Solotvyno

Solotvyno (Ukrainian: Солотвино; Hungarian: Aknaszlatina; Yiddish: סעלאָטפֿינע) is a rural settlement in Transcarpathia, Ukraine, in the Tiachiv Raion. Its population is approximately 8,600, of which about 3,500 are of Hungarian ethnicity. The settlement is one of the strongholds of European salt mining.

 Location 
A settlement located on the right bank of the Tisza River, 24 km southeast of Tiachiv. On the other bank of the Tisza in Romania, opposite Solotvyno, lies Sighetu Marmației. The average altitude of the settlement is 283 m above sea level.

 History 
It was first mentioned as Zlatina in 1360. It was already inhabited in Roman times. The richest salt mine in the area was here, operating since the 13th century. The almost inexhaustibly rich Solotvyno salt body, which is 2160 m long, 1700 m wide and more than 600 m thick, strikes NW-SE and dips 65-81° NE.Réthy Károly: Aknaszlatina, az európai sóbányászat egyik fellegvára  In 1910, it had a population of 2,330, mostly Hungarians.

 Economy 
The town’s life was shaped by salt mining for centuries. Large-scale salt production began in the 19th century during the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy. In Soviet times, production increased significantly. In 1960, they mined 326,000 tons of salt, and in 1970, it rose to 451,000 tons (10% of the Ukrainian SSR’s salt output). After the Soviet Union collapsed, an economic crisis hit the mine, and production dropped sharply. Today, salt is mined for industrial and agricultural use. Earlier mines ran out of salt and many collapsed. Since 1968, the upper tunnels of Mine No. 9 have been used to treat allergies and breathing problems. The town has Ukraine’s only allergy hospital. In the early 21st century, over-mining and neglected equipment caused production to crash. The ground sank, tunnels flooded, and a large salt lake formed. Private companies now use its water for recreational pools.

References

Category:Rural settlements in Ukraine