Khibiny mountains. Khibiny Mountains: general information, geographical location, photos
In the northern part of the East European Platform lies the vast land of the Khibiny-Lovozero tundras, against this background the mountainous terrain of a small but fabulously beautiful country immediately catches the eye - Khibiny. Located one hundred and fifty kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and occupies the central part of the Murmansk region.
The nature of the Khibiny massif is famous for its picturesque views. Here you will find mountain ranges of extraordinary beauty, a tundra zone in the mountains where small dwarf birch trees grow. The water element is fully represented by clean lakes, fast rivers and roaring waterfalls. The Khibiny Mountains, located in the very center of the peninsula, are considered the highest mountains in the Murmansk region.
The highest mountain Khibin Yudychvumchorr reaches 1200 meters. The tundra vegetation in the Khibiny Mountains is diverse; more than 300 species of different plants grow here. Many representatives of flora and fauna are rare; they are listed in the Red Book of the region. The information on our website will help you learn more interesting and fascinating things about northern nature and its features.
The Khibiny mountains are more than mysterious and unusual. Unlike other mountain ranges that stretch in a long line along the horizon, these beautifully frame the lake. Writers and poets sang the beauty of the Khibiny. Their uniqueness and dissimilarity from other mountains was noted by Ivan Kataev in his “Ice Hellas”. These are the remains of an ancient plateau, which was destroyed and fragmented into many dozens of ridges, gorges, isolated peaks, passes and many plateaus. Nature itself has worked on this, in the person of the rivers Kuniyok, Tulyooka, Malaya Belaya, lakes Vudyavr - Bolshoye and Maloye and valleys. This contributed to the creation of a polar mini-Altai. The difference between the Khibiny and other mountain ranges is due to the rare combination of mountains with swamps and lakes of the Kola Peninsula, which looks quite unusual and bewitchingly beautiful.
The modern name of the mountains is associated with the dialect of the local population. "Khiben" means plateau. But the mountains did not always have this name. The Sami traditionally call them "Umptek". The Khibiny Mountains are also unique in that, firstly, they are the oldest mountains in Russia, the age of which is estimated at 350 million. At first glance, the mountains seem inaccessible and harsh, because the mountains are rocky and there is no vegetation on them. They are located beyond the Arctic Circle, north of the 67th parallel.
On the Kola Peninsula, this mountain range is the most elevated. On average, the mountain peaks rise above sea level by 800-900 meters. And the highest point, Mount Yudychvumchorr, reaches 1200 meters. In addition, being young mountains, the Khibiny are constantly growing and add several millimeters every year. In summer, in clear weather, views of the Khibiny can be admired from afar.
The Khibiny mountains are harsh and often unfriendly. The Sami came here only in the summer, and in the winter they were afraid of mountain avalanches, the origin of which was associated with the behavior of the gods. Deposits of more than 800 types of minerals have been discovered in the Khibiny Mountains. This fact influenced the fact that the previously sparsely populated region was filled with industrial cities and towns at the foot of the mountains.
The names of such industrial cities speak for themselves: Titan, Apatity and others. Scientists often call the Khibiny an open-air museum of mineralogy due to the diversity of minerals. The famous mineralogist and geologist Alexander Fersman made a great contribution to the development of this mountain system; here he discovered minerals unlike any others and called them khibinites.
An interesting view of mountains from space. They resemble a stone flower, and if you get closer, they resemble an impregnable fortress in the middle of a forest. According to the legends of local residents, it is in the Khibiny Mountains that the treasured Eden, or Paradise, is located, which many strive to achieve. Harsh places constantly attract new guests with their natural beauty.
Khibiny. Firstly, it should be said about apatite-nepheline ores. Today their deposits have been established, these are Kukisvumchorr, Yukspor, Rasvumchorr, Koashva, Partomchorr, Kuelpor, Lyavoyok, Oleniy Ruchey, Nyorkpakhk, Suoluyayv, Poachvumchorr, Valleepakhk, Eveslogchorr. Being a mineral, apatite can have a different range of shades. As a rule, starting from white and ending with green, but black apatites are also found in nature.
Mineral fertilizers are made from apatite, the most famous and frequently used is superphosphate. It is obtained by treating apatite concentrate with sulfuric acid. But meanwhile, the phosphoric anhydride contained in apatite takes a completely different form, it turns out to be easily soluble, which is why it is well accepted by plants.
