Slantsy
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Slantsy (Russian: Сла́нцы) is a town in the western part of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, the administrative center of Slantsevsky District. It is situated on the Plyussa River, 192 km west of St. Petersburg. Population: 36,400 (2005 est.); 37,371 (2002 Census); 43,087 1989 Census). Officially founded in 1934; town status was granted in 1949.
The town's name is the Russian word for shale. The town was largely sustained by shale mining, as depicted on its coat of arms, and the resulting fuel was used to light the streets of St. Petersburg in the 19th century. The mines are now largely closed due to decrease in local demand and disagreements over contracts with nearby Estonia. This has resulted in large-scale local unemployment. Furthermore, the disused mines present a serious ecological threat to water supplies in the region.
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