Frunze Mine, part of Sukha Balka (Kryvyi Rih), has been renamed in honour of Oleksandr Pol, a prominent researcher of the Kryvyi Rih region. The new name took effect on 1 November 2026.
Oleksandr Pol (1832–1890) was an entrepreneur, public and cultural figure, archaeologist and collector. His name is closely associated with the exploration and industrial development of the Kryvyi Rih iron ore deposits.
In 1866, Pol began systematic efforts to explore and develop iron ore deposits in the Kryvyi Rih area. He financed geological surveys, studied the deposits' reserves and sought entrepreneurs and investors to organise mining operations.
Pol also sought investors to develop the deposits and campaigned for the construction of a railway to connect the Kryvyi Rih iron ore basin with the coalfields of Donbas. Industrial mining of Kryvyi Rih iron ore began in 1881, and the railway opened in 1884.