Moreover, nepheline concentrate is also extracted from apatite concentrate; it will subsequently become a product from which potash, soda, and much more are made. Then this fossil will be used in more than twenty areas of industry. Its content in ore varies from 5 to 50 percent. The composition of apatite and nepheline in the ore is interrelated, that is, if apatite predominates in it, then there will be much less nepheline, and on the contrary, if there is more nepheline in the ore, this means that there will be much less apatite.
Usually, apatite-nepheline ore contains sphene mineral, it consists of silicon, titanium oxide, tantalum, niobium and sodium. It is used to make high-quality titanium white, which is very durable and reliable. On top of that, titanium metal, which does not corrode, is not afraid of alkali and other acids, and is very light. The Yukspor rock is considered to be the most rich in minerals.
A ring structure can be considered a unique characteristic of the Khibiny mountain range. The mountains that make up the massif are arcs that are literally nested within each other.
The Khibinite landscape forms a partial ring of the Khibiny mountain range. The dominant minerals are aegirine, nepheline and potassium feldspar. The rocks are distinguished by the presence of a number of ores, such as titanium, zirconium, molybdenum and rare soil containing cerium and yttrium.
The second complex of rischorrites appears as a massive, gray, tinged with green rock.
And it contains crystals of feldspar and nepheline, as well as a mixture of colored minerals from aegirine-augite, mica, astrophyllite, enigmatite, sphene, lamprophyllite.
The latter is called ijolite-urtite, it is much different from other rocks due to the chemical component. It has higher levels of alkali and alumina, and much lower levels of silica. Iyolite-urtites largely consist of nepheline and aegirine-augite, and that is why they have a gray-green color. Minerals from the category of non-ferrous minerals of this complex are pyroxene and apatite.
Almost in the middle of the mountains there is a complex of medium-grained nepheline syenites. The composition of these rocks includes: spar, nepheline, aegirine and alkaline amphibole. In the center of the mountain is the Foyait complex; it stretches over almost one third of the mountain range. The mineral composition is potassium-sodium feldspar and nepheline, and non-ferrous minerals are alkali amphibole, aegirine, biotite, sphene, apatite and others.
Academician Alexander Fersman believed that the Khibiny tundras are a natural mineralogical gallery. And of course, it is so; one hundred and eight varieties of minerals are mined in the mountain range, more than ten of which are of great value. These are apatites, sphene, aegirine, nepheline, titanomagietite, lovchorrite and others. At the same time, the remains of mining production, which are commonly called “nepheline tailings,” are the main deposit, and it is thanks to them that the territory’s needs for the required materials will be met for decades.
As you know, the Khibiny Mountains are the largest mountain range located on the Kola Peninsula. The name “Khibiny” appeared not so long ago, because before that the mountain system was called the Sami word “Umptek”. It is believed that the geological age of this rock reaches about 350 million years. The exact origin of the Khibiny is still unknown, although according to the Russian dialect of the Arkhangelsk region and the Kola Peninsula, the prevailing term is “Khiben”, which means “plateau”.
The mountains are composed of igneous rocks or nepheline syenites. The Khibiny massif has plateau-like peaks, rather steep slopes, in some places there are glaciers and snowfields. The highest point of the mountain system was Mount Yudychvumchorr, whose height reaches 1200.5 m above sea level and which drops off quite steeply in the form of inaccessible sheer cliffs.
The Khibiny mountain range is shaped more like a horseshoe, somewhat open towards the east. The characteristic relief was high, flat plateaus, as well as a complex system of especially deep valleys. Most of the valleys end in the form of global glacial cirques, which contain snow throughout the year. The inherent plateaus are flat surfaces completely covered with bare rock deposits. A huge number of minerals are found in the Khibiny Mountains, the vast majority of which were discovered at this site for the first time - which is why the Khibiny massif is also called the mineralogical natural museum. The minerals found here are of greatest importance. This place contains the world's largest deposits of apatite containing phosphorus, as well as titanium, sphene, molybdenum ores and many other rare elements, which have become a reliable base for the mining industry of the North.
