Saint Petersburg Mining University (SPGU) is the first higher technical educational institution established in Russia. It was founded by the decree of Catherine the Great in 1773 and accepted its first students a year later as the Mining School. Today, SPGU is not only one of the most prestigious universities in the country but also a major scientific research center and an architectural monument.

The history of the university's creation and development began on October 21 (November 1) 1773, when Catherine II signed a decree to establish an engineering school for mining. This event marked the beginning of the history of not only the Mining University but also higher technical education in Russia. The decision was a continuation of the ideas of Peter I and Mikhail Lomonosov about the development of the mining industry and the training of specialists. A direct impetus came from the appeal to the Berg College by the Perm mining entrepreneur Ismail Tasimov in 1771. He and other industrialists promised to finance the departments at a high level.

For practical training, a training mine and laboratories were created in the university courtyard. Exams were held every six months in the presence of members of the Berg College and renowned scientists.

In 1804, the school was transformed into a Cadet Corps, which became a state higher technical educational institution of a closed type, similar to military cadet corps. In 1806, the institution was granted the status of a state university.

In addition to core subjects, students studied fencing, music, theatrical arts, dance, and singing. In 1817, the All-Russian Mineralogical Society was established at the corps, one of the first in Russia and the world, which still operates today. A year later, a museum was created with a mineral, physical, and model cabinet, the exhibitions of which remain a source of pride.

Since 1825, the university published the "Mining Journal," the oldest mining technical publication in the world, where works by renowned scientists such as Pavel Anosov, Pafnuty Chebyshev, and Dmitri Mendeleev were published.

In March 1833, the cadet corps was renamed the Institute of Mining Engineers, and in 1866 it became the Mining Institute. In 1866, the institute again became an open state educational institution. Students were mainly from privileged classes, although children of various social backgrounds and peasants were also present. The duration of study was 5 years.

In 1896, the institute was renamed the Mining Institute of Empress Catherine II. During the reign of Alexander III, the significance of the mining industry increased, and the institute remained the only source of personnel for this sector. Throughout its history, it contributed to the discovery of numerous deposits and the design of production lines across Russia.

After the revolution, the institute was renamed the Petrograd Mining Institute, and from 1924, the Leningrad Mining Institute (LGI). In the first decades of Soviet power, the university continued to train specialists for geology, mining, and metallurgy.

During the war, explosives "Sinal, AK" and grenades "F-1" were produced in the university's laboratories. This invention by Alexander Kuznetsov became an important development of that time. The simplicity of the technology allowed for mass production to be organized at the university and at factories in Leningrad. The institute produced over 2000 tons of explosives per day. About 10% of the grenades for the Leningrad front were produced here.

At the end of February 1942, one of the workshops was destroyed by shelling. By the end of the war, the university had lost over 3000 square meters of space that needed restoration. In addition to production, students and faculty participated in the evacuation of museum exhibits and equipment, as well as in other state tasks.

After the war, enrollment in the institute increased, and new faculties were established. Since the 1960s, training of specialists has also been conducted in absentia. By the end of the 20th century, the number of graduates exceeded 40,000.

The first students were enrolled on June 28, 1774. Among them were students from Moscow University and pupils from the chemical laboratory of the Berg College. They underwent accelerated training and graduated in 1776.

Among the notable alumni are geologist Alexander Karpinsky, geophysicist Alexander Gorodnitsky, mineralogist Nikolai Koksharov, professor Nikolai Kurnakov, military leader Peter Wrangel, inventor Peter Freze, geologist Pavel Preobrazhensky, and statesman Sergey Mironov.

The building of the Mining University is located on Lieutenant Schmidt Embankment. In the 18th century, there were residential houses here, which were purchased and adapted for educational needs. In 1787, an extension was made on the side of the 22nd line, and in the early 19th century, the university was expanded by neighboring buildings.

Construction of the new main building began in 1806. The architect was Andrey Voronikhin, and his assistant was Alexander Staubert. Until 1811, the facade of the building was constructed, while the load-bearing structures remained in place. The central entrance was decorated with a portico and sculptures "Hercules strangling Antaeus" and "The Abduction of Proserpina."

From 1819 to 1825, the main building was redesigned, a plot of land was annexed, and additional wings were built. In 1823, an English garden was laid out in the courtyard. From 1825 to 1827, the Class Wing was built, and nearby, the Laboratory Wing.

The oldest faculties and departments of the institute include the Mining Faculty and the Geological Exploration Faculty. The Mining Faculty was established in 1905 and includes departments for deposit development, production safety, explosives, and geoecology. The Geological Exploration Faculty includes departments for geophysical and geochemical methods, geology and exploration of deposits, mineralogy, and others.

The Mining Museum was organized by Catherine II and was called the Mineral Cabinet. In the early years of its operation, the museum was open to all and was popular. The formation of the collection began with a decree requiring mining entrepreneurs to send samples of minerals and products. The state spared no expense in purchasing new exhibits, many of which were donated to the museum.

The museum's most expensive acquisition was made in 1802 when it purchased a collection of foreign minerals from English collector J. Forster for 50,000 rubles. After the revolution, some valuable exhibits were transferred to the Diamond Fund, and during the war, they were temporarily moved to Sverdlovsk. The museum reopened to visitors on September 1, 1951.

Today, more than 10,000 students study at the Mining University. Among the faculty are 180 professors and doctors of sciences, 120 academicians, 38 honored figures in science, and 20 laureates of State Prizes. The university is a cultural heritage site and has the largest laboratory and technical base in the country.