1. URANIUM MINING; GENERAL 2. THE BRATRSTVI MINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R000800190002-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: November 29, 2012
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: April 17, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved forRelease2012/11/29 : CIA-RDP80501540R000800190002-7
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
Qc
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 unauthorised person is prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form ill prohibited.
SECRET/CONTROL ? U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
SECURITY INFORMATION 50X1-HUM
COUNTRY ftedhOS10Takia REPORT
SUBJECT 1, Uranium Mining; General DATE DISTR.
17 April 1953
2, The Bratrstvi Mine
NO. CW PAGES 3
DATE OF INFO.
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
PLACE ACQUIRED
REFERENCES 50X1-HUM
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR KEY SEE REVERSE)
50X1-HUM
1. There are uranium mines in Cteehoslovakia at Jachymov? Potnoky (sic), Abertamy
(N 51/1 60), Prebuz 51,4 40), Drmaly CR 50 02)0 Horni Slasicov (N 51/P 68),
Pribram CN 50/L 53) and Bozi Dar CR 51/1 61).
2. Test drillings for uranium are under way at Vrchlabi (0 51/G 55), &mike Lazne
Oa 50 654 near Oedka Trebova (P 50/N 28) and near Knojmo. In Slovakia tests
are being made at Pesinok CP 49/T 00) and Kamenica nad Hronam CQ 48/K17). These
are all entirely new installations. The results at lrchlabi and Jawlike Lazne have
been vary promising; the construction of mining installations and the extraction
of the mineral are proceeding in the normal fashion. The installations were to be
completed by the end of 1952.
3. Other seams of uranium richer than those at Horni Slaftov have been discovered on
the Polish side of the Krkonose Mountains (Riesengebirge). The extraction of ura?
nium has begun there.
A. Mine No. 9 at Pribram has been closed because the seam of uranium has been exhausted.
Mine No. 12 has also been closed because it was flooded with water. However, since
this is a very rich mine the work of emptying the flooded galleries has begun.
According to Eng. Silinic, the expense of mining at Priem is very high. It is
expected that the uranium there will be exhausted by about 1956.
SECRET/CONTROL ? U.S. amass ONLY
50X1-HUM
STATE
I ARMY
3r INAVY
AIR
FBI
AEC
(Notes Washington Distribution indir.tosi By "X"; Ptah' Distahution By "*"
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AL.
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STAT
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S.
SMCRET/bONTROL - U.S. OFFICIALS OW
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5. in May 1952 orders were given to begin using the materials remaining after the
uranium had been extracted from the ore; even the small residue of pitchblende
is to be utilized. The Slovakian mines, in contrast to those in Bohemia, are
delivering almost unlimited amounts, but the quality of the mineral is not as
good.
6. The Aratrstvi uranium mine is located about 800 meters north of the edge of the
town of Jachymow to the east of the road from Jachymar to Bozi Dar. Another
road, built of concrete in 1946, joins this road at the Bratrstvi nine and leads
farther north to the Barbara and Sen President Gottvald? formerly the Sen Bozi,
mines.
7, laportant employees of the Bratrstvi mine are as follows: 50X1-HUM
a. Eng. 8ilinic (fnu)? director, Russians,
b. Fedor Armanovs, deputy director, Russian,
0. Earl "mere, mining engineer. a Czech.
d. Vladimir Kuhlavi. mining engineer.
e. Clhacak (fnu)? mining engineer,
f. There are five other mining engineers,
mine,
employed at the Bratrstvi
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e. 45 Shock workers and. prisoners at forced labor, work in four shirts. There are
250 miners who work on the surface. 45 women and 60 prisoners 'work at forced labor
in a fenced-in section.
9. Miners and laborers receive up to 12,000 las, per month. The prisoners, the larger
part of Whom are political prisoners and 40% of wham are non-Ctechoslovakians? only
get paid if they overfulfill their assigned norms. However, they earn enough to be
able to bay considerable at the mines store.
10.
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The commander of the SNB guard detachment at the Bratrstvi Mine las Lt. Alois Siroky,
His assistant is 2d Lt, Oldrich Brabeneap The MB
detathment has 100 men armed with CZ.48/R stibkoachine guns and two band grenades
apiee . The sentries in the towers have CZ.45 rifles. The StB do not do guard
duty underground.
11. The mine has nine levels, the maximum depth being 880 meters. Each level has a
mine railway plant with three Diesel locomotives. The are is extracted with pneu-
matic hammer, , and mechanical chisels. Each level has 10 to 15 pneumatic hammers.
Each shift digs 450 cartloads of ore; the carts hold 1.5 cwm. apiece. The are
is taken to the fenced-in section in baskets. 50X1-HUM
12. The fenced-in section includes a one-story building of masonry 40 by 200 meters in
size which is painted with camouflage paint. There are three ore-crushing machines
nom/Comm - V.S. OFFICIALS OILT
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and three ball mills; the are is carried from the machines by three conveyor belts
along each of whiCh are 10 to 15 workers who separate the pitchblende five the gangue.
The pitchblende is then ground up and packed in wooden boxesi each weighing 50 kg.
The ore from the nearby mines is also separated in this way in the fenced-in section
at the Eratrstvi Eine.
13. 5,000 boxes daily are filled with pitchblende. The boxes are leaded and one truck
convoy per day leaves to take them to the railroad station-at Ostrov (A 50 70),
where they are put in a storage space reserved for uranium. The pitdhblende 'which
leaves the mines contains up to 50% of uranium 1.-308. 2
14. One train per day is made up at the Ostrav station to carry away the uranium. Each
train has 15 ears containing mineral of the best grade and 20 containing mineral of
less value. Each train is guarded by an escort of 80 Soviet soldiers armed with
submachine guns. The boxes are frequently loaded on the trains directly from the
trucks by the drivers and their helpers. The loading is closely watched by Soviet
guards who send the vehicles away immediately when the transfer has been completed.
Only one vehicle at a time is allowed to enter the loading area. Al]. Czechoslovak
personnel working in the loading area are provided with spedial passes which they
must show when entering or leaving. These men all belong to the Aratrstvi Mine and
are assigned to the fenced-in section.
15. About 500 Soviet troops are permanently stationed in Ostrov and they are commanded
by an infantry captain. Czechs are not admitted to the station or the storage areas.
16. Ore from the Aratrstvip EliasI and No. 10 mines is loaded onto trains at the Ostrov
station.
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Comment. Probably 5% of uranium U-238 is meant.
SECRET/CONTROL - U.S, animas ORLI
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/11/29: CIA-RDP80501540R000800190002-7