A mine repays a 23.6 billion yuan debt！ The once-restricted area "Koktokay" unveiled
▲ Koktokay boasts spectacular geology and landforms that perfectly highlight human insignificance. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen)
Reporter Huang Qiaowen / Xinjiang Report
Recently, a photo has been circulating on Weibo. It was taken by an ordinary netizen of the Altai Mountains in Xinjiang, using just a mobile phone with no editing. Under the sunlight, the Altai Mountains shimmered golden, prompting even the official Weibo account of the Altay Public Security Bureau to post in admiration, "If you still don’t understand why the Altai Mountains are called the Golden Mountains, come take a look." However, the reason the Altai Mountains are hailed as the "Golden Mountains" also carries significant historical importance.
% In the golden hues of the sunlight, the mountains appear even more majestic. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen)
The Altai Mountains are an important forested area in Xinjiang, with stunning scenery. Famous attractions such as Kanas, Koktokay, and Hemu Village all exist because of them. It is also a natural pasture where the Kazakh people live by following the water and grass, with tens of thousands of cattle, sheep, horses, and camels depending on it for their livelihood. Furthermore, it is an important mining site in mainland China. Over 50 years ago, the mainland relied on it to repay a massive debt of 5.29 billion yuan (approximately 23.6 billion New Taiwan dollars), making it truly deserving of the title "Golden Mountains."
▲ % The mountains are rich in mineral wealth and home to many ethnic groups. The people here depend on the land for survival. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen, provided by Miss JOE)
Speaking of this debt amounting to 5.29 billion yuan, a Uyghur tour guide from Xinjiang explained that until the late 1990s, the Koktokay mining area nestled among the Altai Mountains was still a restricted secret zone in mainland China. "If you looked at the Chinese maps from that time, you definitely wouldn’t find Koktokay," he said. It was always referred to by the code name "Mine 111." These stories all stem from the now-defunct Soviet Union and the "No. 3 Pit."
% The "No. 3 Pit" is mysterious and awe-inspiring. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen)
In the 1930s, a Soviet geologist discovered rare minerals near the Irtysh River in northern Xinjiang. Tracing upstream, he arrived at Koktokay, then sent a geological team into the Altay region and mobilized local herders to collect and purchase the ores. In the 1940s, China and the Soviet Union decided to jointly develop the area and indeed found numerous rare metal gems here.
"There are over 140 known types of useful minerals on Earth, and 86 of them have been mined from Koktokay."The tour guide explained that Koktokay is rich in minerals. Soviet geologists had been mining in northern Xinjiang for over 20 years, with the "No. 3 Pit" being the most representative. "A mountain was mined into a pit 140 meters deep and 250 meters in diameter—its scale is enormous, and it contains a wide variety of minerals."
% Due to these reasons, there are many unique buildings nearby. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen)
However, in the 1960s, relations between China and the Soviet Union broke down. The Soviet side tore up the economic aid agreement with China and abruptly withdrew equipment and experts from the mining area. They also demanded that China repay the total debt of 5.29 billion yuan by 1965. At that time, China was plagued by natural disasters and widespread famine. Although the Soviet Union agreed to accept agricultural products as repayment, they imposed various obstacles on these goods. "Apples and eggs had to be sieved—too small or too large ones were rejected. Pork that was too fatty or too lean was also not accepted."
The tour guide also mentioned that the Japanese proposed during this period to exchange one kilogram of grain for one kilogram of "waste ore," which shows just how valuable the minerals from the Koktokay mining area were. To repay the debt, China did not accept Japan’s offer but instead gritted its teeth and invested in independent development. Existing data confirms thatthe rare minerals from the "No. 3 Pit" accounted for 47% of the Soviet debt,helping China repay the debt ahead of schedule in 1964.
Xinjiang is located in the inland of China, so Koktokay is naturally not a real sea. It only means "green forest" in the Kazakh language. The legends of the Koktokay mining area are no longer a secret today. Although the "No. 3 Pit" was once declared fully developed and depleted of resources in 1999, it remains one of the important scenic spots for tourists visiting Xinjiang. If you go to Koktokay, be sure to visit the "No. 3 Pit" to experience it firsthand.
% The "No. 3 Pit" is China's first geological park themed around mineral resources and mining ruins. (Photo / Reporter Huang Qiaowen)
% The "No. 3 Pit" showcases striking geological features and landscapes. (Photo / Provided by Miss OE)
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