The slate deposits in the Ural Mountains (Russia)

There is no mining and production of (roofing-) slate in the Ural mountains. Comprehensive investigations in respect to minability and possible products were carried out in the Chelyabinsk Oblast in South Ural by Malachow in 1930.
Exploration and quarrying in form of a pilot phase were carried out within the slate deposit of 'Atkjansk'.

The slates are situated in the valley of the river Miass about 16 km southwest of the town of Miass and 13 km south of the railway station Syrostan. Further south other shafts were sunk. The exploration comprised the investigation of the slate in the area south of the mountain of Podjatschja to the sharp bend of the river Atljan.

The slate deposit is a small strip, striking roughly NE-SW with a steep dip. This inhomogeneous deposit contains slates of two qualities; that is roofing slate which can be split into thin shingles and parts where the slate can be split into shingles of 2-3 cm thickness. The latter are called like 'sound slates' (Schallsteine). The roofing slates show a good fissility with a smooth and silky splitting surface.

The test production of roofing slates comprised different German, French and English formates.

Overview map of the historical tests for slate mining.