BULGARIAN URANIUM INDUSTRY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80T00246A041000480001-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 7, 2010
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: March 10, 1958
• Content Type: REPORT

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
This material contains information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning of. the Espionage Laws, Title
18, U.S.C. Secs. 793 and 794, the transmission or revelation of which in any manner to an unauthorized person is prohibited by law.
COUNTRY - - Bulgaria REPORT
SUBJECT Bulgarian Uranium Industry
DATE OF
INFO.
PLACE &
DATE ACQ.
DATE DISTR. 10 March 1958
NO.. PAGES
REQUIREMENT
NO.
SOURCE EVALUATIONS ARE DEFINITIVE. APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
report on the uranium industry in Bulgaria.
The report contains the following information
a. historical notes from the discovery of uranium in Bulgaria in 1948 to
1957,
b. organization. of the -aukhovo uranium mines,
c. ore extraction methods
d sorting of ore,
e. productive capacity of the mines, and
f. administrative cadres and workers of the Bukhovo complex.
STATE X ARMY X INAVY
FBI AEC
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BULGARIAN URANIUM MU MM
Historical Notes
The existence of uranium ore in Bulgaria was ascertained in 1948, when
a joint Soviet-Bulgarian team, headed by Soviet geology professor Nikolai
Zamorenko, conducted studies and exploration near Bukhovo-Soflysko. Later
uranium ore deposits were discovered in the outcropping terrain in the
Svetovrachene, Isremirovchi, Kremirovvskaya Monstir, Bukhovo, Zheravino,
Seslavchi, and Gara Yana areas. These areas are comprised within the
eastern portion of Sofia's Stara Planing and in the southern portion of
Botevgradskeya Balkan and Murgash, Planing= they come to a total area of
about 480 square kilometers. Lower grade uranium ore was found in other
parts of Stara Planing.
Experimental exploitation of these deposits began in fall 194$; rational
exploitation began in spring 1949. Toward the end of 1949, 700 military
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and 400 civilian workers were sent to work in the two existing mines.
At Present the "Bukhovo" mines employ 3,800 military workers, 1,200
civilian workers, and 120 specialists. During the year [1957], the
number of military workers increased by 1,000 (a labor battalion was sent
to "force" production and was billeted in the schools of the localities
near the deposits).
Until 1955, the "Bukhovo" uranium mines were the property of the
Bulgarian-Soviet state mining company ("Gorubso"); after 195, the Soviets
formally renounced their rights in favor of the Bulgarians, but they con-
tinue to be de facto owners, since they have the output at their disposal
on the basis of a 15-year agreement.
During the 8-year existence of the "Bukhovo" mines, the following
directors general have succeeded each other therei. Aleksandr Trofimov,
Russian; Armen Solanokidze, Georgain; and the present director general,
Bulgarian geological engineer Nikolai Yanov, who completed his advanced
studies in the USSR, in 1952, at government expense.
The "Bukhovo" uranium complex comprises the following mines: Borkha
(director, Russian engineer Prigvozhen); Gorton (director, Bulgarian en-
gineer Ilyev); Seslavchi (Russian engineer Apatov); Seslavski Monastir
(Petrov, Bulgarian, Soviet citizen); Prvi May (Russian engineer Omamantov);
Prvi May-Iztok, Kremikovchi (Bulgarian engineer Marinov); and Kremirovski
Monastir (director, Bulgarian engineer Pavel Ivanov).
A modernly equipped geological laboratory was built 500 meters north-
west of Bukhovo; about 120 geologists, engineers and technicians work
there under the leadership of geological engineer Stefan Petrov, who com-
pleted his advanced studies in the USSR.
Foreign enterprises have also been engaged, but they do not partici-
pate directly in production operations, in which over 2,500 managerial,
administrative, and blue-collar employees are involved.
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Organization of the "Bukhovo" Mines
Each area in which uranium ore is extracted is enclosed by a series
of three barbed-wire fences and illuminated at night by powerful search-
lights. The security of each mine is entrusted to a battalion of the
"internal security army," which is assisted by so-called "mine police."
The security force consists of 600 officers, noncommissioned officers,
and troops of the "internal security army," 500 "mine militiamen," 300
civilian guards, and 100 firemen. There is also a number of Soviet
"specialists." The security service is under the command of "internal
security" Lieutenant Colonel Venchislav Parlapanov, who is a former parti-
san and a native of Varna.
