. In 1936, Russia built a mining and metallurgical complex in the area using Gulag prisoners. The forced labor workers constructed the city, mines, and factories over a period of 20 years. Norilsk is now home to over 170,000 people, making it one of the largest arctic cities.
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Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Members of a local club of ice swimmers are not afraid to swim even at -40C and in a strong snowstorm. After such an extreme swimming they warm up in small saunas heated by steam from a local power plant.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Within a radius of thirty kilometers around Norilsk about 100 thousand hectares of land is burnt out…
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
The pipe has burst in the house and everything froze to resemble ice stalactites.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Stalin’s architecture prevailing in the center of Norilsk.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Ore mining in one of the seven open pits. Despite the severe climate conditions they work non-stop.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Smelter shop is filled with gas and is really hot, workers use special masks and pipes connected with carbon filters to breathe here.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Industrial landscape in the middle of endless tundra.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Today, the city exists because of the mining and the metallurgical complex. Minerals are extracted in six underground mines, providing employment for over half of Norilsk’s population. Even commuting becomes dangerous when it means crossing 15 miles of tundra in a snowstorm. Public buses travel in convoys of 15-20 vehicles, so that if a bus breaks down, passengers can be immediately evacuated onto another bus.
Photo by Elena Chernyshova
Ruins of the House of Culture in the village of miners. Here is where former GULAG prisoners used to live for some time.
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