Описание (английский)
Khibiny is one of the two main mountain ranges of the Kola Peninsula, Russia, within the Arctic Circle, located between Imandra and Umbozero lakes.
The Khibiny Massif are the highest mountains of the Kola Peninsula, a large peninsula extending from northern Russia into the Barents and White
seas. The total land area of the peninsula is approximately 100,000
square kilometres (39,000 sq mi). It is rich in minerals due to the
removal of a layer of soil during the last ice age.
The Khibiny Massif ielf is of oval shape of about 1,300 km2.
and occupies the central part of the peninsula at a relative elevation
of 900–1000 m above the surrounding plain. The mountains are not
particularly high; the two highest peaks are the Yudychvumchorr, which stands 1,201 metres (3,940 ft), and the Chasnachorr, which stands 1,191 metres (3,907 ft). The average elevation is 1,116 metres (3,661 ft).
The mountains form the shape of a horseshoe topped by a high plateau, drained by a series of deep canyons. The peaks are of plateau type, with steep slopes, with glaciers, icefields and snowfields in some places. The overall terrain is alpine tundra.
The second, and similar mountain range of the Kola Peninsula, the Lovozero Tundras, is located about 5 km east from the easternmost point of Khibiny, separated from it by Lake Umbozero.
The Khibiny range is extremely rich in minerals, mainly apatite and nepheline ores. 477 valid minerals have been reported and 108 of those are type localities or minerals first described in the Khibiny.
The range is also seismically active.
Khibiny mountains are mostly uninhabited, except for one of the
world's richest mineral quarries. One of the minerals discovered there
is reported to have a potential as a nuclear waste radioactivity
absorbent. By the foot of the massif the cities of Apatity and Kirovsk are situated.