The kaolin mine "Kuklya". Part One.

In the scientific literature, these mines which are located near the town of Berehovo, are called kaolin, Berehovo active young people use the term "chalk caves", a small hill where they are dug, is called Berehivskyy, and the very mountain system - Berehivske horbohorye. In fact, people call this mountain as "Kuklya" and it is situated in the small village with the similar name "Kuklya", which is near the village of Muzhiyevo.

The village Muzhiyevo (an old version: Muzhay) of Berehovo region was firstly mentioned in historical documents in 1114. It represents the tourist interest primarily because of the ruins of the Dominican church of John the Baptist, of 12th century, which was rebuilt in the 16th century. Also, there is another architectural feature in the center of the village – the reformist church of the 15th century with a wooden belfry of the 19th century. The Muzhievskyy gold deposit and ore processing plant with it can also be defined as those which are of interest.

The kaolin mine "Kuklya" is named for the mountain. The total area of mines and surface structures over it is 5 acres. According to some information, the known mine has been since the 15th century. It was used as for the mining of kaolin, the most valuable white clay in those times, from which, for example, an expensive "Vienna Porcelain" was produced during the Austro-Hungarian Empire and for "easy" gold mining. The village of Muzhiyevo is famous for its gold rocks, part of which lies between the dense layers of kaolin. Gold has been mined for many hundreds years here. Turks, Germans and Hungarians, and, especially, Ukrainians did this at one time. The mining was carried out primitively in the old days - with a pickax and lantern. Passages of an extensive system of mines were not dug deeper than the mark of 200 meters. Gold miners easily passed through the soft kaolin rock which had gold rocks from which later gold dust was washed out. There are not nuggets in the Muzhievskyy gold deposits, but on average, 6 grams of gold is washed out from the tons of sand. In 1999, even a reprocessing factory – mine was opened on the outskirts of the village Muzhiyevo. In the last decade the quantity of "produced" gold by it varied from 12 to 182 kg of gold a year. Taking into the consideration the palpable poverty of gold ore, the fact of opening of such a factory in Transcarpathia is similar to the experiment on the declaration of usefulness and strengthening of region self – sufficiency feeling, especially in the light of the sentiments of autonomization.

It is possible to lift to the entrance of the cave system "Kuklya" as from Berehovo, so from the village of Muzhiyevo. Moving along the serpentine path of the slope of mountain Kuklya, the mines are seen already a mile away. There are signs of kaolin everywhere - in the rocks, in the color of dirt on the roadside, in the dust on the leaves.

Coming to the area of mines, the first thing that catches your eye is a horizontal hole into the bowels of the mountain which is closed with a lattice.



Judging by the state of the lattice and "anti vandal" fit on it, the boys of all ages strive to experience the secret passages of the caves regularly...



Here is such a corridor going into the bowels of the mountain directly behind the lattice.



There is a glade of medium size, covered with rock dumps and old rusty appliances, in the right of the entrance of the mine system. In the right part of the photo the ruins of a pier with semi decaying piles, supporting the narrow-gauge line for the trolleys, are seen.



It is clearly seen in this picture. Rails end with the "deadlock" at the load level of the classical ramp. The kaolin rock is scattered everywhere.




See also: Kaolin mine Kuklya. Part two.

10.02.2011. 14:41

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