THE METAL TESTING WORKSHOP OF THE NORIL'SK COMBINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000200340008-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 26
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: June 4, 2013
• Sequence Number: 8
• Publication Date: November 17, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

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CONFIDENTIAL
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COUNTRY USSR
SUB)EC.T The Metal Testing Workshop of the
Norilsk Nickel Combine
DATE DISTR. /'J go,/- 5'
NO. OF PAGES 13
NO. OF ENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION 50X1
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The Metal Testing Workshop (Opyt..nyy metallurgicheskiy tsekh---OMTs)
09-20'P -0 was an experimental shop for developing new me ode
n,smelting and or testing of various metals and alloys. the
50X1 OMTs technicians made periodic tests of the products of operatione50X1
carried out by the various plants and factories of the Combine, and
50X1 From time to time technicians from various. installations of the Com-
bine would conduct testa in the Wnrkshon with vs.r3.nnn mai-Pri ai a_
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esting Workshop ee Annex A SketcheB 1 and 2
1u i u y ~un~ in emon room / uxvs operazeo on three shifts six days a
sketch of the Meta Testing Workshop and a liat r~ the eauin_
eek, and a skeleton crew was maintained on Sundays. At the head Of
the Metal Teetina Workehon was a Russian, KIRENKO, who
had worked there at the e1 a re-
00 rubles in 1947 or 194
,The Metal Testing Workshop employed-,220 people, 150 free workers, and
70 ppisotinere,' Of this' number, however, only 80 (55 free workers and
25 prisoners) actually worked in the'Workshop itself,. The other 140
people worked in laboratories. of the following installations of the
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Noril-rsk Nidkel Combine,,
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ee workers and" thirty prisoners were employed
by'OM"f din the rLarge Analytical Laboratory (Bol'shaya analitioheskay
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laboratoriya).
b. Twelve free Workers and eight prisoners worked for OMTs in the
7
Labor tory ?.
(Ugle-obogatitel'naya laboratoriya).
Three free workers and two 'Prisoners worked for OMTs at a labora-
tOr in BAF?.
d. Five free workers and five prisoners were employed by OMTs in the
laboratory at the Large Electrolytic Factory (Bol'shoy elektro-
litnyy tsekh).
From Plant No. 25 Zavo
No. - e Metal Testing Workshop received several
rubber-1 ned wooden barrels containing a dark green-gray solution.
This solution ate clothes quite readily but did not seem to burn the
skin
First, the so. u i on
was heated ' y passing steam through lead coils which were immersed in
it. After heating the solution for three or four days at about 1000
C, during which time no chemicals were introduced, it was drained
into a rubber-lined, rectangular tub, about two meters long by one
meter wide and 80 cm. deep, to a level of-about 60 am.,, and permitted
to cool. While it was cooling, the specific gravity of the solution
was tested about every hour. After several days, crystallization
occ rr.ed to a depth of about 15 cm. and on the sides of the tub. The,
solution, which remained a dark green.-gray color, was then drained
off. The crystals, which were the size of salt and a light green-
gray in color, were then placed in s. vat over a canvas-like filter.
Suction was applied under the filter for several hours to dry the
crystals further. After this, 150 to.200 kg. of or stale were thor-
oughly mixd with 8 . to 10 kg. of sulphur and 30 to ~0 kg. of a cocoa-
colored powder. Several batches of this mixture were placed in an
oven; each batch was heated at a different temperature, from 6000 to
9000 C, for various periods of time, from five to eight hours. When
removed from the oven, the mixture, in each case, was a cocoa-colored
50X1 powder which seemed to weigh more than it did before being heated.
snxl . This powder did not burn the clothing or skin. It was then packed
in iron barrels and returned I to Plant No. 25, ,where
50X1 ~a similar process was also conducted.
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4. The Metal Testing Workshop also received, from Plant No. 25 a black
earthlike substance which was either cobalt or platinum in
,some form. It was very expens ve and all workers. handling it were
cautioned not to waste a single gram.. This substance was mixed with
water and a white powder and then placed in a
Numerous other tests were also conducted, some lasting a few days and
others over a period of weeks.
stove
of this stove07 50X1
as a "kriptolovaya' stove. See Annex B for
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a. to time slag was Ireceived from the Large
ie.ter It was melted in"a stove and permitted
t6a.7.cOO1 a roken into pieces and various samples taken
for testing purposes.
b. Other experiments included adding various amounts of manganese
to copper and to nickel.
