Mount Colonel

Mount Colonel is a small hill located in the west of the Orenburg region, not far from the city of Orsk, near the bed of the Or River. The hill rises above the surrounding area to a height of about 60 meters (its absolute height is 220 meters), and its maximum length from south to north is about 3 kilometers.

This natural site has attracted attention for more than 200 years thanks to the unique jasper deposit that is mined here. The name “Colonel Mountain” arose at the end of the 19th century, when a stud farm was founded on one of the slopes of the hill, led by a retired Cossack colonel.

Historical reference

In the mid-18th century, quarries were established on the slopes of Colonel Mountain to extract jasper, a valuable mineral. The first jasper produced here was sent to Moscow, where Ural craftsmen created several decorative items. Over time, jasper began to be sent to the Yekaterinburg factory, where various jewelry, interior items and dishes were made from it.

In 1886, on the western slope of Mount Colonel, the Turgai stud farm was built, headed by a retired Cossack colonel, Balk N.V. Local residents heading there to work or on business began to use the expression: “I went to the colonel.” This expression became part of local vernacular, even after the plant ceased operations.

The First World War and the subsequent October Revolution led to a temporary cessation of mass jasper mining. Development of the field resumed only with the Bolsheviks coming to power in the 1930s. Until the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, production amounted to about 300 tons of jasper annually, but during the war and in subsequent years, production decreased significantly.

At the beginning of the 21st century, industrial mining of jasper on Mount Colonel was completely stopped due to the unprofitability of the project. However, several years ago a private company received a license to develop the field and resumed production.

Orskaya Jasper

Jasper mined at the Colonel Mountain deposit attracts attention with its unique pattern and variety of colors. This mineral has all known color shades, some of which are particularly rich. The jasper deposit in Orsk is considered the most famous in the Urals.

Products made from this jasper can be seen in many famous museums in Russia, including the Hermitage, where, for example, two vases are exhibited. Many items made from Orsk jasper are also in the hands of private collectors both in Russia and abroad.

Jasper mined at the Orskoye deposit was used to decorate various historically significant objects, such as a temple in St. Petersburg, the floor of a bedchamber in the Kremlin and one of the metro stations in Moscow.

Tourism

The mountain is famous among tourists who come to Orsk because here on the slopes of the mountain you can collect samples of the famous jasper for your collection - the rock lies almost everywhere here.

How to get there

Mount Colonel is located near the city of Orsk, about 3 kilometers from it. Leaving the city, you need to head towards the village of Biofabrika (a suburb of Orsk), and from there it’s still about a kilometer to the south. The hill will be clearly visible on the left side of the road.