As for the flora of the Khibiny Mountains, it changes more and more with increasing altitude. The slopes and foothills of the mountains, reaching a height of 350-400 m, are occupied exclusively by coniferous forests, represented by spruce and pine forests, which can most often be seen with an admixture of birch species. A little higher there is a crooked birch forest, rising even more in height by 100 m. In an even more elevated zone there are zones of crooked forest - this is the tundra, almost completely covered with small shrubs - blueberries, lingonberries, crowberries, bearberry, as well as various types of lichens. After the first frosts have passed, the leaves of all plants quickly acquire a rich, bright color, while creating an incredibly beautiful multi-colored carpet. As altitude increases along the slopes, vegetation cover becomes increasingly sparse and bare areas of rocky embankments can often be found. All the mountain peaks are almost completely without vegetation, and on the rocks and in some places there are scattered yellow, gray and green patterns of lichens that predominate in these places. The flora of the Khibiny Mountains is especially valuable, because a considerable number of representatives of local vegetation are listed in the Red Book. As for the local fauna, the terrestrial vertebrates of the mountain range are represented by 27 species of mammals, 2 species of reptiles, one species of amphibian and 123 different species of birds.
Today, the following mines operate on the territory of the Khibiny mountain range: Rasmvumchorr (Rasvumchorr plateau and Apatite Circus deposits), Kirov (Yukspor and Kukisvumchorr), Central (Rasvumchorr), as well as Eastern (Nyurkpakhk and Koashva). Mining is carried out both open-pit and underground. The number of open mountain ranges is increasingly decreasing, and after some time the development of deposits will be carried out exclusively by underground methods.
For quite a long period of time, the Khibiny Mountains have been one of the most favorite holiday destinations for tourists, because this is the first alpine region in the entire Arctic in which a proper system of routes was carried out, ranging from educational to the most difficult. Even the small height of the mountains can be deceptive, because the climate peculiarities inherent in the area often create extreme conditions for the ascent process.
The Khibiny Mountains are a mountain range in the central part of the Kola Peninsula, which is predominantly a plateau with sloping steep slopes. In some places on the slopes of the mountain range there are so-called snowfields - accumulations of snow, protected from direct sunlight and winds. From the west and east, large lakes Imandra and Umbozero approach the mountains; in addition to these reservoirs, the area is rich in smaller lakes and small rivers.The formation of the modern appearance of the Khibiny, composed mainly of alkaline rocks and granitoids of Precambrian age, one of the oldest in Russia - about 2 billion years old, occurred mainly in the very recent past under the influence of glaciers. During the Ice Age, the entire surrounding area was covered with an ice shell, and in some places rocks towered above it. As the glacier advanced, leaving grooves in the rock, and melted, carrying away debris, and then returned again, a unique glacial landscape was formed, which is characteristic of the entire Kola Peninsula. The glaciers on the Khibiny reached their maximum size approximately 20 thousand years ago.
The rise of the mountain range began after the end of glaciation: the ice began to finally disappear here about 10 thousand years ago, freeing the surface from a colossal burden. The Khibiny mountains continue to grow, and since the disappearance of the bulk of the glaciers, their height has increased by about 20 m. In general, the process of formation of the ridge is characterized by unevenness, which affects the structure of the mountains: their structure is concentric, this is manifested in the arc-shaped arrangement of various rock layers. In addition, there is a decrease in the age of the rocks from the edges to the center. The layering is due to the fact that magma entered the crevices.
One of the pioneers of the Khibiny was the Russian and Finnish geologist Wilhelm Ramsay, who studied both this mountain range and the entire Kola Peninsula as a whole.
The result of the scientist’s painstaking work, in particular, was the Khibiny map.
The first Soviet expedition to the Khibiny Mountains started on August 25, 1920. It included mineralogist Alexander Fersman, President of the Academy of Sciences Alexander Karpinsky and geologist of the Geological Committee Alexander Gerasimov. The main task facing the specialists was the search for apatites, which are also used in ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy. This expedition marked the beginning of the study of the Khibiny for industrial needs.
In 1929, the Apatit mining and processing plant was opened in Khibiny. During the Great Patriotic War, mines, grenades and other types of explosives were produced there, but already in 1944 the enterprise returned to normal operation.
By 1960, the mining of apatite and nepheline ore was put on stream in the Khibiny region, as a result, new cities began to appear for workers to live. Back in 1931, the city of Kirovsk was rebuilt here, and in 1966, the New City grew next to it, which was later renamed Apatity. Subsequently, other villages also appeared nearby, which were named in honor of the countless values of the Khibiny, including Titan and Nepheline Sands.
Ski resort among minerals
Khibiny is located in the central part of the Kola Peninsula. These are mainly plateaus, separated by gorges, with numerous passes and cliffs. The central region of the ridge is occupied by the Kukisvumchorr and Chasnachorr plateaus. At the foot of the Khibiny are the cities of Apatity and Kirovsk.Currently, many deposits are being developed in the Khibiny Mountains, and about five hundred minerals have been explored here.
