On March 31, 1908, the Council of the Mining Institute, considering how to honor the approaching 50th anniversary of Ivan Avgustovich Time's professional activity, in the foreground, recognized the need to dedicate a special issue of the Institute’s Notes to this activity. With this aim, they decided not to limit contributions to specialists from the Institute, but also to invite specialists working outside the Institute, who, through their own works and their activities, are closely acquqintedwith fruits of the jubilarian's endeavors.