THE NOVO BRDO LEAD AND ZINC MINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R006200760008-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 14, 2016
• Document Release Date: January 24, 2001
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 20, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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FOP MATION REPORT CO N.
DATE 2.0 NOV 30
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SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
The Novo Brdo lead and zinc mine is located approximately 250 meters up
on the eastern slope of the Bresja Mountain. The mine is controlled by
a director who is subordinate to the General. Directorate of Colored Metals
of the Serbian Republic in Belgrade.
The mine is connected with the Kopaonik mine, which is situated approximately
two kilometers east, by a narrow gauge railroad lined Al]. ore mined at
Kopaonik is transported by this railroad line to Novo Brdo, and then by an
overhead cable to the Lesak railroad station. The overhead cable was con-
structed by the British in 1937 or 1938 It is approximately thirteen
kilometers long and the cars have a capacity of 500 to 600 kilograms each.
During the war the Germans constructed a new road connecting the Novo Brdo
mine with the Lesak railroad station. This road, of macadam surface, is
approximately fourteen kilometers long and its width varies between four
and five meters. It has been repaired since 1945 and is now in very good
condition. Lesak is connected with the main Skoplje.4'ankovicevo railroad
line by a single track standard European gauge branch line, It is ex-
tensively used for the transporting of minerals from various mines in the
area.
The planned annual output, figures are as foil
1949 55,000 tons
1950 60,000 tons
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1949 53, 000 tons Date: --' -- Br -----
1950 -= The average daily output varies between 180 and 200 tons of orery
Working on the basis of 310 working days per year the total annual
output for 1950 will reach approximately 58,900 tons of ore,.
All ore from the Novo Brdo and Kopaonik mines is transported by rail. from
Lesak to the Trepca separation and smelting plant, at Zvecand After pro-
cessing, zinc concentrate is exported principally to Austria,, Italy and
Western Germany. Gold and silver are dispatched directly to the National.
Bank of Yugoslavia in Belgrade" Bismuth is exported to Germany and Austria,.
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CLASSIFICATION S R . M .
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& ore reserves
a, The ore reserves are divided into three categories, according to
an official circular of Soviet origin, published and distributed
by the !Ministry of ;dines in Belgrade. The categories, applicable
to all mines in Yugoslavia, are as follows:
Category A, subdivided into3
Category Al: -Deposits which have been accurately
surveyed and through preliminary workings
are ready for mining.
Category A-2; Deposits whose shape and size are
accurately known and which are more or
less accessible, but which have not been
prepared for mining.
Category B: Deposits whose rough shape has been established through
--research and initial drillings o
Category C: Covers reserves estimated according to geological
indications a
b. Quantities
1)
Prior to 1948, the average mean content of the ore was as follows:
Lead :
Zinc
Silver:
Gold :
503 percent
10.7 percent
105 grams per ton
2,,5 grams per ton
2)
The present ore deserves are as follows:
Category: 270,,0OO tons with average mean content of:
Lead 4.5 percent
Zinc : 8.1 percent
Silver: 80 grams per ton
Gold : 1,5 grams per ton
Category B: 70,000 tons with average mean content oft
Lead ; 4 percent
Zinc : 7.5 percent
Silver: 70 grams per ton
Gold : 1,5 grams per ton
Category C :, 120,000 tons.
7 G Factors limiting output
a. Shortage of all types of equipment and machinery, particularly of
boring m chines and spare parts, pick hammers, locomotives, rails,,
spare parts for electrical equipment, rubber piping for compressors,
and cables.
b., The unsatisfactory working and living conditions, particularly shortage
of food and clothing, have led to a decrease in the number of men
training for mining. This has subsequently resulted in a shortage of
skilled worker.a and technicians4
The Trepea flotation plant, at Zvecan is inadequate and in a bad state
of repair. Even if the Povo Brdo mine could produce more ore, the
flotation plant could not handle it.
8 o Developrmera .8 i
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a. The actual area being mined is alre s fficiently extensive to allow
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increased production, but this will be impossible to carry out
until new equipment and machinery and additional manpower is
allocated to the mine,,
be Plans have been completed for the installation of a flotation and
separation plant, but the project has been held up by lack of the
necessary machinery which the Government plans to obtain from the
United States?
c. A new workers? colony is to be constructed.
