RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION AT ELEKTROCHEMISCHES KOMBINAT BITTERFELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00810A003100160001-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 2, 2009
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 16, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
The State Secretariat for Chemistry (Chief Administration Heavy Chemistry,
Department for Technology and Reconstruction, Goldberg) inatruct~ed the
factory in July to submit s,dr.aft study (Studienentw~rfe) by 15 August 1953
for the following 1954 research assignments:
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COUNTRY East Germany
Thia Document contains information. affecting the Na-
ttonal Defenao of the United Btates, within the meaa-
1Tlg of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794, oS the U.B. Code, ae
amended. Its transmission or revelation of !ta contents
to or receipt by an unauthorized person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form la prohibited.
REPORT
16 December 1'53
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES 5
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
Research and Production at
Elektrochemisches Kombinat
Bitterfeld
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS !N THIS REPORT ARE DEfINlTIVE.
THE APPRAISAL Of CONTENT 15 iENlAT1VE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE}
1. ~r$.eaearc Aaa~gn r,~nta
(a)
Caustic al'~cali
Iron powder
Alumina
Chloromagneeium, anhydrous - magnesium chlorides
Rare earths
Oxalic acid
Aluminum? and magnesium alloys
Metallic titanium
Tar cracking
Fluorine-containing vinyl chloride mixed polymeriaates
Processing of the products of tar cracking.
1,000 DM (East) each was allocated to covor expenses incurred in
preparing the study proposals for itemrz 1, '7, 9, I0, and ,ll.
(b) The scientist cones e w h h re Dr. Gabbard, Frl. Dr.
Guenther Ch.Ing. Henneberger, 25X1
Dr. Holst, unze - er an a gar.
2. X953 RQ~sg~c~~ss gnmen~s Cancelled
The following research assignments have been cancelled:
a. Fluorine
b. F3 - 20. Trichlorostyrol. No work whatsoever had been
~ ARMY
carried out on this task.
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c. V3 - 10. Carbon tetrachloride.
d. V3 - 05. "Wirbelschichtverfahren"
3. Movements of Scientists and Others
Dipl. Chem. Frl Urbane of Dr. Hennig's department left the department in
July or August 1953.
Frl. Dr. Guenther of the Central Laboratory left in September to go to
University,
Dipl. Chem, Menzer joined the Central Laboratory from Leipzig on 1 September.
Dipl. Chem. Toerpel joined the Central Laboratory on 1 September 195.
Dr. Kadach transferred to the pentachlorophenol and hexachlorcyclohexane plant
from the carbon tetrachloride and chloral plant on 1 August. His former re-
sponsibilities have been added to those of Dr. Kaltenborn.
Dr. Erhard, head of the Office for Technical Control, has resigned his post as
second secretary of the SED group.
Schwarz, first secretary of the SED group, has transferred to the Leuna factory
to replace Jonas (formerly also at Bitterfeld) who has been fired. His
successor will probably be Bothur, until then third secretary of the SED group.
Fluorine ~olVmerisati~n
Dr. Schumann has succeeded in producing a white powder eansisting of 90 percent
CH~,CHCl and ten percent CH2CCIF, and a yellowish block of polymerisator
CH2CCIE'.
5. ~ircon~~~axide
(a) One of the 1953 research tasks of the EKH was the development of a process
for the production of zirconium dioxide, and the production of sufficient
quanttties of thus chemical to satisfy the needs of the DDF wireless valve
industry. The factory proposed to build for this purpose a chlorination
kiln similar to that designed recently far the treatment of ilmen'.te. It
was proposed to use as raw material stocks of zirconium-containing sand
stored in Berlin.
(b) l~lolf of the Coordinating Office visited Bitterfeld in this connection on
9-July 1953. He said:
(1..) The matter was very urgent. Deputy-Premier Rau had
granted a special bonus far thc.rapid .,jlution of the
problem.
(2.) Werk HF, Oberschoeneweide, still. required about 500 kg
per yoar of zirconium dioxide.
(~.) Baitzenburger Plattenwerke also required ca. 4 tons per
year of zirconium oxide for glazing special wall tiles.