It is forbidden to go any closer than 300 meters from the mining
sites, i.e., to go beyond the barbed-wire enclosures. The mine employees
are equipped with a special pass, issued to them by the Ministry of
Interior. Those who are not employed at the mines and wish to visit them
(newspapermen, party officials, labor union officials, etc.) must apply
at the Special Service of the Ministry of Heavy Industry in Sofia (Lenin
Square), where they are given a letter specifying their business at the
mines and on the basis of which the security service of the mine concer-
ned issues an entry authorization to 'be requester. Visitors are accompanied
by security personnel during their entire stay at the mines. No one is
authorized to enter the mine tunnels. Unauthorized persons caught in
"restricted areas" are sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to 3
years. The security service of the uranium deposits is especially strengthened
at night. Illuminated notices state that the sentries will fire without
warning. An antiaircraft artillery unit is stationed near the uranium ore
washing installation, located near Bukhovo.
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Ore Extraction
The ore extraction method used varies from mine to mine, depending
on the sloping of the ore layers and of the terrain in which they are
located. The mines are not as yet sufficiently equipped to give maximum
yield. The ore is generally extracted in the tunnels, which in the
future are to be used for transportation purposes, but in order to obtain
a greater output from the tunnels, in which considerable quantities of
uranium have been found, the mines have switched to the "broad-front
excavation" method; the empty spaces thus created will be filled with waste
materials. The uranium ore is more generally found in thick layers, mixed
with layers of earth of six different chemical compositions; the layers
range in slope from 5 to 80 degrees, and this makes extractive operations
very difficult. In the lower uranium layers there were dug horizontal
tunnels, connected by means of vertical shafts to the higher uranium layers.
In each mine, except the "Gorten" mine whose layers slope considerably
and where extraction is'carried out from the bottom layer up, the uranium
ore is extracted from the top layer down, sent through the vertical shafts
to the lower tunnels, and thence transported out of the mine. Scarcely
40 percent of the employees are directly engaged in production; the re-
mainder are engaged in expansion of the mins. It is planned to unify all
the mines underground, so as to merge them into a single one and thus
simplify their management and the transportation of the ore extracted.
Where miners are used to extract the ore, it is extracted wholly by the
"frontal excavation" method and transported out of the nine by means of
conveyor belts or, where the ripe of the layers allows it, by means of
simple sheet-metal, conveyors shaped like eaves. Where the ore is found
in outcroppings, extraction is carried out by means of excavators or other
suitable machines (Seslavki Monastir and Prvi Mey-Iztok mines). The strip
mines have been expanded through the removal of large amounts of nonuranium-
bearing earth.
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Until 1949, or'extraetion in the Bukhovo mines was carried out with
primitive equipment, but after that year the mines were equipped with
technical equipment supplied by the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and
East Germany. Compressed-air hammers and drills have been provided,
and extraction has been made easier also through the use of explosives.
The ore extracted in the various mines varies in appearance; the ore
at the "torten" mine has the appearance of a greenish stony substance,
while the ore at the "Seslavki Monastir" mine resembles hard earth, is
earthy in color, and has an orange-colored fluorescence.
Sorting of Ore
A geological specialist sorts the ore, when it is still underground,
into three parts, each of which is then removed separately. Each mine
has a reinforced-concrete bunker where sorting is carried out, equipped
with sifting machines, conveyor belts which transport the ore to be sifted
by hand, and an automatic device for loading the ore onto trucks. Each
bunker has a capacity of 150 tons. A large part of the ore extracted is
discarded; the discarded ore is used as fill dirt in the area around the
mines. Ore containing a high percentage of uranium is placed in 50-
kilogram crates, on which the words "for testing" are inscribed in Russian,
and sent by truck to the airport, from whence it is shipped to the Soviet
Union. Top-grade ore, sifted by hand, is placed in 50-kilogram crates,
loaded on tarpaulin-covered trucks, and transported to Gera Yana, from
whence it is forwarded to the USSR either by train or via Burgas, where
it is loaded on ships. Second- and third-quality ore, after being washed
at the washing plant located near Bukhovo, is again sorted into four
grades, namely, first quality, second quality, third quality, and a so-
called "extra" quality. First, second and "extra" quality ore is ex-
ported to the USSR in the manner described above, while third-quality ore
is processed at the Bulgarian uranium plant, which began operations recently.
