Metallurgist Days: history and features of the celebration

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Holidays in honor of representatives of the most sought-after professions appeared in the days of the Soviet Union. After 1990, in the large states of the CIS, where there is a developed ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the Metallurgist Days were legalized and enriched with new traditions. The governments of a number of post-Soviet republics canceled this professional holiday.

Metallurg sounds proud

Was the Metallurgist's Days hundreds of years ago? History is silent about that. But it was in the ancient states that this craft, which is akin to art, was born. In furnaces, craftsmen smelted ore, producing copper, bronze, cast iron, and steel. The search for a "philosopher's stone" capable of turning any mineral into gold led to the emergence of new alloys and furnaces for their production. The recipes of ancient metallurgists still give rise to myths, for example, about the superiority of damask steel over modern steel products. The importance of ferrous metals increased in the 18th-19th centuries; for non-ferrous metals, the era of scientific and technological revolution in the middle of the 20th century became a turning point.

In 1957 in the USSR for the first timecelebrated Metallurgist's Day. The times were difficult, the country had not yet fully recovered from the consequences of the Great Patriotic War. The state of ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy was unstable during the years of the world economic crisis. Modernization and diversification were required for the industry to rise to a new level of its development.

Currently, the Days of the Metallurgist are celebrated in the CIS countries, which have reserves of ferrous and non-ferrous metals, coking coal, and developed industrial infrastructure. This is:

• Russian Federation;
• Republic of Kazakhstan;
• Ukraine;
• Republic of Belarus.

Who is congratulated on Metallurgist Days?

The nature of the work of metallurgists has changed significantly over the past decades. Blast furnaces are gradually becoming a thing of the past, giving way to electric furnaces. Representatives of various professions (steelworkers, casters, rolling workers, blacksmiths, welders and others) accept congratulations on Metallurgist's Day. Honor all employees of enterprises such as:

• mining and metallurgical plants;
• enrichment plants producing concentrates and agglomerates;
• coking plants;
• blast furnace and steel shops;
• factories and plants of non-ferrous metals;
• combines of conversion metallurgy;
• hardware factories;
• rolling shops.

How are Russian metallurgists honored?

In Russia, metallurgical workers are congratulated annuallyenterprises on the third Sunday of July, in 2014 - July 20. On Metallurgist Days, the best in the profession are awarded, and the title of Honored Metallurgist of the Russian Federation is awarded. In the cities where metallurgical plants operate, solemn events are held at which the results are summed up, the achievements and problems of the industry are discussed. It is not the production of metals that is important, but the production of high-quality machinery and equipment, goods for the population. In recent years, Metallurgist's Day has been enriched with new interesting traditions. The celebration includes professional skill competitions, concert performances, sports and family tournaments. At these events, words of gratitude are expressed to the workers of the “hottest” industry sector. Metallurgists selflessly and courageously tame two elements - metal and fire, forcing them to serve people.