Former Site Cluster of the 712 Uranium Mine

Former Site Cluster of the 712 Uranium Mine

The former site cluster of the 712 Uranium Mine is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Hunan Province.

Former Site Cluster of the 712 Uranium Mine

The Original Source of China’s First Uranium Ore – The former site cluster of the 712 Uranium Mine is located in Damingshan Village, Dapu Town, Hengdong County, Hengyang City, Hunan Province. In August 1955, the Fourth Aerial Survey Team of the Central-South 309 Geological Brigade discovered the Dapu uranium deposit. On May 31, 1958, Comrade Deng Xiaoping, then General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, approved the creation of the Dapu Uranium Mine in accordance with the unified deployment of the Central Committee. This also marked one of the 156 industrial construction projects aided by the Soviet Union during China’s First Five-Year Plan. The mine was externally referred to as Hunan Fifth Mine and was renamed the 712 Mine in 1964. In the same year, it provided high-quality nuclear materials for the successful development of China’s first atomic bomb, “596.” In 1985, the state decided to halt uranium mining in order to preserve limited nuclear energy resources. By that time, the mine had produced a total of 1,759 tons of metallic uranium, laying a solid foundation for China’s nuclear industry. In 2013, the People’s Government of Hengdong County designated it as a county-level cultural heritage site.

Currently, the headquarters area of the 712 Mine still retains a layout spanning 1,200 meters from north to south and 420 meters from east to west, with over 200 buildings in a Soviet-style architectural design, covering a total floor area of approximately 70,000 square meters. These buildings are neatly arranged, uniformly oriented, and mostly rectangular in plan, with each occupying about 300 square meters. They were constructed using brick-wood or brick-concrete structures. Building types include the mine administration building, workers’ club, school for employees’ children, shops, workers’ residential area, and some production facilities.

Dapu Town: Dapu Town is located in the southern part of Hengdong County, 21 kilometers from Hengyang City and 23 kilometers from Hengdong County seat. It borders Hengnan County, Hengshan County, and Hengyang County. Historically, Dapu has been the political center of southwestern Hengdong. During the Ming Dynasty, the grassroots government office of Taiping Li in Yicheng Township was established here; in the Qing Dynasty, similar offices were also located in Dapu; and during the Republican era, the Bao Li Township government was based in Dapu Street. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the People’s Government of the Fifth District of Hengshan County (later renamed the Sixth District), as well as the Dapu District Office, Dapu Town People’s Commune, and Dapu Township People’s Commune after the establishment of Hengdong County in 1966, were all situated here. In 1987, Dapu... More detailed information about Dapu Town++

Further Reading:

· Tenth Batch of Hunan Provincial Cultural Heritage Sites