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March 7, 1941

Work Plan of the Narkomtsvetmet Sin'tszysnolovo Concession for 1941

This document was made possible with support from MacArthur Foundation

[handwritten: the Attachment to Point 141 on l. 150-154 is in classified storage]

 

ATTACHMENT

to point 141 (OP) Politburo Minutes Nº 28

 

WORK PLAN OF THE NARKOMTSVETMET SIN'TSZYSNOLOVO CONCESSION FOR 1941

(approved by the USSR SNK and VKP(b) on 7 March 1941)

 

The geological work of the Special Expedition of Glavnikel'olovo in Western China (the province of Xinjiang) has established signs of tin both in alluvial deposits and in primary deposits. However, the industrial importance of the deposits which have been found have not been clarified. The deposits of the region of the Bortala River have the most reliable signs of tin and tungsten deposits of all the tin deposits found.

 

Based on this, the tasks of the work of the Sin'tszyanolovo concession in 1941 are:

 

a) the organization of geological work to explore for tin and the minerals associated with it in unexplored regions of Xinjiang;

 

b) searching for tin and tungsten deposits of the Bortala region;

 

c) the organization of the mining of tin and tungsten concentrate in sectors which have produced favorable results in content and reserves;

 

d) the detailed search for beryllium in the Altai District, and

 

e) the organization of the pilot mining of beryllium in the Altai.

 

The calculation of the reserves of tin, tungsten, and beryllium and the commercial value of the deposits of these metals will be the result of all the work.

 

The following is the work plan for 1941 to accomplish these tasks.

 

A. Exploration work for tin and tungsten in the Bortala River basin.

 

1. The exploration of alluvial deposits in the valley of the Bortala River between the village of Shofan' and the mouth of the Kozhurty river in an area of 80 km2.

 

2. The exploration of alluvial depots in the valley of the Urtak-Sary River between the Motta and Zengin-Kunde Rivers in an area of 20 km2.

 

3. The exploration of alluvial depots in the valley of the Kustay River from the mouth of the Ishki-Bulak River downstream in an area of one km2.

 

4. The exploration of alluvial depots in the valley of the Sary-Burek River in an area of 1.6 km2.

 

5. The exploration of alluvial depots in the valley of the Turgun River in an area of 1.2 km2.

 

6. The exploration of primary tin and tungsten deposits in [the following] sectors: Chekerty, Chogan-Kel'dy, Turgun, Sary-Burek, and Kustay.

 

The start of the exploration work is 1 April 1941.

 

The departure from Moscow of the engineering and technical workers of the Bortala geological exploration group is to be accomplished by 20 March 1941.

 

Establish the following amount of exploration work for primary and alluvial deposits of tin and tungsten in the Bortala River basin:

 

Types of work

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

Including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

the sinking of pits

running meters

6000

2000

2500

1500

the sinking of boreholes

"

9000

2500

4000

2500

the sinking of trenches and small pits in primary deposits

a) without demolition work

b) with demolition work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

m3

 

 

"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2000

 

 

400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500

 

 

100

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1000

 

 

200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

500

 

 

100

taking slot samples

units

1000

250

500

250

 

Submit ideas about the possibility of organizing pilot mining of the tin and tungsten concentrate by August 1 1941 on the basis of the results of the exploratory work conducted in April and May.

 

Process the geological and the exploratory materials in the 4th quarter of 1941, along with the field work, and by 1 January 1942 compile a preliminary production report with a calculation of the reserves and the commercial value of the reserves of tin and tungsten.

 

B. The Geological Survey and Prospecting for Deposits of Tin and Other Metals

 

1. The geological survey and prospecting for primary and alluvial tin and tungsten deposits along both sides of the Bortala River on a scale of 1:100000.

 

2. Detailed prospecting of primary and alluvial tin and tungsten deposits in the region of the Chekerty, Chogan-Kel'dy, Sary-Burek, and Turgun River on a scale of 1:25000.

 

The start of work of the Bortala exploration group is 1 May 1941.

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers from Moscow is to be completed by 10 April 1941.

 

The following is the volume of the exploration work:

 

 

Types of work

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

Including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Survey and prospecting for tin on a scale of 1:100000

km2

1500

400

850

250

Detailed prospecting for deposits of tin on a scale of 1:25000

"

400

120

200

80

 

In the 4th quarter of 1941 process the geological materials and provide the commercial value of the region and the further direction of the geological exploration work.

 

C. The Geological Survey and Prospecting for Deposits of Tin and Other Minerals in Altai District

 

1. The geological strip survey and prospecting for deposits of tin and other minerals on a scale of 1:200000 in the region of the Urungu and Kaby Rivers and Kanas Lake [Ka-na-si hu].

 

2. The geological survey and the prospecting for deposits of tin and other minerals on a scale of 1:100000 in the region of the Kran and Ku-Irtsis Rivers.

 

3. The geological survey and prospecting on a scale of 1:10000 in the region of the Koktokay deposit of beryllium.

 

The start of field work is 1 May 1941.

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers of the Altai geological exploration group from Moscow is to be completed by 10 April 1941.

