POSSIBLE URANIUM MINE SOUTH OF KALININSKOYE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000400040007-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 8
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 13, 2013
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 3, 1954
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
CONrIDPITIAL
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.
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
DATE OF INFO.
PLACE ACQUIRED
USSR (Kirgiz SSR)
Possible Uranium Mine
Kalininskoye
REPORT NO.
South of DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO.
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REFERENCES
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3 August
8
1954
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THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OP CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
(FOR scre sit Elvin')
1.
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2. Throughout the report_x_Kara?Balty should read Karabalty.
50X1 On page 4, first Oormients read Belovodskaya for Belovodek.
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STATE
#x
ARMY
#x
NAVY
#x
AIR ,
FBI
AEC
)_d 0RI1
()SI Ev
Note: Washington Distribution Indicated By "X"; Field Distribution By, "*".)
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-(1MTPT11:M1elTAL
COUNTRY USSR .(Kirgiz SSR)
SUBJECT Possible Uranium Mine South
of Ke.lininskoye
DATE OF INFORMATION
' PLACE ACQUIRED
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REPORT NO.
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DATE DISTR. 30 Auie 1964
NO. OF PAGES 7
REFERENCES:
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SOURCE
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1. In 1937 or 1938 geological exploration started in the area of
50X1 Kalininskoye Al 42-50, E 73-517. 1.
some pa e
valuable ore had been found in the area. World War II interrupted
the exploration, but after the war the project was continued. At
that time rumors were very prevalent in Kalininskoye that some
rare mineral of the nature of uranium had been discovered in the
area shown on the sketchhnex A, Point E7. Since all such
information was consideredsecret, no one dared to track down the
rumors, but they were very persistent.
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there
were rumors that some project connected with the earlier geolosti71
exploration was to be launched.
some 'sort of construction had
begun in the summer of 1951 under the supervision of the MVD. The
'overall project was called Post Office Box pohtovyy yashchii7.
"Help wanted" notices were always posted un er this name, and the
local people always referred to it in this way.
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3.
A-large motor pool (avtobaza) was organized in Kalininskoye.
getertilstores were organized for personnel and workers associated
itith the project. At the same time a large number of MVD'uniformed
petbOnhel,"never before seen in the area, came to Kalininskoyd.-
A rather large number of vehicles of the type GAZ-87 (Soviet-type
jeep), which are never allocated to civilian agencies, appeared.
In April 3.952 construction started on a one-track railroad line
leading from the Kara-Balty railroad station (the railroad station
of Kalininskoye) to Sosnovka and probably further south 2:gee
Annex A, Point :67. Approximately 1,000 inmates of a corrective
labor camp worked on this construction.
4. The employment office of the project was organized in 1952 at the
Kara-Balty railroad station. A large number of posters announcing
the opening of the project were posted in the area giving the
address to which applicants should report as "Personnel Section,
Post Office Box, Kara-Balty Railroad Station". Wages paid by
the project administration were higher than average, and a large
number of local inhabitants reported for work with it In all,
approximately 3,000 inhabitants of Kalininskoye were employed as
mechanics, bulldozer o erators, road construction engineers, and
50X1 common laborers, this estimate is correct within 500.
Approximately 300 of the 3,000 were truck drivers, jeep drivers,
and chauffeurs) when necessary, they were given local training
for their work. Many of my boyhood friends were employed in this
way. MVD troo s worked as guards and had overall direction of
50X1 ? the project. an MVD colonel was in
command of the pro ect. From the number of MVD officers
50X1 ;.DIroops there.
50X1 n the area, estimate that there wascne battalion of
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tne
following observations:
a. Widening and surfacing of the road south from Sosnovka was
still in progress.
b. Two more sidings were being added to the five already there
at the Kara-Balty railroad station. Approximately 100 inmates
of a corrective labor camp were working on these sidings.
0. Approximately 100 other inmates of a corrective labor camp
were building an unloading platform at Sosnovka, the terminus
of the railroad line.
d. The remainder of the forced laborers, approximately 800, had
moved south to continue work on the road and on other projects
50X1 that
50:0 e. Every day muffled ex losions 20 to 30 km. (est) to the
50:00 south of Kalininskoye. no strange clouds, and the build-
ings in Kalininskoye did not shake.
??
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f.
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Approximately 20 two-story brick buildings had been con-
strUdted9.nnex A, Point 2:7. Most of these were living
quarters or MVD members and their families, but two of
them, which contained offices for the super-
visory personnel of the project were surrounded with
barbed wire and at the gate there was a small guard shack
with a guard. Each
of the 20 buil ngs was approx ma e y 1 x 20 x 10-12 IC,
and they had deck roofs. The distance between each of the
buildings was approximately 50 m. Construction of other
similar buildings was continuing in May 1953
in this area.
two mobile equipment bases connected with the project.
One of them was in Kalininskoye; the other was in the construction
area south of Kalininskoye /Knnex A. Point y7.
Trucks, jeep-type
vehicles and other types of vehicles were serviced and r!paired
there.
approximately 300 vehicles there. 2'
poo a s ase a remen ous num ers o
trucks, etc.
