VSEGEI. Geological Map of the Continents [translation]. Leni - Lot 80

VSEGEI. Geological Map of the Continents [translation]. Leningrad, D.V. Nalivkin, 1971/1973. Color print. Color map printed on six unbound sheets; each sheet measures approximately 72.5 x 81 cm. Very good overall condition, with a few scattered imperfections. A monumental geological map of the world in Russian, published in the Soviet Union in 1973. "The map was approved by the VSEGEI Scientific Editorial Board on January 26, 1971. Designed and printed at the Leningrad Map Factory of the Aerogeology Association. Editor-in-Chief: cartographer V. A. Kalinin, geologist M. B. Leikina, Technical Editor…Print run: 2,500 copies. Signed for publication on June 28, 1973" [translation]. Depicted on a polyconic projection, the map uses colored shading to distinguish between dozens of geological strata. All are identified by a legend in reverse order in the lower left corner. A text box at the bottom center reads as follows: “The geological map of the continents, at a scale of 1:15 million, was produced by the Scientific Geological Research Institute of the Union of the Order of Lenin (VSEGE[I]) based on published cartographic and literary sources. Quaternary deposits are shown on the map only in areas where they are widespread, when the geological structure of pre-Quaternary deposits is unknown. This map is published alongside a world map of natural resources at the same scale.” Geology is far from being my area of expertise, but I suspect that the map is of historical interest due to the differences between the stratigraphic classification system used at the time in the Soviet Union and that used elsewhere in the world (see Alexandr I. Zhamoida, “Comparing the Soviet Stratigraphic Code with the International Guide.” The Scientific and Geological Research Institute of the Union of the Order of Lenin [VSEGEI]. The origins of the VSEGEI date back to 1882, when the Russian Geological Committee (Geolkom) was established. Its initial mission was to conduct geological surveys and compile a geological map of the Russian Empire. The institution was responsible for the systematic study of Russia’s natural resources, including coal, oil, and mineral deposits. By 1917, Geolkom had become a respected center for geological research, producing the first comprehensive geological maps of the empire. During the Cold War, the Soviet Union’s efforts to develop its heavy industry, nuclear technology, and space programs required large quantities of raw materials, including uranium, bauxite, iron ore, and oil. The VSEGEI contributed significantly to the exploration and development of Siberia, which became the heart of Soviet natural resource extraction. Among the VSEGEI’s notable achievements during this period was its role in the discovery of major oil and gas fields in Western Siberia and major mineral deposits in Kazakhstan and other remote regions of the USSR. These discoveries contributed to the Soviet Union’s status as a superpower, particularly in the field of energy production, as oil and gas became major export commodities. VSEGEI also advanced the field of geology during this period by employing new techniques in geophysical prospecting, geochemistry, and drilling. It contributed to the development of detailed geological maps of the entire Soviet Union, including the remote and inhospitable regions of the Far North and the Far East. The VSEGEI survived the collapse of the Soviet Union and continues to play a vital role in geological science and mineral exploration in Russia, particularly in Siberia and the Arctic. Expert: Béatrice Loeb-Larocque