Mayluu-Suu

Mayluu-Suu (Kyrgyz: Майлуу-Суу, Russian: Майли-Сай Mayli-Say)[1] is a mining town in the Jalal-Abad Region of southern Kyrgyzstan. It is a city of regional significance, not part of a district.[2] Its area is 120 square kilometres (46 sq mi),[3] and its resident population was 25,892 in 2021.[4] It has been economically depressed since the fall of the Soviet Union. From 1946 to 1968 the Zapadnyi Mining and Chemical Combine in Mayluu-Suu mined and processed more than 10,000 short tons (9,100 t) of uranium ore for the Soviet nuclear program.[5] Uranium mining and processing is no longer economical, leaving much of the local population of about 20,000 without meaningful work.[6] The town was classified as one of the Soviet government's secret cities, officially known only as "Mailbox 200".[7] Mayluu-Suu consists of the town proper, the urban-type settlement Kök-Tash and the villages Sary-Bee, Kögoy and Kara-Jygach.[2]

Mayluu-Suu
Майлуу-Суу
Official seal of Mayluu-Suu
Seal
Mayluu-Suu is located in Kyrgyzstan
Mayluu-Suu
Mayluu-Suu
Location in Kyrgyzstan
Coordinates: 41°14′45″N 72°26′53″E
Country Kyrgyzstan
RegionJalal-Abad Region
City Status1946
Area
 • Total120 km2 (50 sq mi)
Elevation
1,300 m (4,300 ft)
Population
 (2021)
 • Total25,892
 • Density220/km2 (560/sq mi)
Postal code
721100
Area code(+996) 3744

Population
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
197022,963—    
197927,424+1.99%
198932,422+1.69%
199923,008−3.37%
200922,853−0.07%
202125,892+1.05%
Note: resident population; Sources:[3][4]

Uranium mills
Main article: 1958 Mailuu-Suu tailings dam failure

The USSR left 23 unstable uranium tailings pits on the tectonically unstable hillside above the town.[8] A breached tailings dam in April 1958 released 600,000 cubic metres (21,000,000 cu ft) of radioactive tailings into the river Mayluu-Suu.[9] In 1994, a landslide blocked the river, which flowed over its banks and flooded another waste reservoir. A flood caused by a mudslide nearly submerged a tailings pit in 2002.[10] Mayluu-Suu was found to be one of the 10 most polluted sites in the world in a study published in 2006 by the Blacksmith Institute.[11]

The World Bank approved a US$5 million grant to reclaim the tailings pits in 2004,[10] and approved an additional $1 million grant for the project in 2011.[12] However, grave threats still persist.[13]

References
  1. Майли-Сай in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 1969–1978 (in Russian)
  2. "Classification system of territorial units of the Kyrgyz Republic" (in Kyrgyz). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. May 2021. p. 32.
  3. "2009 population and housing census of the Kyrgyz Republic: Jalal-Abad Region" (PDF) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2010. pp. 13, 17.
  4. "Population of regions, districts, towns, urban-type settlements, rural communities and villages of Kyrgyz Republic" (XLS) (in Russian). National Statistics Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic. 2021. Archived from the original on 10 November 2021.
  5. Djenchuraev, N. Current environmental issues associated with mining wastes in Kyrgyzstan. Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy of Central European University, Budapest, 1999.
  6. Trilling, David (May 26, 2009), "Kyrgyzstan: Radioactive Legacy Vexes Bishkek", EurasiaNet, archived from the original on February 3, 2013, retrieved December 12, 2012
  7. Afifi, Tamer; Jäger, editors, Jill (5 August 2010). Environment, Forced Migration and Social Vulnerability. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 241. ISBN 9783642124167. Retrieved 30 December 2017. {{cite book}}: |last2= has generic name (help)
  8. "Uranium in OshKyrgyzstan | Mailuu-Suu Legacy Uranium Dumps". Blacksmithinstitute.org. Archived from the original on 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  9. Birsen, N.; Kadyrzhanov, Kairat K. (6 December 2012). Environmental Protection Against Radioactive Pollution: Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Environmental Protection Against Radioactive Pollution Almati, Kazakhstan 16–19 September 2002. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 59. ISBN 9789400709751. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
  10. Sarah MacGregor (2004-02-04). "Finding a solution for uranium waste in Kyrgyzstan - OSCE Centre in Bishkek". Osce.org. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  11. "Missing Controller". Blacksmith Institute. Archived from the original on 2007-02-03. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  12. "News & Broadcast - 28, 000 Inhabitants of Mailuu-Suu Valey [sic] in the Kyrgyz Republic to Benefit from Improved and Safer Access on the Road to Villages". Web.worldbank.org. 2011-06-09. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  13. "Uranium in Central Asia: Poisoned legacy". The Economist. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
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