The settlement was established in 1964 following the discovery of gold in the area.[2] As well as gold, the mine also extracted osmiridium (a rare alloy normally only found in conjunction with other platinum group metals), with reports stating that several hundred grams were extracted in 1977.[6] The settlement was abandoned in 1998 when the extraction of gold was no longer economically viable[2] and as of 2008 is in the process of being officially liquidated.[7]
The mines were declared unprofitable and that there was no possibility of developing any other form of economy in 1999 and the settlement was closed along with a number of others in Chukotka.[3] The Russian government guaranteed funds to transport non-working pensioners and the unemployed in liquidated settlements, including Otrozhny, from Chukotka to other parts of Russia.[3] The Ministry of Railways was obliged to lease containers for the transportation of the migrants' goods to the Chukotkan administration and ensure that they were delivered to the various settlements.[3]
Climate
Otrozhny has a Continental Subarctic or Boreal (taiga) climates (Dfc).[8] On average, the temperature is below freezing from the start of September through to the end of the following May, with average low temperatures of below minus twenty Celsius occurring between November and April. June, July and August are the only months where the temperature is above freezing on average. This short summer period is still cool however, with temperatures rarely rising above ten degrees, although, as can be seen in the table below, there are occasional instances of significant heat.
↑Дума Чукотского автономного округа.Закон№33-ОЗот30 июня 1998 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Чукотского автономного округа», в ред. Закона №138-ОЗ от25 октября 2007 г. (Duma of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.Law#33-OZofJune 30, 1998 On Administrative and Territorial Structure of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, as amended by the Law#138-OZ ofOctober 25, 2007. ).
Дума Чукотского автономного округа.Закон№33-ОЗот30 июня 1998 г. «Об административно-территориальном устройстве Чукотского автономного округа», в ред. Закона №55-ОЗ от9 июня 2012 г.«О внесении изменений в Закон Чукотского автономного округа "Об административно-территориальном устройстве Чукотского автономного округа"». Вступил в силупо истечении десяти дней со дня его официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Ведомости", №7 (28), 14 мая 1999 г. (Duma of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.Law#33-OZofJune30, 1998 On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, as amended by the Law#55-OZ ofJune9, 2012 On Amending the Law of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug "On the Administrative-Territorial Structure of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug". Effective as ofafter ten days from the day of the official publication.).
Дума Чукотского автономного округа.Закон№148-ОЗот24 ноября 2008 г. «О статусе, границах и административных центрах муниципальных образований на территории Анадырского муниципального района Чукотского автономного округа», в ред. Закона №24-ОЗ от1 апреля 2011 г.«О внесении изменений в Приложение2 к Закону Чукотского автономного округа "О статусе, границах и административных центрах муниципальных образований на территории Анадырского муниципального района Чукотского автономного округа"». Вступил в силучерез десять дней со дня официального опубликования. Опубликован: "Ведомости", №46/1 (373/1), 28 ноября 2008 г. (Duma of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.Law#148-OZofNovember24, 2008 On the Status, Borders, and Administrative Centers of the Municipal Formations on the Territory of Anadyrsky Municipal District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, as amended by the Law#24-OZ ofApril1, 2011 On Amending Appendix2 of the Law of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug "On the Status, Borders, and Administrative Centers of the Municipal Formations on the Territory of Anadyrsky Municipal District of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug". Effective as ofthe day which is ten days after the official publication date.).
