Talc Stone

This unique place, located 40 km from Yekaterinburg and 7 km from the city of Sysert, is the southernmost point of the Sverdlovsk region. Further the border with another region of the country, Chelyabinsk region, known for its Arkaim. From Sverdlovsk to Chelyabinsk 380 km. Those who watched the film «Leave to return», probably heard that this place is called Altai, although looking closely, come to the conclusion that this is not the Altai. Here in 2007 the youngest natural Park of Sverdlovsk region «Bazhovsky places» was opened. Tourists often come here to relax from the bustle of the city, barbecue and swim in the cold water of the lake. This place is also popular with schoolchildren and students. Talkov (emphasis on the 1st syllable; no Association with Igor Talkov this natural monument has not) stone — lake, formed as a result of human activity, today one of the monuments of Federal and regional importance. In 2017, the Park celebrated its 10th anniversary.

For a start I will make a reservation: it can be considered as a lake conditionally as initially on its place there was a pit where extracted ore, and talc later.

The Urals in the era of reforms of Peter I were extremely important for the Russian State. Since the 18th century, the richest mineral deposits were discovered here, and under the supervision of Willim de Genin, active development of the Sysert river area began.

The first settlement, which marked the beginning of the modern city of Sysert, was founded in 1732, in connection with the construction «on the state empty land near the river Sysert» of the state metallurgical (iron-smelting and iron-making) plant. The raw material for the plant was iron ore found on the river syserti by the peasants of the Aramil settlement in the 18th century. At that time they made iron out of it «in small furnaces».

The history of Upper Syserti begins in 1680. The settlement was also founded by the inhabitants of The Aramil settlement, and the vicinity of the village of iron ore mining was conducted in ancient times. In 1849, near the village was built a dam, formed Verhnetulomsky pond. There was a new iron-making plant, as an auxiliary to Sysertsky plant.

In the Urals, iron was forged, but in the 19th century the production of iron was extremely time-consuming and difficult process, so engineering thought was looking for new ways of smelting metal. Until the middle of the 19th century in England was improving the processes of obtaining iron from cast iron. In the original method, it took three weeks to process five tons into malleable iron, and a day and a half in puddling.

The problem in Europe was getting refractory bricks for pudding furnaces. Especially quickly burned out the floor, so the brickwork had to be changed often. In 1770, sysertskiy ruthsatz Kalugin found in the vicinity of Sysert talc. And in 1849 local engineers finished experiments with a refractory new in world practice. He proved himself a good fellow, withstood more than a hundred swimming trunks and severe overheating.

In 1843 this place began to take the powder that was used for making refractory materials for the factories of Sysert mining district. Works at that time were carried out manually, in an open way, so by the beginning of the 20th century there was a deep quarry. During the work, the aquifer was affected and groundwater began to seep into the bottom of the quarry. In addition, at the beginning of the 20th century Ural plants began to switch to another refractory – Dinas-so the demand for natural talc seriously decreased. Within a few years the quarry was completely flooded and turned into a picturesque forest lake. In 1849, the Sysert plant was the first in the history of metallurgy to manufacture talco-magnesite bricks for laying pudding furnaces.

Originally on this place there was a mountain Chernovskaya. Extraction of talc were open way; blocks of hand-cut semi-circular large saw and were taken by horse, then sawing to standard size. Sysertskiy talc Deposit was rich, often conductors were "noble" talc, that is talc free of impurities. He went to the additive in the manufacture of paper for money and documents, used in medicine, in the rubber industry, as a refractory lubricant. Slowly the ledge over the ledge had a fairly deep pit. But in 1905 at the bottom of it began to seep groundwater, and therefore production had to stop.

Soon after the career established notoriety. If the cattle are lost, the revelers of syserti will see a White woman beckoning in the vicinity of the lake. Gossip dubbed talc stone deathtrap and not suitable for country walks respectable citizens. And then there's the surprise configured Sysertsky plant workers began to organize on the banks of Soapstone secret revolutionary meetings, which is also added the forest lake notoriety.