P. The mine is supplied wi.i~ri electric power from the Trepca thermo-electric
per station at Zvecan,. The power, at 35,000 volts, is conducted by
triple wire, carried on wooden and steel pylons with an 110?1-syster_ safety
rigging,, The power lir(: leads from Zvecan to Lesak; from there i. runs
alongside the overhead.(-able line directly to the mine.
10 a sachinery and uiinc~nt i
a. The following machinery and equipment is held at the mine:
1) 45 boring machines of Ingersoll Rand, Chicago Pneumatic, Holman
and Sullivan rmrrifacture,, each weighing between 18 and 90 kilograms.
2) 50 pick hummers of Goliath, Flottmann and Boehler manufacture.
3) 5 electrically o?xeratad compressors of Ingersoll Rand and Chicago
Pneumatic manufacture, each with a capacity of 60 cubic meters per
minute.
4) 3 Leyner autom-.tic boring tip grinders (sharpening machines),,
5) 2 electric veLtik.ators with a capacity of 500 cubic meters poi
minute and 30) cubic meters per minute respectively,,
6) 6 electric ventilators with a capacity of between 40 and 60 cubic
meters per i _inuteo
7) 16 tubular ventilators, either electrically or pneuivitically
(compressed air) driven., with a capacity of approximately 40 cubic
meters ea(-h, They are of American and German origin.,
11 electric transformers These are of AEG, Fool, Siemens and Rade
Koncar manufacture, as well as a few of British origin.
9) 12 electrically operated pLuipe with a capacity of 1000, 500, 250
and 80 1ii.ers per minute. These are of British, Hungarian and
Yugoslav ori..gina
10) 6 pneumatically operated pumps of Cameron.. Duplex and other manu-
factured
11) 1 electric winding machine.
12) 1 electrically driven hoists, with one and/or two drum.
13) 120 mine cars with a capacity of between 700 and 900 kilograms,,
iii.) 1 overhead cable railway, 13 kilometers, powered by two electric
motors,
15) 30 assorted electric motors of up to 150 horsepower. These are of
AEG, Siemens, Skoda, Rade Koncar, Acea and Sever manufactu.re.,
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by Surface equipment:
1) Blacksmith workshop - Equipped with mechanical hammer, a Diesel
oven for heating of boring tips, and one automatic Leyner boring
tip grinder.
2) Carpenters, workshop m A universal work machine which includes
a circular saw, handsaw, drills, framing chisel, frasing machine,
et cetera.
3) Turning shop - Three turning, and (rasing machines, a.Ll*of Swiss
origin? One small e]e etric boring; machine and miscellaneous oiling
and greasing equipment,
Mechanical workshop - Small electric boring machine tip grinders.
Bunker No. 1 (situated at the Novo Brdo terminus of the overliead
cable railway line). TY a tipping machines, 2 crushers with
electric motors and one automatic filler.
6) Lamp store - One hundred electric lamps, powered by either alkali
or acid accumulators, 500 carbide lamps, and a lamp-charging plant
with a small transformer and ventilator,
7) Garage " Two cars and six trucks of Dodge, Fiat and Skoda manu-
facture. The garage workshop is fairly well equipped with repair
tools.
8) First aid station ? Six stretchers and two sets of artificial
respiration equipment, driven by a pulmotor?
1:. The total number of employees is approximately 1,210. These are divided
as .follows"
Directorate :
50 technicians,
60 administrative personnel..
Miners .
700
Surface workers:
300
Forced laborers:
100
12. Work is based on three 8-hour shifts per day, six days per week. There
are 440 workers employed on the first shift and approximately 280 on the
second and third shifts. The surface workers work one shift per day,
The housing conditions are fairly poor. During the first quarter of 1950,
workers and their families received only 70 percent of their rations
13., The .sine Militia, consisting of approximately fifteen of all ranks, is
responsible for the supervision of the following places : the -,nine
Directorate, the overhead cable line terminus, the explosives store, the
entrance to the mine and the railroad station at Lesak. The Militia is
subordinate to the National ilitia. Each worker is issued an employment
certificate which is checked on entry to the .nine. Persons not in
possession of such a certificate ;"rust report to the National 'Militia,
headquarters, who check with the Directorate as to whether the person
desiring entrance is entitled to it.
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