THE GOTEN URANIUM MINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A000500330012-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 11
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 2, 2009
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: March 25, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
SECRET
SECURITY INFORMATION
COUNTRY Bulgaria
SUBJECT The Goten Uranium Mine
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States, within the mean-
ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, of the U.S. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form is prohibited.
REPORT
DATE DISTR. 25 March 1953
NO. OF PAGES ll
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
1. The 9?M; na G `'ten.,?? R, J..gari s ma, :r. 'ar, fitm mine,, is located approximately eight kilo-
meters north of Bukhcvvo vS.ll.age9 on the summit of Goten Peak of the Stara Plani.na
mourita:Ln kchains Although its full name is "Mina Goten..,'? it is most often referred 25X1
to as the Buk"..jvo Uraxelu Mine because of its pro .tyy to Bukhovo village. (See
Appendix., based on a 0 draUrLag shoring the location of the
2. From October? 1947 to February 1949., the mine consisted of four shafts which have
been in operation since 1946 when the working of the mine was taken over by the
Soviets. These four shafts, known as t1Chi.nilov Kam tk,," "Chet7&ta Yuzhna,tt "Peta
Yuz)7na!9 and "Treta Shto.1naare both horizontal and vertical shafts; that iss all
four are horizontal shafts of various lengths as d have numerous branch galleries.,
two of which end in rectangular under g round chambers three maters by four meters in
size have vertical shafts. whether or not new veins 25X1
of uranium are have been discovered or whether new shafts have been opened at this
site since February 1949. Details of the four shafts are as followss
ARMY NAVY X- f A I R
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UQ ':~ :. k~ rT1ti. ;~90 F.: :. tl;.._ _.4 ,R u.ss =;xla ; 'J met 7: w de % e i, g
a.
d :r:~ mete :r E.
1 ,--)n d 4 7 meters e which
is 40 nv_-te:rG long a? t:h.F e:aay o_,7. e f tJ.,xe4 side, gall-rie;4 ends In. a
r'eotarguiar nlnaakher ! .ro. mti; ;c :~T four' meter ; - ~.lze wbd.",h cor"J.taii??Y a
r:r? ea
shaft tx
Y 'tt -, _1'r r h a m7(+1r
a.nY~"t ...xr , ~.. _. ~ t[n9", .{.1 _. ~.,~.. .d.+..l.~ ?Tip _~?.~ a - "_ C..~ ~ znT.k:a --
_Y _ .. of t':?He
4iL
vertical shaft,
100 meters deep
+
~ 5Yr ?- ate, ;
_. ."a f?'~1F?"`.~. c~'vd dhere .is O ?;>w e ^F
~.. (cDftaina a v _ r' cel shaft two meters squaw?
w.ss)' 80 meter"': _ fr?4J:;.2 ^ i : ig `z'1 .e ? < EbINy' a
~' 7w ~i~ ntaI
*~` r
ated 6,, d at .~ she bot.'i?> ,om of the
~b?er't c psi .f' (ao e ,_ y..J Y' sc '&3X c e 3~ ~ 4~ b::~ ?
axe, re-al-1,y ` shaf w1tI!, two
like all other horizontal shafts an d
meters Ym i d.e. sr d 1.5 meters ba gh3 tahe'r^e is
21
v,? 495': me t,^un;,; ,/:". saz(-?, 40 meters long at ~ e lS "3'''em
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vertical shaft,
80 meters deep
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c. "Peta Yuzhna", a single horizontal shaft approximately 1,500 meters long, two
meters wide,-and 1.6 meters high:
Method of Mining
3. Al]. ore and waste mined in any of the horizontal shafts or galleries is loaded into
2-man handcarts, capacity 300 kilos, which run on rains and are trundled to the
shaft entrances for sorting: The ore from the bottom of the vertical shaft in the
"Treta Shtolna" Shaft is raised in buckets of 60 kilo capacity by means of a motor-
driven puller,. while the ore from the bottom of the vertical shaft in the "Chinilov
Kazmik" Shaft is raised by means of a hand .operated winch.