(1~.J The radio valve industry also required 500-100a kg per
year for zirconium metal in ductile form. The EK
Bitterfeld would probably be requested to work on this
as well.
(5.) About 15 tone of zirconium sand were avs,ilable free of charge
in Berlin. This quantity came from war stocks, previously
erroneously believed to be Monazite sand. 75 tons of the
original 90 tons had already been used by the ceramics industry.
(6.) A large scale operation was being mounted to recover zirconium-
containing sand from the Baltic coast. Wet concentration will b?
done in Nuenchritz and magnetic separation in Magdeburg.
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(c) there are some 55,OC-0 25X1
i ~5n res of East Germar~y.
to !0,000 tons of easily expo a e s on -~j=
There arse probably further quantities under the dunes and below the low-
water mark. The sands occur all along the Baltic coast, except on the islands
of Rue en and Hiddensee. The Warnemuende and Usedom areas are especially
rich. the sands consist of about 950-1000 tons of
zirconium (possibly zircon um silicate is meant), 10,500-12,000 tons of 25X1
titanium sand (mainly ilmenite, but some rutile), and 12,500-13,000 tons
of garnet.
(d) The sand in question occurs as a thin layt:r on the beach. Its thickness and
location varies with every tide and it is tYierefore difficult to collect.
At present, the sand is hand-loaded onto trucks at a cost of 1000 DM(East)
per ton. It was hoped to reduce this fig~ire to 100 DM per ton of
~rreliminary concentration at the sea coast. 50,000 DM investment money
was to be made available to the VEB Ostsee Schurfe for this purpose.
(e) Same sand was also available from borings made near Freie~?:~ralda.~
This sand was to be tested by Greiz-I'~uclau and also passed to 1~iagdeburg far
concentration experiments.
(f) As soon as the large chlorination kiln was ready, the EKB was to undertake
chlorination of 'told'E concentrates provided by Kali-Chemie. This work was
to be interrupted only very briefly for test runs with 'the Magdeburg con-
centrates. The State Secretariat for Chemistry was to report by the end
of September on the qualities required by the various customers, and the
Coordinating Office was to decide on the allocation of any zirconi~un dioxide
c:olledted.
(g) The Schwerin branch of the Geological Coirmiission was to receive the following
1953 research assignment: Location of possible fossil heavy mineral sand
deposits in the coastal area with the aid of geophysical methods.
(h) A request for assistance from the USSR iri obtaining zirconium dioacide and
metallic zirconium from heavy mineral sand was signed by Secretary of State
Dr. Winkler on 19 August 1953.
(i) The EKB was to make all preparations for the operation of a plant for the
production of metallic zirconium as af' 1 January 1954? roe esspreg~irts to
official of the State Secretariat was to submit weekly p gr P
the State Secretary and monthly reports to the Coordinating Office.
(~) The following personalities are connected with the programs
Dipl. Ing. Hegenbarth Abteilung TechriologierundeRekanetr~ktion.
Korn ) Koordinierungs- and Kantrollstelle fuer
Wolf ) Industria and Verkehr.
Dr. Wehner ) VEB Elektrochemisches Kombinat Bitterfeld.
Dr. Gebhard )
VEB Schwcjfeleaeure- and Aetznatronwerk,
Nuenchritz.
Schwerma,schinenbau Ernst Thalmann
(formerly Krupp-Gruson), Magdeburg.
VEB Chemiewerk, Greiz~Doelau..
Dr. Heck Aussenstelle Schwerin der t^xeologischer..
Kommission.
Langberg
Geese (geologist)
VEB Ostsee-Schuerfe, Rostock.
Warnke Rat des Bezirkes Rostock.
Dr. Kolp Seehydrographischer Dienst, Warnemuende ~
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6. Works meeting held on 9 September 1953
Dr, Heyder made the following statements among others during the course of his
speech summarizing the work of the factory in the period ending 30 June 1953:
Production in the quarter amounted to 102,300,000 DME or 103.8 :percent
of the planned figure.
Electric o~ war was insufficient. One shop of the aluminum works had
had to be closed down. Production of chlorate, graphite and caustic
potash had been affected.
