GEORGIA

The origin and further growth of Chiatura as a city was caused by the presence of ore in the Kvirila river valley. Ore mining began in 1879 by the initiative of Akaki Tsereteli, when representatives of the Krupp plant, as well as the representatives of Gute Hoffnung iron mines in Westphalia and the St. Petersburg trading house Wachter and Company came to Chiatura, and in the same year, 54 thousand feet of manganese were extracted. Local entrepreneurs were also involved in manganese processing. Manganese was mined mainly in the Shorapani Mazra on both banks of the Kvirila River. The centre was Chiatura village. As a whole, the manganese mining basin, apart from Chiatura, consisted of eight more villages: Rgani, Tabagrebi, Mgvimevi, Darkveti, Perevisa, Shukruti and Itkhvisi. The 54 tons of manganese, which was exported from Chiatura to the world market for the first time, was distinguished by its high quality and therefore attracted great interest in industrialized countries. By 1895,..

Also known as: Georgian Manganese

Primary location: Tbilisi