). After the ore has been sorted at the shaft entrances, it is placed in wooden troughs
of 15 ton capacity and loaded on trucks for transfer to the ore dressing plant.
5. Except for a building measuring 10 by 6'7 by I-5 meters, located on the northern side
of the ore dressing plant and used as a storage space for ore., there are no stock-
piles of ore at t;~e mine.
Equipment Used
6. Pneumatic hammers (vuzdusrxbi chukovi) and pneumatic "pistols" (v .zdushni pistoleti),
which use compressed air supplied by three air compressors located in a building
east of the "Treta ShtolnaB9 shaft entrance (see No. 5 of Appendix), are used in addi-
tion to pickaxes and shovels. The "pistols" are used for drilling holes one to two
meters deep in the face of the rock for the insertion of dynamite for blasting. The
dyaaiLte is stored in an underground storage area to the west of the "Peta Yuzhna"
shaft (exact location unknown).
Electricity used by the mine is supplied from Sofia byway of Bukhovo village.
8. The compressed air is piped into the various shafts through metal pipes which are
13 to :L5 centimeters in diameter. Ulthin the shafts, the pipes are seven to eight
centimeters in dibmter. 25X1
e :Lntbruments
ara as ~D11
And the.m river in 'w k
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a. An instrument known as a "Kamara," 50 of which are used at the mine; this in-
strument is allegedly used to detect the presence of uranium and is employed
as follows: The end of the tube is placed in the ground and air is drawn into
the box by means of a pump; the air is then examined b personnel of the mine
administration located in. Bukhovo village ?
flexible
pipe
b. An instrument for determining the density of uranium ore, equipped with a dial
which indicates the density of the ore in any given area carried on the backs
of miner
flexible pipe
aluminum
cylinder
c. An instrument Mown as a "Gamba," which is used for grading the ore, .Locates:
at the entrance tc each gallery; the globe of the instrument, which is made of
green-painted ta, is placed direcly on the ore and a dial graded from 1 to 20
can be observed through he observation hole projection
how many grades of ore are at the mine or the manner in which the "Gamba" in-
st-wnen?. t is used for the ore:
observation
piece
Properties of the Ore
1,0. Tn dav:Lidht and under lan n light, the ore appears to be "yew green"
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11. The ore is brittle and c.rumbleF; into pieces about the size of grains of rice.
Production and Research
12. The ore is separated into three grades. Approximately one-third of the ore is in
the first grade and the remainder is designated as second and third grade ore=
130 Thirty 3-ton trucks are used to transport approximately 540 tons of ore daily to
the dressing plant (see No..13 of Appendix).
i1. Approximately 12 to 15 tons of waste are removed from the shafts in every 8-hour
shift.
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15? In February 195 two T:"udovak soldiers, Dimitur Georgiev
$toimenov and Pe ur Nedelkov Kristev w o were assigned to the Goten Mine, that
shafts had been sunk at Seslavtsi. village (N 4Z-47, E 23-31) and at Kremikovbsi
village; (N 42-47,, E 23-30) and that a geological researclx commission was searching
for uranium on the "Murgas:c." hills of the Stara Planina.-
16. Residents of the surrounding villages ars not encouraged to do independent prospect-
ing.
Disposition of the Ore
17. The ore is taken from the mine to the dressing plant.
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18. The ore is then taken by truck to the Yana railroad station and sent under Militia
guard to Varna, the ore is sent to the 25X1
Soviet Union from Varna.
Security Measures at the Mine
19. Only mine employees are permitted within 500 meters of the mine area.
20. There are four Militia posts in the mine area in addition to the post at each
shaft entrance (see. Appendix for the locations of three of these posts
waten is roiLr oars lang., and one .a man is on daty at each post. he guards
are armed with 7.62 millimeter B'Shpagen1? submachine guns.