\~r 1 {r
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On orders from the Soviet Union, Bulgaria ships only part of the ore to
Czechoslovakia, via Rumania.;.from Czechoslovakia this ore is then shipped
to the 118SR, after undergoing a certain degree of processing.
To satisfy its transportation needs, the Bukhovo mining complex has
3.00 Zis-50 trucks of 5 tons capacity, 200 Zim-52 trucks of 8 tons capacity,
and a number of heavy trucks.whose capacity ranges from 8 to 15 tons.
The workers of the mining complex work in three shifts; the first
(0800 to 1600 hours) and the second (1600 to 2400) engaged in production,
while the third (2400 to 0600) engages in mine expansion activities and
preparatory work, but when production has to be increased to fulfill
production plans, the third shift likewise is assigned to production, in
which case it works 8 instead of 6 hours. The third shift consists of
fewer workers, who have the task of propping vaults and eliminating
stagnant waters. The third shift at each mine uses up to 5 tons of cement
[daily?) for reinforcement work.
Productive Capacity
The most productive mine in the entire Bukhovo complex is the
Seslavski Monastir mine, which produces 460 tons per day. The complex as
a whole produces an average of 2,000 tons per 24-hour period. During the
year, production of the complex reaches peaks of 3,000 tons per 24-hour
period, as well as lows of less than 1,500 tons ( a few days per quarter,
owing to the replacement of part of the workers). However, the actual
daily production of uranium concentrate is estimated at about 550 tons
since, of the ore extracted, about 60 percent is discarted in the sorting
places and another 10 percent is discarded in the washing and sorting
operations at the Bukhovo plant. Every day, including holidays,''a train
of 30 to 35 cars laden with uranium concentrate leaves for the USSR.
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Construction of an underground uranium plant was completed in 1956.
Its location is kept strictly secret, but it is known that is located
near Kremirovchi, in the direction of the "Saint George" convent. Workers
who participated in its construction stated that it is 150 meters below
ground level, in compact terrain, that it consists of three stories, and
that it is connected by one tunnel with the "torten" mine, by another
tunnel with the Bukhovo uranium processing plant, and by a third one with
Gara Yana, where production waste is transported. Decauville tracks of
52-centimeter gauge are laid out in the tunnels; over them run mine cars
drawn by electric units. The plant has an area of 15,000 square meters
for production and personnel. The central premises are 200 meters long,
15 meters wide, and 10 meters high. The underground premises are rein-
forced concrete, and bricks. The smaller premises have been reinforced
by fir, singed to protect it against mold and rot. The plant receives its
electric supply from the "Kurilo" thermal-electric power plant and its
water supply from the summit of Margush Mountain in Stara Planing. The
machinery was supplied by the USSR and installed by engineer Razmyachev,
author of the construction plans. The plant was built with Soviet capital.
The tecbnalogical aspects of the production process and the productive
capacity are considered to be state secrets and are known only to the
plant management. A few workers have already received court sentences
merely because they discussed insignificant matters relating to life at
the plant, while others, charged with "having attempted to violate state
secrecy," have received prison terms of 5 to 10 years. In the information
released on the Bulgarian uranium industry predominates the-thesis that
production is in the "experimental"
phase, that few workers work there,
and that. the. uranium produced is shipped to Czechoslovakia for "scientific
purposes for the Warsaw Pact," in amounts up to 3 to 5 kilograms.
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The plant will begin to produce at full capacity at the end of 1958;
at present the plant is only partly completed.
In addition, the people of Sofia know of the existence of a plan for
the construction of an "atomic plant for the production of electric paver,"
whose foundations were laid in the vicinity of Svetovrachene, near Sofia;
the "atomic plant" is b be set up underground. Work was started 2,500
meters northwest of the abovemerrtioned locality and is to be completed by
the end of 1960.
The underground uranium plant, located near Kremirovchi, employs about
400 ordinary workers and 200 "specialists." The workers who engaged in
production wear special clothing (red) and live ii houses built especially
for them, 1,300 meters above sea level. They have little or no contact
with the other workers because they are afraid "of inadvertently revealing
state secrets." Workers engaged in uranium production receive 600 to
1,200 leva per month, in addition to the privileges which they enjoy.
