MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION ABOUT ELEKTROCHEMISCHES KOMBINAT BITTERFELD

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: April 21, 1952
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
', INTELLOFAX 21
FORM NO. 51-4AA
FEB 1952
CLASSIFICATION SECRET/CONJBOL - U.S. QFFICIALS (NLy
SECURITY INFORMATION
INFORMATION REPORT REPORT
DO NOT CIRCULA
COUNTRY
Germany (Russian. Zone)
SUBJECT
DATE OF
INFO.
Miscellaneous Infarmation about .;.ektrochemisebes
Kom'bi:nat :Bitterfeld
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
PLACE SUPPLEMENT TO
ACQUIRED
THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
OF THE UNITED STATES, WITHIN THE MEANING OF TITHE 18, SECTIONS 193
AND 794, OF THE U.S. CODE, AS AMENDED. ITS TRANSMISSION OR REVE-
LATION OF ITS CONTENTS TO OR RECEIPT BY AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON 15
PROHIBITED BY LAW. THE REPRODUCTION OF THIS FORM IS PROHIBITED.
21 April 1952
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
Ve!?LI~ 8U]T3C1t1II1
1. in early 1.946 Margolin, Russian General.. Director of Elektrochemisches Kom'hinat
Fitterfeid, an.:d:Loe7eenson, Russian Chief Engineer of the factory, instructed
the German engineers to start up the production of very pure aluminum. The
'Russians specified a minimum purity of 99.99% aluminum. Production started
in .November 1946, and has continued steadily since the-a.-k-
2. RJ~hf, following quantities of very pure aluminum,, to the nearest metric ton, have
bf.--e:n produced in the factory since the war
99-99% and better 99 z-92,9-11-101
19146 7 tons
19-.7 143
1948 219
1949 31Q 77
1950 395 41
1951 25 tons per month -
Purity obtained has steadily increased and 99.995-99.99
r?egnl.ar. ly .
The very pure aluminum is east in bps (Masseln), which are bound with ordinary
binding wire and dispatched without further packing. None of it is machined
or treated in any way in the factory before c.spatch.
Most of the best quality metal wasluntil the end of 1950',sent to the USSIR,
but none has been sent there since then. In 1951 the metal was sent mainly to
VB `3uyI.tmetal.l Metallschmelz, - and Walzwerk Merseburg and. 1li?B R PT Kondensatorenwerk
CLASSIFICATION SEC FT/COI+ OL - U.S. OFFICIALS ONLY
X INAVY I X INSRB TRIBUT j
$ s
4 tons
140
138
50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
wni-HUM
SECRET/Ca1 TROL - U. S. OFFICIALS O LY
Gera. It is not known what use was made of the metal in the USSR. The German
factories use it in the manufacture of packing foil and tubes and in the electro-
te chni cal Industry.
5. The production process is briefly as follows
The metal is refined electrolytically in an iron "=coffin's, which is embedded
(bottom. and sides) in an electrically conductive calcined 'Soederbergmassel.
Electric current is lead to the anode through iron contacts inserted into the
"Soederbergmasse". Carbon or graphite blocks sheathed. in aluminum are used
as cathodes. Originally a current of 15,000 amps was used, but now 30,000
amps is used. Aluminum (hettenaluminium) and copper are placed in the bath),
so that an aluminum,. opper alloy forms at the bottom. A melt forms over this,
consisting of Al 13q Bacl2, AN and Nab' (NACI). The very pure aluminum collects
as cathode on the surface of the melt and is skimmed off. The chemical processes
involved in the refining process are not clear, but apparently fluorine containing
(?) melt is a solution which is split into ions when current is passed through
it, The cations Na+, Batt), Al+++ and the anions Cl2- and Fj- are formed..
(AIF6)---anions will also be present through the forming of cryolite. The
decisive point is that the most elects-negative metal goes first into solution
at the anode, and., so long as aluminum is present in excess and there is a
certain proportion. of aluminum fluoride present in the electrolyte, only aluminum
can bp separated.. The aluminum, being the most electro-negative element, goes
into solution first, and forms AlF with the fluorine. The same amount of
All' decomposes as forms, . that is oust as much aluminum separates at the cathodes
as ssolves at they anode. As a result there is no decomposition voltage to be
overcome, but only the electrical resistance of the bath.
Commercial aluminum
6. The new plant for the production of commercial aluminum has been brought into
operation and was in late November 1951 producing aluminum at the rate of about
7,000 tons per annum. It was hoped that this could be increased to 15,000
tans per annum in February 1952 if the new plant at Lauta could supply sufficient
alumina (Tanerde) Alumina was at present being obtained from Bumgary and a
factory in Greiz-Doehlau.
~lagra.esium
7. Little interest was being shown by Russians or Germans in late November 1951
in the proposed. new plant for the production of metallic magnesium.
Wage in Russian perso yl
B. Pelyaev left the factory in early November, saying that he would be absent In
the 'SSR for six months for leave and a training course. A Russian named
F8d.orov is deputizing for him as General Director during his absence.
Comae Margolin and Loe7enson returned to the USSR early in 1948.
50X1-HUM
:7Cormiient. Probably A1cl3.
SECT T/CON'T'ROL - U. S. OFFICIALS OILY
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
 50X1-HUM
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/30: CIA-RDP83-00415R011000110001-5