21. Workers may enter the mine area on, .y after passing the Militia post shown as No. 10
in the Appendix. They are searched by two Militia men and must show their entrance
passes- no mechaniual searching devices are used.
22. The entrance passes are cards of the folding type, similar to identity cards. "En-
trance card." (Prop k) is ?~.tten on the outside flap and the bearer's name and
photograph are on the inside flaps.
23 ? Workers are permitted to enter and lease the mine area at will.
2I. Militia men are stationed on each side of the dressing plant enclosure.
Personnel
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25. Approximately 30 Soviets are employed in the administration section of the mine;
the only non-Soviet afttn.i.at?atidvve employee is the cashier.
26. Approximately 120 Soviet soldiers are at the mine- they are attached to the research
section and are engaged in drilling for new ore veins.
27. The employed personnel at the mine totals about 800. In addition, there are approxi-
mately 400 Tc~ dovatss, 50 of whi.,:h- are miners, and the rest of which work on the sur-
face and at the dressing plant.
28. Approximately 400 civilian m,inera, ranging from 16 to LO years of age, are employed
at the mine; there are no women or prison laborers. Approxirra tely 20 men work in
the blacksmith and lathe shop, four or five men work on the air compressor machines,,
and nine men are engaged in sorting the ore. There is one master miner for each
two regular miners.
29. employees at the mine:
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a. Mi.lev (fine), teovhr,.ician at the "Chinilov Kamuk" shaft;
b. Yordan lnu
c. Dimitur Ivanov Todorov, miner since 1946 and ill a1' the mina ac of Fi'ahrai ~
1952
joined the Communist ar? Y a. er
joined Communist
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ommunist Party
Personnel E)Tansi on and Tura ~nvu:..
30.
The labor force is relati.trel?y stab
le.
Dismissals occur only when a worker is found
to have been an ar.,~tioCommuroi;,, t.
31.
"Some" workers leave voLl'^;r b
health
W
k
ecaus
e the conditions within the mine affect their
.
or
ers who hare been exrlp
surface; Jobs.
lryed
three or four years underground are assigned
32.
In February 1952
E
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U residents of Poto
villa
k
at the mine, whereas were :o
2ly
p
ge were wor
in
r it. 1949. g
Hoak and Wages
33.E,. T h.evve are three 8-hour shifts per day in the shafts. Surface employees work from
8:00 aol?o to 4.-00 p.m0 The,,_:.cdy ? olidays celebrated are 9 September and 1 May.
3I..
d. Da34a i Geor ' ev An elov,, miner since 19L6 and st
195
Communist Party
Par y after 19_;..,.9
e. Stefan Khristov mitr still at the mine a o February 95
me ex prior o 9 an.
f. Gr,igor Laz,a?rov Mitr!~oy miner, still atf the mine as of Februa
,
0 levy (old
currency per month and engineers and technicia
the mine manager receives 250
00
ns receive from 80 000 to 100,,000
leva (old curr?ency') per month.
35. Surface workers receive the following wages (old currency) per day:
a. Master workmen, 800 levas
b. Journeymen
c. Apprentices, 250 leva.
36. Chief foremen in the shafts receive 800 leva and foremen receive 500 leva. Miners
can choose between the folfwing c,.edules:
a. Daily wage of 400 leva9 or
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37.
3;8.
b. Sub-contract for 70,000 to 80,9000 leva a month3; there is a standard schedule,
based on shaft size, usually 2 by 1.6 meters, and the hardness of the ground;
20 cubic meters of soft soil equated with 8-10 meters of hard soil per day;
subcontractors repay from their earnings for incompleted quotas.
per ay (new currency) for underground work and 15 leva per day (new currency) for
surface work,
the current wages are 20 ley.a 25X1
Housing
The Soviet employees reside in private homes in Sofia. All of these employees,
except, the manager who has a private cars are transported to and from the mine by
a private bus.