Soviet specialists apparently receive between 3,000 and 5,000 lava per
month.
About 500 meters east of the underground uranium plant there is an
auxiliary underground warehouse where both by-products and uranium are
stored. Said warehouse has a capacity of 1,080 cubic meters; the admin-
istrative offices of the "Bukhavo" mines and of the underground uranium
plant are located nearby. The offices have all the modern comforts, such
as hot and cold water, baths, and rest rooms. The offices are connected
by telephone to all the uranium mines and to the Ministry of Heavy Industry.
All underground installations are lighted with fluorescent lights. A few
hundred blowers driven
, by electric motors of 4 to 50 horsepower, provide
ventilation.
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Not far from the abovementioned warehouse there is an underground
garage with an adjacent repair shop. This garage, capable of holding as
many as 500 trucks, is not currently in use. It has gasoline storage
tanks with a capacity of 500 tons. The garage's entrance is located 350
meters east of the "Saint George" convent in Kremirovehi. Motor vehicle
tires and spare parts are stored above the convent.
Administrative Cadres and Workers Community of the "Bukhovo" Uranium Complex
Ore extraction and uranium production are under the supervision of
250 Bulgarian and Soviet geologists, mining engineers, and technicians.
An additional 120 specialists work in branch offices. The production
process is under the direct supervision of 260 civilians and army labor
officers and noncommissioned officers, while processing operations are
directed by 500 civilians and array labor officers and noncommissioned
officers. The majority of the civilian workers consists of peasants from
the Sofia area, mostly those whose land was confiscated because it was
located in the mining and uranium processing area, but there are also
workers who came from other Bulgarian regions. The latter were attracted
by the idea of making money in a short time. A number of workers is r-
-placed every 3 months; from every work shift are selected those who wish
to have permanent status.
The mine workers are divided into two categoriest ordinary and privi-
leged. Workers in this latter category enjoy various priviliges, owing
to the fact that they are party members and are given positions of trust
in the production process. For them there are no production quotas or
bonus tables, as is the case for the other miners. When they are not
working as crew foremen, they work "in agreement," since management places
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at
army workers at their disposal. - Thus,workers in this category, who
are considered as "master" miners, are able to earn large monthly bonuses
ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 lava. Army workers receive no bonuses if
they merely fulfill their norms; they receive bonuses only if they over-
fulfill them. Since emulation prevails at the mines, the workers al-
ways work to the limit of their endurance and most of them succeed in over.
fulfilling their assigned production quotas. Army workers generally earn
100 to 200 lava for production in excess of their norms.
Although much has been done to Improve working conditions, they
are still very difficult. Although special equipment is recommended for
the protection of the mine workers against radioactivity, Bulgarian
workers engaged in uranium production are not always provided with even
mineral costumes. In some mines there is water leakage and the workers
often must go into water puddles barefooted, since the warehouses of the
"Bukhovo" mining complex have only about 400jpair of rubber boots. The
mines are very inadequately lighted. There are few lamps, which are used
only in the most important areas. Some miners are equipped with acetylene
lamps, most of which are defective. The management of the complex was
asked by the Communist Party to reduce production costs by economizing on
the workers, it is forbidden to draw more than 50 grams of carbide from
the warehouse for eaehtork shift. This amount is not sufficient to keep a
lamp lighted for 8 hours.
Accidents occur often in the mimes, since inadequate attention is given
to work safety. All of the management's attention is always devoted to the
increase of production. During the period from the beginning of 1957 to
September 1957 alone, 8 army and 3 civilian workers lost their lives;
dozens of others incurred disabilities. Accidents most often occur when a
park the workers is replaced, since most of the newcomers are young and
going into a mine for the first time, without any idea of the work to be done.
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Cases of illness are also frequent; the workers contract pleurisy,
pulmonar diseases, and rheumatism. Those who contract serious diseases
are hospitalized and, upon their return to the mines, are assigned to
surface work.
The "Bukhovo" mining complex fulfilled its 1957 production plan by
9 September, Communist holiday. An ou(ut of one million tons of ore is
plam2ed for 1958.
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