Min-Kush
Min-Kush, which translates from Kyrgyz as "a thousand birds," is a former mining village located in the Jumgal District of the Naryn Region in Kyrgyzstan. The settlement, formally established in 1955, was originally built around a uranium mine and served as an urban-type settlement from 1953 until 2012. As of 2021, its population was 3,647. Min-Kush is situated in a narrow valley on the right bank of the Min-Kush River, at an elevation of 2,000 meters above sea level, approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Chaek.
During the Soviet era, Min-Kush was a strategic and classified city, where uranium was mined to support the USSR's nuclear program. In its peak years, such as 1959, the population was recorded at 10,907. However, uranium mining ceased in the 1970s, and the town's industrial focus shifted. The factory "Orgtechnika" was repurposed to produce felt-tip pens, operating from 1972 until its closure in 1994.
Today, the legacy of uranium mining remains evident in Min-Kush, as four uranium tailing sites (Taldy-Bulak, Tuyuk-Suu, Kak, and Dalnee) from the Soviet period still require remediation. In addition to ongoing cleanup efforts at these sites, the town's main source of employment is now a series of open-cast coal mines, which sustain the local economy.
Today, the legacy of uranium mining remains evident in Min-Kush, as four uranium tailing sites (Taldy-Bulak, Tuyuk-Suu, Kak, and Dalnee) from the Soviet period still require remediation. In addition to ongoing cleanup efforts at these sites, the town's main source of employment is now a series of open-cast coal mines, which sustain the local economy.