Expert: «The idea is sound, but needs improvement»
The state will recreate the practice of gold mining, which was widespread in Russia in the 19th century and in the 1920s, under Soviet rule. The Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East has prepared a draft law on artisanal activities, allowing individuals to legally mine the «yellow metal». It is unlikely that this idea will lead to a new «gold rush» and a massive search for precious grains in the spirit of the heroes of Jack London and Mamin-Sibiryak, but it looks useful.
The project of the government department is pilot in nature. It is assumed that in the first three years its mechanism will work in the Far East and the Arctic, and then in other regions. Now only legal entities that have a license to use subsoil can mine gold in Russia. According to the document, residents of the regions will be registered as individual entrepreneurs and will receive free-of-charge use of mining plots with an area of no more than 10 hectares, with the possibility of extending for another three years «by agreement of the parties.»
Each prospector will be able to work only on one site, remove a layer of earth up to 5 meters and involve no more than ten employees. It is allowed to mine no more than 30 kilograms of gold. According to the Ministry for the Development of the Far East, if the law is passed (its other name is «on free bringing»), more than 10 thousand new jobs will appear, and the positive effect for the budgets of the regions will be from 15 billion to 30 billion rubles accumulated over three years .
We talked about the goals and prospects of the undertaking with a specialist — vice president of the Golden Mint House company; Alexey Vyazovsky.
— The idea is rooted in our history, — says the interlocutor of «MK». — I want to remind you that in the 1920s, the young Soviet republic was in dire need of gold in order to pay off loans and resist the economic blockade of Western countries. In April 1925, the Council of Labor and Defense of the USSR issued a resolution allowing private gold mining in the eastern regions, without the use of hired labor.
This made it possible to quickly cope with a number of tasks, in particular, to search for new deposits, settling vacant territories, the construction of cities and roads. And now we are, in fact, returning to the then positive experience.
In addition, there is the problem of «black diggers», which is extremely relevant today. According to unofficial estimates, they account for up to 30 tons of gold mined in Russia. These people travel in thousands to our main regions of the gold industry (Krasnoyarsk Territory, Magadan Region, Transbaikalia, Chukotka) and there, mainly in the mouths of the rivers, «shovel»; without any license, without paying taxes and, in addition, damaging the environment.
This left craft must be entered into the legal field. But there is one more technical circumstance: let's say a person washed up golden sand (schlich) in a river, and what to do with it next? After all, no bank will buy metal from him in this form. And just the day before, Deputy Prime Minister Yury Trutnev proposed organizing state points for buying up gold mined by individuals in the regions in order to prevent illegal trafficking. There is a direct parallel with the resolution we are discussing: private traders can not only mine gold, but also sell it to the state at an officially approved price.
— Are there many people in the country who not only believe in the romantic idea of »Klondike in Russian», but also want to try it on themselves, immediately going for the «fog and smell of the taiga»?
— Hard to say. It is only clear that this will attract some part of the «black diggers». Here I see another serious flaw: private traders were severely limited in the use of special equipment for mining. Picks and one motor pump – that's all. This may turn out to be a bottleneck, because of which illegal immigrants do not want to legalize themselves.
We need to expand the toolkit. For example, legal entities use automated escalator dredges. But in general, the bill is absolutely justified, including from the point of view of the interests of the tourism industry. Let's say you went to Chukotka to raft down the local rivers. Or – to the Krasnoyarsk Territory, wander around the national park «Krasnoyarsk Pillars». Nature is wonderful, there is something to see. And at the same time – and gold can be obtained. This practice exists in many countries, for example, in Australia you will be offered to admire the kangaroo and look for gold nuggets in the neighboring area.