The Vilyuy (Russian: Вилю́й, IPA:[vʲɪˈlʲʉj]; Yakut: Бүлүү, Bülüü, IPA:[bylyː])[citation needed] is a river in Russia, the longest tributary of the Lena. About 2,650 kilometres (1,650 mi) long, it flows mostly within the Sakha Republic. Its basin covers about 454,000 square kilometres (175,000 sq mi).[1]
History
The river is first mentioned in the 17th century in connection with the Russian conquest of Siberia.
In 1634, Russian Cossacks, headed by Voin Shakhov, established a winter settlement at the confluence of the rivers Vilyuy and Tyukyan. This settlement served as the administrative center of the area for several decades, after which it was moved to the Yolyonnyokh area 45 kilometers (28 mi) down by the Vilyuy, where the ostrog (fortified settlement) of Olensk (now Vilyuysk) was founded in 1773.[citation needed]
In the 1950s, diamond deposits were discovered in the area, about 700 kilometres (430 mi) from its mouth. This led to the construction of the Mir Mine, together with access roads and an airport, and the Vilyuy Dam complex to generate power needed for the diamond concentrators.[2]
Vilyuy is associated with geological formations Yakutsk-Vilyuy Rift (Vilyuy Rift Basin) and Yakutsk-Vilyuy LIP (large igneous province), also known as Vilyuy Traps.[4]