Production supped on the instructions o:f the State Secretariat in-
cluded potash, toothpaste and ~'Bino~~ soup cubes.o
Ptarest al num. 2,000 kWh more power wa;3 used during the period in the
shop.
Pro was made on the sale of potassium chlorate, sodium chlorate,
potassium bichromate, carbon tetrachloride, ?Duplexan" and plastic
pressed components,
ss was incurred on the sale of potassium permanganate (103), ye:ilow
phosphorus (33}, red phosphorus (33), hyrirochloric acid (89), lime (10),
tellurium dioxide (102), "Tisil" (6), chlorid.~ of lime (25), rubies (29),
ferrotitanium (66), ferrochrome (149), ferrotungaten (310), ferromolybdenwn
?(65), magnesium products ill,,), tungs~tic acid (93), benzoic acid (142), tri-
cresylphosphate (75), polyvinylchloride 1;53), aluminum (3000), purest
aluminum (30), (F'igurea in 1000 DME.)
~ rte es of F'VC, sulphuric acid, coal briquettes, phenol.
.~~ a?vailable was not of sufficiently good quality.
Chlar~e,, 2,000 tons (5.7 percent) were surplus to requirements, and ha.d
to be allowed to go to waste.
a13c ,a?~,~. The plant was old and inefficient. No V2A steel was ava:tlable
for renewal.
row plant. Insufficient platinwn-rhodium gauze catalysts. The lase
efficient cobalt catalysts had to b? used in one-third of the plant. Pra-
duetion could be raised from the prosent 92 percent to 96 percent ~zf this
were rectified. The coeden ser capacity was also 12 percent too small..
ur~,a from Isuter was not of the r?quired purity.
~g~rotunsrs~t~n production had been reduced by 50 percent because of a lack of
orders. Na'raw materials were availab?~e for the ferromolvbdenurr; plant. A
fatal accident had occurred. in the ferrorhr,gme plant.
Werls Zs.,,,c~3g,~?r~~~,,,~f had been taken over by the factory. Plastic articles
would oe manufactured there. The plant had an annual capacity of 10,000,000
DME.
PQwer?~tstion. Turbine No. 10, which was sent away for repairs, had not
been returned. Instructions had been received that the works would be re-
quired to supply 20 MW more to the public grids 10.5 MW would be released
by reduction of consumption in the factory, the remainder by reorganization
and rationalization.
Storage space was proving too small because of irreg~ul.arity in dispatch,
X953 investments had been cut from 49 to z7 million DME. The projects affected
were f'errotungaten, ferrovanadium, inorganic department cooling ?tower, garage,
generator gas pipe line between Werk Sued and Werk Nord, hexachlorcyclohexane,
methylene chloride, aluminum works 2 (1 shop would be ready in January 1954,
the rest had been cancElled), magnesium. Only 11,000,000 DME had actually
been used in the first half-year because of shortage of materials.
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Accident rate
Period Tota No. incl. ous - fatal - occupational diseases
1952 1100 7 2 7
January-June /~06 6 2 0
1953
Rese_, arch and deye~opment
Fifty-one tasks in all were being carried out. Shortage of personnel had
affected the program which included:
um na pilot experimental plant in Werk Nord. 27000,000 DME.
Lea_,d-bearin me for the railways.
Special iron powder half-scale plant in Werk Nord. To be ready in the
third quarter 1953.
-crac n experimental plant to handle 200 kg tar/hour. Object is
to win vinylchloride.
~Iexachlorcvclohexane plant. Cancelled again.
Pentachlorphenol half-scale plant is already in operation.
Avery pure transparent foil christened "Ekalon" had been pmoduced.
P,,,gr sonnel.
One hundred and eighty-nine persona had signed individual contracts with the
factory. Five hundred thirty-three had joined the pension plan, and a further
71 were under consideration.
1, ^mm~nt. The priority given this project and the scale on which
it is being carried out appear unjustified, if the zirconium ie required
only by the tube factorise and the the plant.
the rare
inert gas referred to is a aeon-helium mixture an a pr ce should be
ohanged to read 12.75 DM per biter.
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