Мончегорск қаласы: тарихы, өндірісі және экологиясы

Town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia
a town in Russia

Monchegorsk (Мончего́рск) is a town in Murmansk Oblast, Russia, located on the Kola Peninsula, south of Murmansk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: 52,242 (2002 Census); 68,652 (1989 Census).

The name of the town derives from Akkala Sámi word monče 'beautiful'. The name originally was intended for nearby Montshatuntur (Arctic Hill).

It was established in the 1930s as the inhabited locality of Moncha Guba (Монча Губа), which served copper and nickel mining in the Monchetundra Massif. It was granted work settlement status and renamed Monchegorsk by the Resolution of the Presidium of All Russian Central Executive Committee (VTsIK) on November 25, 1935. On February 19, 1937, the Presidium of the Murmansk Okrug Executive Committee petitioned to create new Monchegorsky District by separating the town and its surrounding area from Kirovsky District and to grant Monchegorsk town status.

Within the framework of administrative divisions, it is, together with three rural localities, incorporated as Monchegorsk Town with Jurisdictional Territory—an administrative unit with the status equal to that of the districts. As a municipal division, Monchegorsk Town with Jurisdictional Territory is incorporated as Monchegorsk Urban Okrug.

Monchegorsk is a center of nickel cobalt and copper production (a Norilsk Nickel plant is located here). It also hosts the Monchegorsk air base of the Russian Air Force. The area surrounding the town is severely polluted. The Barents Euro Arctic Council has listed Monchegorsk among the Barents Euro Arctic region's environmental hotspots, though it noted that the problem was gradually being solved. Since 1998, SO2 emissions in the Monchegorsk area have dropped by almost 60%, from 88.3 thousand tonnes to 37.3 thousand tonnes in 2016, according to Norilsk Nickel. The company launched a $20 billion environmental programme aimed at reducing emissions, modernising and closing down polluting facilities, as well as implement energy saving and lower energy consuming measures.

The bandy team Kolskaya GMK has played in the highest division of Russian Bandy League, last in 2010–2011. Their home arena has a capacity of 5000. Since 2009 there is also a female team.