Average January temperature ranges from −32 °C (−26 °F) in the south to −40 °C (−40 °F) in the north. July's average temperature ranges from +14 °C (57 °F) to +16 °C (61 °F). The average annual precipitation is about 250–300 millimeters (9.8–11.8 in).[10]
The Vilyuy Riverbasin was believed to contain mineral deposits at least as early as the 19th century, with Richard Maack reporting after an expedition to the area that the area was rich in iron, salt deposits, and precious stones.[citation needed] He described a nest of blue clay in the area between the Vilyuy and Malaya Bituobiya Rivers, but as kimberlites had not yet been discovered there was no official attention.[citation needed]
Around the beginning on the 20th century, a number of scientists and geologists noted similarities between parts of the Central Siberian Plateau and areas in South Africa, where exploitation of primary diamond deposits had already begun.[citation needed] In 1937, the Soviet government began to greatly increase effort to produce diamonds on its own territory, due in part to some other diamond-producing nations being unwilling to sell to the USSR.[citation needed] Expeditions were organized in the basins of the Yenisei River and in the Ural Mountains.[citation needed] The Ural expedition proved the more successful, finding small, but commercially viable deposits.[citation needed]
An additional government decree signed by Stalin in 1946 announced further exploration for diamonds, with expeditions mounted from Irkutsk into the region of the Yenisei River.[citation needed] The first officially recorded discovery of diamonds in Yakutia (the present-day Sakha Republic) was made in 1949 on an expedition along the Vilyuy.[citation needed] Initially, discoveries centered on placer deposits, which did not uncover the enormous primary deposits in the form of kimberlite pipes.[citation needed]
The first kimberlite deposit, Zarnitsa mine, was discovered on August 21, 1954.[citation needed] Further exploration in 1955 found over fifteen primary deposits, including the largest pipes at Udachny and Mirny.[citation needed] Over two hundred kimberlite pipes have since been identified in the Sakha Republic.[citation needed]
Mirninsky District was established on January 12, 1965,[2] after large-scale diamond mining was started in the area and associated industries began to grow.
Within the framework of administrative divisions, Mirninsky District is one of the thirty-four in the republic.[1] It is divided into two towns (administrative divisions with the administrative centers in the towns (inhabited localities) of Mirny and Udachny), four settlements (administrative divisions with the administrative centers in the urban-type settlements (inhabited localities) of Aykhal, Almazny, Chernyshevsky, and Svetly), and three rural okrugs (naslegs), all of which comprise eight rural localities.[2] As a municipal division, the district is incorporated as Mirninsky Municipal District.[6] Within the municipal district, the two towns and the four settlements are incorporated into six urban settlements, and the three rural okrugs are incorporated into three rural settlements.[7] The town of Mirny serves as the administrative center of both the administrative[2] and municipal[6] district.
The economy of the district is mostly based on mining. Natural resources include diamonds, oil, gas, and brown coal. Diamond mining is mostly carried out by ALROSA company and its subsidiaries.
^The count of urban-type settlements may include the work settlements, the resort settlements, the suburban (dacha) settlements, as well as urban-type settlements proper.
Official website of the Sakha Republic. Registry of the Administrative-Territorial Divisions of the Sakha Republic. Mirninsky District. (in Russian)
Верховный Совет Республики Саха (Якутия). 4 апреля 1992 г. «Конституция (основной закон) Республики Саха (Якутия)», в ред. Конституционного закона №1077-З №1035-IV от 8 июня 2012 г. «О внесении изменений и дополнений в Конституцию (основной закон) Республики Саха (Якутия)». Опубликован: "Якутские ведомости", №7, 26 апреля 1992 г. (Supreme Council of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. April 4, 1992 Constitution (Basic Law) of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, as amended by the Constitutional Law #1077-Z No. 1035-IV of June 8, 2012 On Amending and Supplementing the Constitution (Basic Law) of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. ).
Государственное Собрание (Ил Тумэн) Республики Саха (Якутия). Закон №172-З №351-III от 30 ноября 2004 г. «Об установлении границ и о наделении статусом муниципального района муниципальных образований Республики Саха (Якутия)», в ред. Закона №1535-З №597-V от 27 ноября 2015 г. «О внесении изменений в статьи 1 и 2 Закона Республики Саха (Якутия) "Об установлении границ и о наделении статусом муниципального района муниципальных образований Республики Саха (Якутия)"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Якутия", №245, 31 декабря 2004 г. (State Assembly (Il Tumen) of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. Law #172-Z No. 351-III of November 30, 2004 On Establishing the Borders and on Granting the Municipal District Status to the Municipal Formations of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, as amended by the Law #1535-Z No. 597-V of November 27, 2015 On Amending Articles 1 and 2 of the Law of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic "On Establishing the Borders and on Granting the Municipal District Status to the Municipal Formations of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
Государственное Собрание (Ил Тумэн) Республики Саха (Якутия). Закон №173-З №353-III от 30 ноября 2004 г. «Об установлении границ и о наделении статусом городского и сельского поселений муниципальных образований Республики Саха (Якутия)», в ред. Закона №1058-З №1007-IV от 25 апреля 2012 г. «О внесении изменений в Закон Республики Саха (Якутия) "Об установлении границ и о наделении статусом городского и сельского поселений муниципальных образований Республики Саха (Якутия)"». Вступил в силу со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Якутия", №245, 31 декабря 2004 г. (State Assembly (Il Tumen) of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic. Law #173-Z No. 353-III of November 30, 2004 On Establishing the Borders and on Granting the Urban and Rural Settlement Status to the Municipal Formations of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic, as amended by the Law #1058-Z No. 1007-IV of April 25, 2012 On Amending the Law of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic "On Establishing the Borders and on Granting the Urban and Rural Settlement Status to the Municipal Formations of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic". Effective as of the day of the official publication.).
[8])
