Redki Metali
These are the old headquarters of the Bulgarian Redki Metali, or in Bulgerian редки метали company. They managed the mining of uranium ore throughout Bulgaria from 1945 until 1992. With the closures of the mines, also this imposing office closed its doors.
During the Second World War, German experts found uranium ore near Bukhovo, close to Sofia. After the war, Bulgaria became part of the Soviet Union’s sphere. Around 300 Soviet engineers arrived in the country. Together, they created the Soviet-Bulgarian Mining Company. Mining started in the Bukhovsky and Kurilo mines.
The miners worked in three shifts, day-and-night. They loaded the ore by hand. Covered trucks carried it to the docks. From there, ships transported it to the USSR. Later, after the Ruse bridge was built, trucks also drove the uranium across the border.
Soviet nuclear program
These mines were very important for the Soviet nuclear program. The uranium from Bulgaria was used in the first Soviet nuclear reactor. It was probably also used to build nuclear bombs. The sites were secret and guarded by Soviet troops. Many stories appeared, such as aliens or ancient tombs giving off radiation.
At first, the workers were prisoners from Siberia. Later, local Bulgarians joined. They had no special clothing and no protection against radiation. The miners retired at 50, but many died only a few years later.
In 1956, the company became part of the new association Redki Metals. This group employed about 13,000 people. Mining continued for decades.
Fall of communism
After the fall of communism in 1991, the state company was split into 17 smaller firms. Design, engineering, and science groups tried to survive on their own. Low wages and late payments forced many workers to leave.
In 1992, the Bulgarian government stopped uranium mining. It was no longer profitable. Still, an estimated 47,000 tons of uranium remain underground.
I visited the old headquarters in 2022. The buildings stand empty, silent witnesses of a dangerous past. Walking through the abandoned rooms, you can almost feel the heavy history. These walls once held the secrets of a hidden industry, one that shaped both Bulgaria and the Soviet Union.