In the first years of Soviet power, the development of talc was sometimes resumed. In 1927 it opened a new large deposit of talc slate — Sarovskoe, and extraction of talc under the Sysert finally stopped. Gradually the quarry filled with water and turned into a pond.

Time passed. The shores of the man-made lake are overgrown with forest, covered with lichen and moss. In the water there was seaweed Elodea, have fish. About evil spirits that lived in these forests, people began to forget, and talcum stone was one of the most popular tourist destinations. Not only for residents of Syserti, but also Yekaterinburg.

Divers do not ignore the clear waters of the former quarry. As soon as an affordable light diving facility appeared in the country, one of the first places where diving began was talcum Stone. Divers found that the bottom of the lake is covered with a thick layer of light talcum silt and from a depth of 20 meters literally littered with fallen trees from the sides of the quarry. As a result, no one saw the true bottom of the man-made lake, which gave rise to new legends about the Talc Stone.

Now about the evil spirit no one remembered, and remembered the treasures, perhaps resting on its bottom. These stories about the untold wealth hidden in the lake are not without common sense.

Last owned Sysertsky plant Solomirskii was rich. He was also an educated man and a great connoisseur and collector of works of art. The pride of his collection was a collection of marble sculptures by Italian masters of the 18-19th centuries. After the revolution, the collection disappeared. Many people tried to find it, but the fate of Italian marble is still unknown. The fact that no piece from the collection not appeared at international auctions, says that the work is hidden away somewhere still. It was rumored that hid Solomirskii their wealth at the bottom of the Talc Stone. It was as if someone had even seen something heavy being carried in carts on the way to the quarry, but no one could really say what it was or whether it was being carried at all. But the bottom Talc Stone place secure and inaccessible. So still keep their secret greenish water abandoned ancient quarry.

In the mid-70s Talc Stone was included in the list of natural monuments of Sverdlovsk region: geological, botanical, historical and archaeological. After all, archaeologists have found even human neolithic. A plaque was unveiled telling of secret gatherings.

When soundings were recorded 13.5 meters, but because the bottom is completely covered with sunken trees, the depth indicated within 32 m. According to the hydrologists and the water has a low mineralization. The best point of view and photography is a high cliff in the Eastern part of the lake.

The lake lies at an altitude of 268.6 m above sea level. Considering clear geological layers in the steep walls of the rocks of talc, it is impossible not to recall the tale Bazhov «Dalevoe glyadelce».

What is the lake Talc Stone in our days? It is quite small in area-about 60-70 meters across. The depth reaches up to 32 meters. According to divers diving here, the bottom of the lake is covered with numerous fallen trees. Because of the great depth, the water in the lake warms up slightly, so it is always very cold. The water is clear, greenish color.

The banks are steep and high, up to 20-30 meters in height. Around the lake everywhere talco-containing rock, so you should walk carefully so as not to slip. Talc is very slippery, especially in wet weather. The most convenient approach directly to the water surface of the lake – from the North side. It is convenient to go into the water thanks to the flat plate. However it is also very slippery, and a few meters from the shore drops off steeply into the water many meters deep.

In addition, here you will see a large cast-iron plate, reminiscent of the importance of the lake: «Talc Stone. Historical and revolutionary monument. The place of secret meetings of Sysert workers in 1905-1907. More than 20 minerals are found here. The height of the rock is 27 m, the depth of the lake is 32 m».

In 2007 there was created the youngest on the territory of Sverdlovsk region natural Park «Bazhovsky places». Talc Stone has become one of the main objects for tourism in the Park. Here you can book a tour, ride a horse (in winter — on a snowmobile), learn diving in lake Talс Stone.

We recommend a hike to Talc Stone lake as a weekend route. If one day seems not enough, then in a clearing near the lake you can stay the night with your tent or rent from representatives of the natural park. They also can buy firewood (as tourists have already burned everything that is possible).

Entering the vicinity of Syserti, you will definitely be able to see Bessonov mountain and the cross erected on it. So it's not about Lee sang Vyacheslav Butusov in the well-known hit of group «Nautilus Pompilius»?