Zyryan

Zyryan lies in the mineral-rich Altai, in a valley where the Maslyanka joins the Berezovka, a tributary of the Bukhtarma. Mountains surround the settlement, and its name recalls the prospector whose discovery brought a new mine to the valley. The ores found here contained silver and lead, as well as other metals, drawing the attention of the Russian mining administration.

In May 1791 Gerasim Zyryanov, a worker at the Bukhtarma mine, found ore near the Berezovka and brought samples to his superiors. Tests showed a rich deposit, and work began in August. A settlement grew beside the mine and took its name from him. Supplies for the remote mining country had to be brought along mountain paths or by the Irtysh from Ust-Kamenogorsk; the new workings nevertheless became an important source of ore for the Altai smelters.