THE KACHKA-CHULKOV MODERNIZATION ON KOLYWANO-WOSKRESENSK FOUNDRIES (END OF XVIII – FIRST THIRD OF XIX CENTURIES)

Abstract

The historiography of the non-ferrous metallurgy in Altai at the period of feudalism still remains under the old dogmata influence about crisis of the Russian state serfdom, resulting in the ideas about technical and technological backwardness in Altai. The article features the process of rapid technological growth of mining production in Altai, thus refuting the theses about production crisis or stagnation on Kolywano-Woskresensk foundries. It is demonstrated that the Kachka-Chulkov modernization (named after the two main head officials) was conducted in three spheres at the same time: production, administrative and economical. The main aim of the Kachka-Chulkov modernization was not to get maximal profit but to stabilize production volume on the level of one thousand puds (16.000 kg) of silver per year.

Keywords

• mining
• metallurgy
• modernization
• silver
• ore-dressing
• kolywano-woskresensk foundries