Production dynamics at government-owned mining works in Russia in Nicholas I period

The article reviews development of production at the government-owned mining works in Russia in the second quarter of the 19th century. The source was the historical data of the Most Loyal Reports of the Department of Mining and Salt to the Emperor. The statistics of mineral mining, metallurgy and metal working, as well as shipment of products at the government-owned works in the Ural is analyzed. In the period of reign of Nicholas I, production at the government-owned mining works never grew (gold production was at a level of 135 poods (pood is a traditional Russian unit of weight, equal to 16 kilos), iron ore—3.9 million poods, copper ore–round 1.2 million poods with a decreasing trend, black coal—490 thousand poods, copper smeltery produced round 30.5 thousand poods, cast iron supply reduced from 1.5 million to 750 thousand poods, iron supply grew from 490 to 650 thousand poods, manufacturing of cannons was round 58 thousand poods, shells—round 204 thousand poods, anchors—12 thousand poods, cold guns—35 thousand items, scythes—12 thousand items). The zero growth was conditioned by the objectives set by the law for the government-owned mining industry. The increase in production could either lead to a competition with private factories, which was legally prohibited, or to an increase of budget expenses. Furthermore, the research revealed the specifics of the inventory adopted by the mining industry: the ‘reports’ informed not on the amount of metal produced but on the amount of metal supplied to customers and for market sales.