39. A brick dormitory which houses 140 miners is located 30 meters north of the admini-
stration offices in Bukhovo village (see No. 18 of Appendix for location). Other
miners, live with their families in rented rooms in Bukhovo.
40. Trucks go daily to Zhelyavo (N 142-450 E 23-36), Eleshnitsa (N 142-144, E 23-37),
Potop (N 142-1414,E 23-38), and Churek (N 142-)46, E 23-143) to pick--u)b rrkers who live
in these Villages. These are usually natives of the villages who have been recruited
for work in the mines.
1i. The Trudovaks u signed to the mine are billeted at the monastery (see No. 15 of
Appendix for location).
Special Services
42. There is a canteen for workers who live in the dormitory in Bukhovo. These resi-
dents are served tea or soup in the moi ng and two dishes at noon and in the evening.
The cost of the food. is deducted from the wages of the workers.
h3. The Soviet personnel is fed separately from the Bulgarian personnel.
144. Workers are allowed one kilogram of bread a day, 1.5 kilograms of "Balkan" cheese,
one kilogram of sugar, one kU4 gram of sunflower oil, one kilogram of rice,, and 300
grams of red pepper per mon: _~.."V
145? Miners are issued a liner- jacket, linen trousers., and rubber boots about once every
six months. In winter, workers are given coarse cotton jackets, trousers, and caps.
These clothes are not left.., at, the mine when the worker is off duty. There is no
h
i
l
c
em
ca
processing of the clothing at the mine.
146. There are no recreational and shopping facilities at the mine.
a movie house is to be built in Bu ovo village,
Health Facilities
117. An infirmary of txnki,2ovn size is located in Bukhovo and is for the use of the miners.
The personnel at the infirmary consists of two doctors and two nurses.
b8. Miners are given a regular physical examination only when they begs their period
of employment at the mines.
149. Tuberculosis is the most frequent illness of the miners and is "a result of the
heat and use of dynamite in the shafts." Many of the workers faint daily.
50.
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5i.
His ceilaneous
one cave-in occurred in which a Trudovak was killed.
52.
ose o wor ers in o#;her types of mines."
Their wages are higher
Comment: Insofar as could be ascertained the word " "
a I gar -an nor, a Russian word
The titles "Chetvilrta
eta uz a," and "Treta Shtolna" refer to the "Fourth Southern
"Fifth Southern It and "Third Shtolnatt shafts respectively.
what happened to the "First Southern.," "Second Southern.,25X1
"Third Southern.," 9 first Shtolna4B1 or "Second Shtolna" shafts.
Comments Some of the instruments employed at the mine although used
d_aTIIyy, are evidently far too technical in nature the
exact use to which t* .a 0 put or the precise manner in which t 25X1
3r, are :tiled.
Comments These figures are out of proportion
It is possible that these figures apply to the
.a. o a gro up or eam.
Comment: At the time of observation., October 1947 to February 1949, food
ationing was in existence.
LEGEND TO APPEND M
I. "Chinilov Ka.*t'ukae shaft,
2. "Chetva ,a Yuzhn& shaft.
3? "Pets Yuzhna" shaft.
4.. "Treta ,htolna" shaft.
5. Building which houses the compressors.
6. Dining hall and kitchen
7. Lathe and locksmith shop.
8. Planing shop.
9. Dormitory for Militia men,
10. Control entrance gate.
11. Garage.
12. Mine administration building.
13. Ore dressing plant.
14. Ore storage depot.
15. Monastery.
16. Ore dressing plant chimj r.
17. Clothing tad equipment depot
18. Dormito (located in Bukhovo village but not shown on sketch).
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APPEND -10-
"Mina Goten"
Draniwn Mine
near Bukhovo
Not drawn to sca:Le
Date: 1947-1949
? Militia post.
*Stara PluWa range.
A Shaft entrance.
0 Buildiing.
SECRET
3 Kn,,
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