The name of metallurgist and engineer Mikhail Konstantinovich Kurako is immortalized in several cities of the CIS. He was an outstanding specialist not only in Russia but also in Europe, although his professional path was not easy. Kurako was born into a wealthy noble family in the Mogilev province. From childhood, he was restless, often defying teachers and once even ran away from home. In search of a better life, he headed south to Russia.

At that time, the coal deposits of Donbass were being actively developed. Initially, Mikhail Konstantinovich got a job as a laborer at a metallurgical plant, and then he began to study the basics of blast furnace production on his own. He even learned English to better understand foreign specialists and adopt their experience. Kurako first made a name for himself during an accident at the factory when a huge block of iron, known as a 'goat', froze inside the main furnace. Usually, in such cases, the furnace would be broken and rebuilt, but Kurako suggested melting the metal, which he managed to do to everyone's surprise.

Later, Kurako became one of the best masters in Donbass, and leading metallurgical plants sought to acquire him. He worked extensively on modernizing smelting technology, making the work of blast furnace operators safer. In the early 20th century, he organized the first school for blast furnace operators in Russia, which became a leading center for training future metallurgists. Kurako considered the blast furnace not just a furnace, but a living organism that operated according to its own rules.

Kurako's last major project was the construction of a metallurgical plant in Kuzbass. Unfortunately, he did not manage to complete it, as he fell ill with typhus in February 1920 and soon passed away. The project was completed by his student Ivan Bardin, and the plant became one of the best in the country.