Geferally' speaking, the work of both prisoners and free workers working
With.the'various Stoves was performed in a slipshod manner. This
1146 dt a tO several:. factors: indifference on the part of the workers,
laok`"of . experience, and'. -at times,, to the necessity of fulfilling a
planned-produ.etion quota. Following are two illustrations which are
rather typical of the manner in which work was performed in the Metal
Testing Workshop:
a,s smelting copper shavings for a period of three months.
e
The cappr shavings were outdoors and, since it was very cold,
e worker would watch for the foreman while another took pre-
pared copper anodes and placed them in the stove instead of going
outdoors for the copper shavings. Later, when the anodes were
detected missing, quite a furor was raised, but they could not be
aeeO ted for. During this operation one batch of upper was
supposed to be produced in one eight-hour shift. Since the work-
ers Were more interested in fulfilling this quota than in pro-
ducing good quality copper, 70% of the copper turned out during
this three month period was declared to be inferior and.not
useable. A shop foreman and a free worker were accused of being
responsible for this and given jail sentences.
On several occasions, in the eagerness to fulfill production quo-
tas, ,stoves were permitted to be used until the bricks gave way
and the molten metal flowed out onto the floor. This caused a
delay in production until the stoves were repaired and the floor
cleared of molten metal.
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sketch of the first floor of, the Metal
Testing Workshop,
ketch of the second floor of the Metal
Testing orks op.
sketch of the "kriptolovaya" stove in the
Metal Testing Workshop.
sketch of the Reverberatory Stove in the
Metal; Testing Workshop.
sketch of the Arc Furnace found in the
Testing Workshop.
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Annexes:
A. Sketch 1:
A, .Sketch 2:
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.Annex A. Sketch 1:
sketch of the-first floor of the
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Metal Testing. Workshop
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.Room for mechanics and.an expeditor.
Fir5,tTV : i'or -Metal. :. Teet:tng': Wc.rks sop
Room.for QMTs foremen (mastera).
Storage.room for the electrical repair shop; also contained the
controls for the water system.
b. Experimental vat; wooden and rubber-lined, li m. high x 1 m.
in diameter.
Experimental vat; wooden and rubber-lined, ?l r m. high x 1 m.
in diameter.
Experimental shop, containing the following equipment:
c. Mixing cylinder; iron and rubber-lined, 4 m. long by 25 cm.
in diameter; I saw crystals being mixed here.
d. Experimental vat, similar
e. ,Experimental vat, similar
f. Experimental vat, similar
to the other two described.50X1
to the other two described.
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to the other two described.
Various solutions and liquids were tested in this room,
.New processes were initiated here before being
put into wide-scale operation. processes in various!
plants and factories of the Combine were tested here. This room was
not always in operation and would stand idle for one to one and a. half
months at a time. When operating, there were two workers and a fore-
man (master ) on each shift.
Repair shop servicing the Metal Testing Workshop, containing the
.A very old milling machine which did not work well and which-
broke down frequently.
b.. .A very old lathe which was, however, fairly reliable and service-
able
e. Air compressor which serviced all of the Metal Testing Workshop.
d. Air compressor which serviced all of the Metal Testing Workshop.
e. Warm air blower for Room 13.
f.. Warm air duct, 20 cm. x 20 cm., leading from the warm air blower.
10.. Electrical mechanic's repair shop.
11. Petroleum storage, containing the following:
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following equipment: .
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Annex ..A, Sketch ,1 (Cant' d) LEGEND
,.4. steel oil dram with a 100 lit,. capacity.
b. A Steel oil. drum with a 300 lit, capacity.
12. Electrician's shop, containing:
a. Electrical controls for the stoves in Room 13.
b.. Electrical controls for the stoves in Room 13.
c. Electrical transformer just outside.
13. :Pturnaee room (Pechnoy zal) containing the following equipment:
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a. Air compressor for the converter (c) and the reverberatory
stove (d).
b Stovepipe.