-5&18. Equipment
tne motor
ozers, excavators,
in the area of Kalininskoye included the following:
four-ton YaAZ trucks
li tn. GAZ-63 trucks
jeep-type OAZ 6 vehic es
50X1 bulldozers being transported through town from
ime.
500 steam shovels three)
light lifting cranes; mobile, truck-mounted; four of them
worked in the Kara-Balty railroad station loading
and unloading such things as timber.
50X1 All the trucks
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Nere empty
9. In respect to security,
50X1 local inhabitants were hired as guards; they were
given infantry men's blouses to wear, paid approximately 400
rubles a month apiece, drew infantry rations, and were on duty
for 24 hours and then off for 48 hours. More than 100 of these
guards were used at the motor ool and other places. An MVD lieu-
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tenant was in command. o information concerning any special
50X1 passes for people going n o e construction area south of Sosnovka
50:00 Tnnex A, Point A7. the trucks traveling
from Kalininskoye to that construction area were not stopped or
inspected en route./
50X110.
the con-
sumer goo .s s ores, one o w ich was located in the motor pool area
in Kalininskoye, were well stocked with high quality goods, such as
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beer, Cigarettes, silks, and furs, and especially textiles and
50:0 footwear, these supplies came from Leningrad.
50:0 the administration of' the project
was eizner suborainate to or in some way connected with a head-
qUarters in Leningrad. Ordinarily only project personnel-had-
addesS to these stores
50:0 Before this time no goods of the quality
available in the project stores, especially woolens and worsted
materials for suits, were ever seen in this area.
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11. None or the workers in the Post Office Box project had any
distinguishing discoloration of their hands.
1.
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2.
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3.
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3.
6ked to drive trucks from Kalininskoye to the con-
struction site, because they could pick up paying passengers
traveling from Kalininskoye toBtalinskoye, Frunze, Lake Issyk-Kul,
or other points en route. This seemed to be a very lucrative
source of income. Another lucrative source of income was the
sale of gasoline and oil by the chauffeurs.
Comment: Change of Names Ref.: WAC 328, Chatkaliskiy
Range, and VAC 329, Tien -Range. The name of the small town of
Kara Balty has been changed to Kalininskoye; the railroad station
is still called Kara Balty. The name of Atc-Su has been changed
to Stalinskoye. The train station is known as Belovodsk. /n
this report the towns are referred to by their Soviet names.
Comment:
area in Kalininskoye
desorTion of the motor pool
Comment: The most practical way to haul any ore out of the
area would-be by means of the railroad at Lake Issyk-Kul.
Annex A: Locations connected with Post Office Box Project.
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Annex At Locations connected with Post Office Box Project.
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LEGEND
AnOex At
Pt.
Pt.
Pt.
Pt.
Pt.
Pt.
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-Locationd connected with Post Office Box Project.
1. Estimated new boundaries of Kalininskoye. Estimated
population as of May 1953 was 50,000. Population
increase began during World War II with evacuation to here of
two factories, one an alcohol factory and one a glycerine
factory. These were both located in same building area.
AS of 1953, the old alcohol factory was a sugar factory
(Sakhar Kombinat). The glycerine and alcohol factory
are now combined in one building area.
2. Estimated boundaries of area containing two office build-
ings and 18 two-story brick living Quarters for MVD
families.
3. Estimated site of new hydroelectric dam and new factory.
4.
Bowl cam ana ractory were still under construction in May
1953. The river in one spot in the mountains was 100 m.
wide and averaged 2i feet in depth. It was very swift and
rocky and was especially full in the heat of the summer
when the snow on the mountains melted. The highest peaks
south Of town were always snow-covered.
Estimated location of mining and construction activity by
this was the area because of the
olroultoua route travelledby the trucks, I. e., via
Frunze, Lake Issyk-Kul, ENftioorka and thence to the east
along relatively good roads, and because of, the intensive
effort being made to extend the road south from Sosnovka
5. Country Road (Footpath), the widening and surfacing of
which was continuing south from Sosnovka in May of 1953.
, Between Kalininskoye and Sosnovka this road had been
improved and was eight meters wide, leveled, covered with
crushed rock, and rolled.
from Kalininskoye to sosnovka
a. The road construction between these two cities had
been finished,
b. That road construction to the south was still in
progress,
e. That the single track railroad construction between x
Kalininskoye and Sosnovka was completed except fo.r.-'
construction of a loading platform which was still
underway by approximately 100 forced laborers.
Village of Sosnovka - Main street, approximately six meters
wide, four kilometers long; highest house four meters,
adobe constructed houses.
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LEGEND to Annex A (cont' a)
Pt. 7. Single tracked railroad extending from Kalininskoye
to Sosnovka.
50;00 Pt. 8. Road; from Kalininskoye to
Frunze in May 1953. At that time this six meter wide
road had been asphalted from Frunze to Stalinskoye and
it was being asphalted from Stalinskoye to Kalininskoye.
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