Alexander Pol

Olexander Paul
Олександр Миколайович Поль
Born	(1832-08-20)20 August 1832 Maloolexandrivka, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	26 July 1890(1890-07-26) (aged 57) Ekaterinoslav
Nationality	German Ukrainian
Citizenship	Russian Empire
Alma mater	University of Tartu
Known for	Discovery of Kryvbas mining region
Awards	Order of Saint Stanislaus
Scientific career
Fields	Archaeologist, geologist, ethnographer and businessman

Alexander Pol (Ukrainian: Олександр Миколайович Поль; 20 August 1832 – 26 July 1890) was a Ukrainian archaeologist, geologist, ethnographer and businessman. He is most well-known for discovering Kryvbas, a major iron ore region of Eastern Europe.

Biography

Alexander Pol was born into a family of Baltic Germans in Maloolexandrivka, Yekaterinoslav Governorate, Russian Empire. On his mother's line he was a far relative of Pavlo Polubotok and Poletyka family. Pol attended local schools before studying at the University of Tartu, where he graduated. He studied geology and archeology.

Pol studied the iron ore of Kryvyi Rih for 15 years and proved its industrial importance. He is credited with discovering the Kryvbas, a major iron ore region, and is most well-known for this. While studying ore deposits, he also made archeological findings and related them to his interest in ethnography.

Pol contributed to the industrialization of the town and its area. In 1881 industrial development began, stimulating the rapid economic growth of Kryvyi Rih and, more broadly, of the Yekaterinoslav Governorate of what was then the Russian Empire.