The manganese mines are the hallmark of Chiatura. Discovered in the Imereti region in the mid-19th century, industrial extraction of manganese began in the 1870s. Manganese, a silvery metal with the chemical symbol Mn, is indirectly related to household potassium permanganate, which is a salt of manganese acid. Interest in manganese surged with the advent of the Martin process for steel smelting, where it plays a crucial role. Without manganese, steel cannot be effectively produced, highlighting its significant strategic importance.
It is said that the great Georgian poet Akaki Tsereteli, the author of the lyrics to the most famous Georgian song “Suliko,” inspired the governor of the Kutaisi province, I.K. Bagrationi-Mukhransky, to pursue manganese extraction. Tsereteli hailed from a village in the neighboring Satchkhere district. By 1892, Chiatura was responsible for 38% of the world’s manganese production, and by 1912, that figure had risen to 58%. This means that nearly half of all steel produced globally during that time was made with Georgian manganese.
During the events of 1917, a genuine proletarian movement emerged in Chiatura, with miners supporting the revolution and even contributing to the publication of the newspaper “Iskra.” However, by 1924, the same miners organized an anti-Soviet uprising, which was brutally suppressed, with many participants executed en masse.
Under Soviet rule, large-scale manganese extraction commenced in Chiatura, with reports suggesting that nearly half of the world’s manganese was mined there during that period. Today, some of the mines remain operational, continuing to extract manganese. Visitors can witness ore-laden carts emerging from the mines, as there is little security in the area. This accessibility allows tourists, geology enthusiasts, and those interested in the mining industry to collect samples of this unique ore. Many of the mines can even be reached via cable cars