.c. A converter similar to, but smaller than, t in the
Large:Smeltery (Bol'shoy plavil'nyy tsekh) and,.
capable of temperatures up to 1,2000 C. Not a very good converter
and there being little need for it, it was used only one or two
months a year.
d. A reverberatory stove, the only one in the Norilsk
?N ,gkel Combine, and capable of producing temperatures up to
1, 2000 C. It was not always needed and was used only about three
months a.-year. 'ee Annex C for sketch of this
stove 7 50X1
An are-furnace (dugovaya pech'), capable of producing tempera-
tures up to 1,4000 C, but used only a week or two during the
year. Zaee Annex D for sketch of this furnace.7
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An electric stove which was used frequently; capable of producing
temperatures up to 1,6000 C.
g. A small ammeter for stoves (e) and (f).
h. The smaller of two stoves, each of which was known
as a "kriptolovaya" stove; capable of r duc n temperatures up
.to 1,14000 C Lee Annex B for ;sketch of this 50X1
nve~
The larger of two-stoves; known as a "kriptolovayat" 50X1
stove; capable of producing temperatures up to 2,000 C.
A small transformer for stove (i).
k. A sifter of US make, and fairly, new.
It had several levels or sieves, With .open ngs
ranging in size riom 65 to a square centimeter to 200 per square
centimeter.. it was used to sift granular metal for
sifting analysis. Samples of granular metal were taken at each
level for some kind of tests.
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Anne1A -tehz I (Cont'd) LEGEND
1. A ball mill for granulating various substances.
m. A crusher (dr.obilka).
n. A roller crusher (rolikovaya drobilka).
o. An oxyacetylene welder and an arc welder.
A compartment kiln (kamernaya peck').
q. A muffle stove (mufel'naya pech').
r. A compartment kiln.
s. Ventilators.
1)4.. A'section of the furnace room where a Chinese made bottles out of
burned-out light bulbs.
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Annex A, Sketch 2.;
sketch of the second floor of
the Metal Testing Workshop
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1. Director's office.
2. Office of the director's secretary.
3. Shower and wash room.
4. Hallway.
5. Carpenter's shop (stolyarnaya).
6. Bookkeeping office.
7. Office of the Chief Engineer and Assistant Director.
8. Library.
9. Workshop for engineer constructor and drafting.
10. Workshop for engineer-constructor and drafting.
Legend to Annex A, Sketch 2, Second Floor, Metal Testing Workshop
ii. Experimental electrolysis laboratory. This laboratory contained
chemical equipment and chemicals, including liquid oxygen.
also had numerous small electrolysis baths which measured approxi-
mately 10 cm. long by 8 cm, wide by 6 cm. deep.
12. This was some kind of testing room. It had an electrical apparatus 50X1
(a) which measured about 2 m. long by li m. wide by 1j m. hi h and
cost 10~000_rubles AMA A? - ",a were
spars an a smal re lame.
14. Electric room with switches. t also contained some kind 50X1
of anodes in small glass containers for use in Room 15.
tested the structure of metals.
13. Electrician's room.
15. Experimental electrolysis laboratory. In addition to assorted chem-
ical equipment, it contained a number of electrolysis baths, measuring
50X1 approximately 70 cm. long by 40 em. wide and 30 cm. deep. There were
ki
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this laboratory conducted tests wit-h
50X1 n c e, copper an platinum.
16. Office of the head of, both experimental electrolysis, laboratories
17. Storage room for the Metal Testing Workshop. Such items as chemicals,
chemical equipment, and protective clothing were stored here.
f the chi e f of the furnace room on the first floor.
f`f'
8 O
ce o
ITif1S vuumma dara,u
tus which was referred to as a magnetic analysis apparatus0).
19. This room contained the following equipment:
a. Metal polishing and buffing machine.
b. A device which as a combination of a photographic and
microscopic apparatus.
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Annex A, Sketch 2 (Cont'd) LEGEND
20. Photography dark room.
21. Dressing room for laboratory workers.
22. Storage room for acids and other chemicals.
23. Analytical laboratory, containing chemical equipment and two small
electric stoves (a and b).
24. Office of the chtef of the analytical laboratory-
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Annex Ba
sketch of the-"kriptolovaya" stove in the
die talTe s ng .arkshop
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Annex C:
sketch of the Reverberatory Stove in
the Metal.Tee ng Workshop
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Annex D:
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tie meta 1 Testing Workshop
ketch of the Are Furnace tound in
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