Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry, Baku, Azerbaijan

Z. J. Efendieva, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, zarifa.afandiyeva@asoiu.edu.az

Western Australian School of Mines, Curtin University, Canberra, Australia
A. F. Mammadli, Doctoral Student

The article describes history of mineral mining in Azerbaijan. According to the materials collected by historians and archeologists, many minerals were mined in the area of Azerbaijan far back in the past. Historians think historical mineral mining areas are the present-day Goygol region, the yellow road valley at the Killik Mount, the Aghstev River basin, surroundings of Gedabek and Bashkend, the Shamkir River valley, around Misdag, the Terter River basin, the Ordubad and Nakhichevan areas, around the Aropar River and other regions. At many ancient deposits, waste dumps, slag of metal smelting and some diggings were discovered. All this provides an idea on mining conditions and tools of that time. The most of the listed mining areas were developed using the surface mining techniques, and the size and depth of mining operations were not very large. Medieval historian and geographer Hamdallah Mustawfi Qazvini, well-known Soviet archeologist E. A. Pakhomov and others say that mining was wide-spread in the area of Azerbaijan at that time. Based on research and analysis of literature and archival sources, the authors have for the first time ever described the mining industry in Azerbaijan before establishment of Soviet power. The mineral mining and processing technologies of that time are illustrated, and the mineral deposits being developed are identified. It is stated that since ancient time, mining of various solid minerals were carried out in Azerbaijan. However, mining technologies and systems were extremely low-end. After establishing Soviet power in the Republic, the mining industry gained impetus for the development and made progress.