The Khibiny Mountains to this day retain enormous potential for the development of the mining industry. There are many not only underground, but also open deposits. In particular, in the Khibiny region, deposits of vermiculite and phlogopite mica have been explored, deposits of precious stones (including blue sapphire) and ceramic pegmatites are being developed. In total, about 500 different minerals were identified in the Khibiny Mountains, 110 of which are found nowhere else.
In addition to minerals, the Khibiny Mountains also store invaluable underground reserves of water, and thermal springs were also discovered at a depth of more than 1.5 km.
The large scale of mining in the Khibiny region inevitably affects the environment. The problems are associated with the large volume of associated rock extracted from the ground, and with the need to cut down forests to start work on new deposits. This is why environmentalists are currently advocating the idea of creating a national park in the Khibiny Mountains region.
Work on studying and preserving local nature began in the first half of the 20th century. In particular, the Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden was created on Mount Vudyavrchorr. It gradually presents vegetation characteristic of the local tundra, spruce-birch and alpine tundras, as well as the Arctic desert. In general, more than 400 species of plants grow on the territory of the botanical garden.
The fauna of the Khibiny Mountains is represented mainly by birds; there are less than 30 species of mammals. However, a small number of species of the latter are characteristic of the entire Kola Peninsula.
After the end of the Ice Age, the ice did not retreat from the Khibiny Mountains for a long time. However, now there are practically no traces left of the glacial formations, except for the characteristic relief. At the moment, there are only four glaciers on the Khibiny, which occupy an area of about 0.1 km 2.
Seismic activity continues in the Khibiny region. The first recorded earthquake occurred back in 1758, and the last was recorded in 1988, with the epicenter near the city of Kirovsk.
Approximately a quarter of the territory of this ridge is at risk of avalanches. In addition, the Khibiny region experiences very difficult weather conditions: sharp changes in atmospheric pressure and strong winds are characteristic. In particular, at the peaks the wind speed can reach 50 m/s. In addition, the angle of climb gradually increases, and the path is blocked by numerous boulders. The situation is also complicated by the extremely changeable weather: conditions can change several times during the day.
However, the Khibiny Mountains invariably remain popular among climbers. Over the years of exploration of this mountain range, well-trodden routes have appeared, including options not only for experienced athletes, but also for beginners. In addition, there are ski slopes here, which are concentrated mainly in the Kirovsk area.
general information
Location: Kola Peninsula.Administrative affiliation: .
Largest cities: Apatity - 57,398 people. (2015), Kirovsk - 27,250 people. (2015).
Nearest airport: Apatity airport.
Numbers
Area: 1300 km2.Highest point: Mount Yudychvumchorr (1200.6 m).
Main peaks: Chasnachorr (1188 m), Putelichorr (1111 m).
Climate and weather
Characterized by long and snowy winters and cold and short summers.However, the proximity of the Gulf Stream causes a warmer climate compared to other polar regions of Russia.
The polar night lasts 42 days.
Average January temperature: -5°C.
Average temperature in July: +14°C.
Average annual precipitation: from 600-700 mm in valleys to 1600 mm on mountain plateaus.
Economy
Industry: mining (apatite, nepheline, sphene, aegirine, feldspar, titanomagnetite).Scientific research.
Service sector: tourism.
Attractions
■ Natural: Lyavinskaya and Poutelle hills, Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden-Institute.■ Kirovsk: museum and exhibition center of JSC "Apatit", local history museum, V. Erofeev Literary Museum.
■ Apatity: museum-archive of the history of the study and development of the European North of Russia, museum of geology and mineralogy of the Geological Institute of the KSC RAS, open-air geological park, museum-apartment of academician A.V. Sidorenko.
Curious facts
■ The Polar-Alpine Botanical Garden is the northernmost botanical garden in Russia and one of three botanical gardens in the world located beyond the Arctic Circle.■ The Khibiny tundra was often called the “Skull of the Earth” in the past. Thus, scientists have noted areas where ancient rocks come to the surface, the formation of which is associated with geological processes multibillion years ago. These formations are part of the Baltic crystalline shield.
■ The writer Mikhail Prishvin, during his long journey through the European and Russian North, visited the Khibiny Mountains in 1907. One of the stories, “The Khibiny Mountains,” is dedicated to them.
■ Most of the Khibiny peaks have Sami names. There are few speakers of the Sami language - the Sami, or Lapps - left; they live mainly in the north of the Scandinavian Peninsula and on the Kola Peninsula.