 

The following is the volume of the exploration work for Altai:

 

Types of work

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Geological survey work on a scale of 1:20000

km2

2600

750

1650

200

Geological survey work on a scale of 1:100000

"

4500

1350

2700

450

Geological survey work on a scale of 1:10000

"

50

25

25

-

Trenching

m3

1700

500

1000

200

Taking bulk samples

m3

540

100

300

140

Taking placer samples

units

5000

1250

3500

250

Sinking of pits for alluvial deposits

m3

500

150

300

50

Taking and processing trommel samples

units

1000

300

600

100

 

As a result of the exploratory work give:

 

a) a geological commercial value of the region explored for tin, tungsten, molybdenum, beryllium, and other minerals, and

b) a detailed assessment of the Koktokay region for beryllium.

 

D. The Geological Survey and Prospecting for Deposits of Tin and Other Minerals in the Ghulja [Yining], Kashgar [Kashi], and Hotan [Hetian] Districts

 

The start of field work of the Hotan, Yarkant [Shache], Kashgar, and Dzinkhoy [sic] geological exploratory groups is 1 June 1941.

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers of these groups from Moscow is to be completed by 25 April 1941.

 

The following is the volume of the exploration work:

 

Types of work

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Geological survey work on a scale of 1:50000

km2

12000

2000

9000

1000

Taking placer pan samples

units

2000

350

1470

180

 

As a result of the exploratory work done draw up a geological map and give the commercial value of the regions explored for tin, tungsten, and other minerals.

 

E. The Exploration of the Koktokay [Keketuohai] Beryllium Deposit

 

1. The survey of four beryllium veins in the region of the village of Koktokay and the lower course of the Dzhetty River, with survey work to begin on 1 May 1941.

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers of the Koktokay exploratory group from Moscow is to be completed by 1 April 1941.

 

Establish the following volume of exploratory work at the Koktokay beryllium deposit:

 

Types of work

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Sinking of entrances, crosscuts, and galleries

running meters

900

100

400

400

Sinking of pits

"

400

100

220

80

Sinking of trenches and clearing

m3

3300

1000

2300

-

Bulk samples

"

750

150

450

150

Core drilling

running meters

100 [SIC]

100

200

200

 

As a result of the survey work provide 10,000 tons of total reserves of beryllium, of which 1,000 tons are of industrial grades.

 

Process the geological and the exploratory materials in the 4th quarter of 1941 along with the survey work, and by 1 February 1942 compile a report with a calculation of the reserves and the commercial value of the reserves of the Koktokay beryllium deposit.

 

2. The pilot mining of beryllium at the Koktokay deposit.

 

The start of mining work 15 May 1941

 

The following is the amount of open-pit exploitation work:

 

 

Unit of measurement

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

Amount of the mined mass removed

m3

2500

500

1500

500

With an accepted beryllium content in the rock mass of 2.5% the probable quantity of beryllium (with a content of 9% of beryllium oxide)

tons

150

30

90

30

 

Determine the prime cost of a ton of concentrate on the basis of the pilot mining and provide a conclusion about the industrial and economic advisability of exploiting the deposit.

 

F. Topographic Work

 

1. A topographic survey in the basin of the Bortala River in the sectors of the prospecting and exploration work.

 

The start of the work is 1 April 1941.

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers of the topographic group from Moscow is to be accomplished by 15 March 1941.

 

Establish the following amount of topographic work (in square kilometers):

 

Topographic survey on a scale of

1:100000

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

1500

500

800

200

1:25000

400

150

200

50

1:10000

150

-

100

50

1:5000

5

-

3

2

1:1000

2

-

1

1

 

2. The topographic survey in the Altai District in the sectors of the prospecting and exploration work with the following amount (in square kilometers):

 

Topographic survey on a scale of

1:200000

Total for 1941

including:

2nd quarter

3rd quarter

4th quarter

2600

750

1650

200

1:100000

4500

1350

2700

450

1:10000

50

25

25

-

1:1000

0.15

0.05

0.05

0.05

1:500

0.02

-

0.01

0.01

 

The departure of the engineering and technical workers of the topographic group from Moscow is to be accomplished by 20 March 1941.

 

The start of the work is 15 April 1941.

 

G. Office and Laboratory Work

 

1. The chemical analyses for tin, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, and other metals, the analyses of the alluvial sand from the alluvial ore, and the compiling of the topographical and geological maps by work region is to be done in the process of the work.

 

2. The drafting of the report on the exploration and prospecting work for 1941 is to be done in the 4th quarter of 1941. Submit the report in January 1942 for the approval of the Narkomtsvetmet.

 

Authenticated: [Khryapkina]

 

6af

The Narkomtsvetmet (People's Commissariat of Nonferrous Metallurgy) outlines the work plan for the Sin'tszyanolovo concession in 1941, including exploration work for tin and tungsten in the Bortala River basin and conducting a geological survey and prospecting for mineral deposits in the Altai, Kashgar, Ghulja, and Hotan districts.

Author(s):


Document Information

Source

RGASPI f.17 op.162 d.32 , l.150-154. Obtained by Jamil Hasanli and translated by Gary Goldberg.

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Original Uploaded Date

2015-04-02

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Decision

Language

Record ID

121883

Original Classification

Classified

Donors

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