1. Ali-zade Ak. A. Mineral resources and advancement prospects of the mining industry in Azerbaijan. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2020. No. 8. pp. 8–13.
2. Efendiyeva Z. J. Raw material resources base of the iron-and-steel industry in Azerbaijan: State-of-the art and development prospects. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2017. No. 10. pp. 9–11.
3. Afandi N. G., Afandi A. G. The role of mıneral resources ın the development of the country’s economy. Economy—Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow: II International Conference Proceedings. Penza : MTsNS “Nauka i prosveshchenie”, 2024. pp. 78–81.
4. Paffengolts K. N. Dashkasan and Zaglik. Deposits of magnetic iron ore and alumstone in the Ganja region in the Azerbaijan SSR. Transactions of the Geological Committee. New Series. Leningrad, 1928. Vol. 170. 74 p.
5. Aliev M. M., Kashkay M. A. History of geological knowledge and mining in Azerbaijan in ancient and middle ages. Izvestiya Akademii nauk Azerbaydzhanskoy SSR. 1955. No. 7. pp. 27–41.
6. Efendieva Z. Dzh., Shukyurov A. M., Alieva M. G., Agamammadova M. Ya. History of mining industry in Azerbaijan. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2024. No. 7. pp. 4–8.
7. Paffengolts K. N. Essay on Geology in the Nakhichevan ASSR. Baku : AzFAN, 1940. Vol. XXVIII. 139 p.
8. Nagiev V. N., Mamedov I. A. Minerals of the Nakhichyvan Autonomous Republic. Baku : Shirvanneshr, 2009. 276 p.
9. Voskoboynikov N. M. Description of the Nakhichevan rock salt deposit. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1830. No. 3. p. 102.
10. Tsulukidze G. G., Arkhipov V. I., Khalatov G. B. Geological description of the northern Nakhichevan region and a part of the Zangezur region, explored in 1869. Materials on Geology of the Caucasus. Series I, Book. 2. Tiflis, 1870.
11. Margolius A. M. Salt-Works in the Transcaucasia: The Past, the Present and a Potential Future. Tiflis : Kavkazskoe gornoe upravlenie, 1906. 87 p.
12. Gavrilov Ya. V. Experience of appraisal of salt reserves in the Masazyr lake. Transactions of Academician Gubkin Geological Institute. Baku : AzFAN, 1939. Vol. 16. pp. 119–165.
13. Ildrym Ch. Salt lakes and their economic value in the Azerbaijan SSR. Ekonomicheskiy vestnik Azerbaydzhana. 1929. No. 2-3. pp. 65–79.
14. Sheykhzade I. A. Lakes of the Apsheron Peninsula : An essay. Baku : Fond Instituta geografii Natsionalnoy Akademii nauk Azerbaydzhana, 1940. 173 p.
15. Mamedov V. A., Khalilova Kh. Kh. Salt deposits and salt production in Azerbaijan. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2020. No. 8. pp. 18–22.
16. Professor Eichwald’s journey across the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus. Biblioteka dlya chteniya. 1838. Vol. 26, No. II, Iss. III. pp. 127–212.
17. Mamedov M., Mukhtarov G. G., Shirinov Yu. R. Kedabek. Baku : Nasir, 2005. 230 p.
18. Paffengolts K. N. Gedabek: Geological essay on the Gedabek copper ore deposit in the Azerbaijan SSR. Transactions of the All-Union Geological Exploration Union, People’s Commissariat of the Fuel Industry, USSR. Leningrad, 1932. Vol. 218. 64 p.
19. Uspenskiy N. S. The Siemens Brothers’ Gedabek Copper Mine. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1910. No. 2. pp. 150–186.
20. Varentsov A. Gedabek mines and works. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1887. Vol. IV, No. 12. pp. 394–418.
21. Nesterovskiy. Gedabek copper mines and works. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1893. No. 5-6. pp. 225–248.
22. Mamedov Sh. N. Rational Solid Mineral Mining in the Azerbaijan SSR. Baku : Azerneshr, 1961. 328 p.
23. Konyushevskiy L. K. Dashkasan iron. Ekonomicheskie vesti Zakavkazya. 1926. No. 23. pp. 24–32.
24. Geological Service of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan: 2016 Report. Baku : Territorialnyi geologicheskiy fond, 2016. 90 p.
25. Efendieva Z. J. Metallic minerals of Azerbaijan. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2019. No. 1. pp. 85–89.
26. Roze. New cobaltite deposit. Gornyi Zhurnal. 1868. No. 10. p. 122.
27. Mamedov Sh. N. Dashkesan Cobalt Field Development. Baku : Izdatelstvo AGU, 1958. 141 p.
28. Kashkay M. A., Abdullaev G. K., Nagiev R. A., Orudzhev K. A., Ragimova M. M. Morphology of cobaltite crystals from the Dashkasan deposits. Uchenye zapiski Azerbaydzhanskogo universiteta. 1958. No. 1. pp. 47–55.
29. Smirnov V. I. (Ed.) Ore deposits in the USSR. 2^nd revised and enlarged edition. Moscow : Nedra, 1978. Vol. 2. 399 p.
30. Krutov G. A., Kremchukov G. A., Borisevich N. V. Cobalt deposits in the Caucasus. Transactions of the All-Union Mineral Resources Institute. Moscow : ONTI, 1935. Vol. 82. 72 p.
31. Alumstone. The Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopaedic Dictionary. Saint-Petersburg : Tipo-litografiya I. A. Efrona, 1895. Vol. XIVА. p. 862.
32. Bagratuni E. G., Rusakov M. P. Zaylik alumstones. Further exploration. Razvedka nedr. 1934. No. 4. pp. 48–57.
33. Kakabadze N. A., Rudina Z. B. Zaylik alumstones as a new source of raw materials in high-alumina refractory manufacture. Byulleten Tbilisi. 1958. No. 1. pp. 34–43.
34. Efendieva Z. J., Khalifazade Ch. M. Economic problems and environmental challenges in ore mining in Azerbaijan. Journal of Mining Science. 2018. Vol. 54, No. 1. pp. 166–172.
35. Baba-Zade V. M., Makhmudov A. I., Ramazanov V. G. Copper and Molybdenum Porphyry Ore Deposits. Baku : Azerneshr, 1990. 375 p.
36. Mansurov M. I., Kalandarov B. G., Ismailova A. M., Guseynov A. I., Mamedova A. G. et al. Geological and structural setting of copper–porphyry mineralization in the Murovdag region, Lesser Caucasus, Azerbaijan. Vestnik Bakinskogo universiteta. 2020. No. 1. pp. 37–44.
37. Mamedov Sh. N. Issues of Mineral Mining. Baku : Elm, 1976. 252 p.
38. Khalifa-Zade Ch. M., Efendieva Z. J., Valiev N. G. New data on the genesis of the Gyumushlug lead and zinc deposit of the Nakhchivan AR, Azerbaijan. Izvestiya Tulskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. Nauki o Zemle. 2023. No. 2. pp. 92–120.
39. Neumayr M. Erdgeschichte. 2., neu bearb. aufl. Leipzig : Bibliographisches Institut, 1895. 700 s.
40. Olearius A. Ausführliche Beschreibung Der kundbaren Reyse Nach Muscow und Persien, So durch gelegenheit einer Holsteinischen Gesandschaft aus Gottorf auß an Michael Fedorowitz den grossen Zaar in Muscow, und Schach Sefi König in Persien geschehen. Schleßwig, 1663. 766 s.
41. Mir-Babaev M.-Yu. Brief History of Azerbaijan Oil. 2nd revised and enlarged edition. Baku : Azerneshr, 2009. 376 p.
42. Golubyatnikov D. V. Major outcome of geological survey on the Absheron Peninsula in 1903. Izvestiya Geologicheskogo komiteta. 1904. Vol. 23. pp. 289–330.
43. Efendieva Z. J. Non-metallic resources of Azerbaijan. Gornyi Zhurnal. 2018. No. 3. pp. 86–90.