The "Uranium Capital" of Russia celebrated 70th anniversary of the nuclear industry

The opening of a memorial plaque dedicated to the first director of the city’s backbone enterprise Stal Pokrovsky and presentation of the book "Names of the Miner's Glory" took special place among the festive events.

The first director of the plant, who remained at his position for almost thirty years, is a legend for Krasnokamensk, and for the entire nuclear industry. The most beautiful park of the city and Krasnokamensk school No. 7 are named after him. There is a statue of Pokrovsky in the park, and Pokrovsky stele proudly stands in the school yard, and all solemn and important school events starts with laying of flowers to the stele. The "Avenue of Labor Glory", with portraits of the best workers of the city’s backbone enterprise was named after Pokrovsky. His portrait adorns the 15-meter-high wall of Dauria Palace of Culture in Krasnokamensk. Memorial plaque and bust monument are placed at the Directorate of Priargunsky Industrial Mining and Chemical Union (PJSC PIMCU, a part of the control loop of ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. / Atomredmetzoloto JSC). This is not surprising, for the entire history of the "Uranium Capital" of Russia is closely tied to Pokrovsky.

Now, the city has immortalized another place associated with the first director. At the initiative of the trade union organization of PIMCU’s Directorate a memorial plaque has been mounted on the Building 103, where Pokrovsky lived in the fifth section.

Veterans of the plant, deputies, and heads of enterprises of the city who knew Pokrovsky personally and worked under his guidance shared their memories with those who came to the opening of the memorial plaque. All the speakers talked about the fact that Pokrovsky was an outstanding scholar and practitioner, excellent production worker, leader, a person of an extraordinary scale, a man of honor and duty.

"Not everyone has a privilege of working with such people. It is a big responsibility and, of course, it’s a great luck. His truly visionary gift allowed to implement many major projects. He has created a rigorous process chain of our plant, which led to successful performance of the tasks assigned to our team"- said Director General of PIMCU Sergei Shurigin at the ceremony.

Indeed, this amazing man had a special destiny. At 35 Pokrovsky became the director of Southeast Mining and Chemical Combine. At 38 he supervised the construction of a modern uranium mining enterprise in Northern Kazakhstan. At 42 he became the director of Priargunsky Mining and Chemical Combine. Pokrovsky dedicated 49 years of his life to the nuclear industry, and justly became one of the major stars of it.

Fresh flowers laid at the memorial plaque were a symbol of respect and admiration for the merits of the first director of the plant.

Immediately after the opening of the memorial plaque, the book "Names of the Miner's Glory" published by PIMCU was presented at Dauria Palace of Culture. The book features stories about plant employees having the title of Full Cavalier of the "Miner's Glory" Badge. The main guests of the ceremony were not members of the editorial staff, but the cavaliers of the main award of the mining industry themselves.

"337 workers of PIMCU have became Full Cavaliers of the "Miner's Glory" Badge during the entire history of the enterprise. The book includes articles and essays about 160 of them. So the work on the second volume is yet to be done,"- said the book’s editor Oleg Kremnev.

"Names of the Miner's Glory" was the fifth publication of PIMCU. Earlier publications include "Uranium of Krasnokamensk" (2008), books dedicated to the 35th anniversary and the 45th anniversary of PIMCU, and "Priargunsk Veterans" (2010).

A musical band of the Border Control Service of Priargunsk named "Poisk" performed at the festive concert dedicated to the Day of the Nuclear Industry Workers at Dauria Palace of Culture. PIMCU workers were congratulated by the First Deputy Director General, Executive Director of ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. Victor Svyatetsky, Director General of PIMCU Sergei Shurigin, head of Krasnokamensk Yuri Didenko, deputies of the regional Legislative Assembly Ivan Kiselev and Igor Mudrak, and other officials.

During the holidays, the best workers of PIMCU were awarded with well-deserved honors - the commemorative medals "70 Years of the Nuclear Industry", Distinguished Labor Badges "Veteran of Atomic Energy and Industry", Diplomas of Rosatom, Letters of Gratitude from ARMZ, Diplomas from the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly and Letters of Gratitude from the Governor of Zabaykalsky Krai.