TEMIRTAU, KAZAKHSTAN
Temirtau’s Industrial Legacy Forged in Iron and Ash
Central Asia is often recognized for its historical significance along the Silk Road, but for those interested in a more contemporary Soviet industrial legacy, dark tourist destinations like Temirtau offer a fascinating and stark experience.
My day trip to Temirtau started after I arrived at Karaganda station at 5 a.m., having spent a sleepless night on the train from Almaty. Instead of waiting for my hotel check-in, I decided to take advantage of the morning and head to Temirtau, a town about 40 minutes away. Luckily, Karaganda’s bus network connects to Temirtau, and I was able to use my stored-value ONAY card from Almaty. At around 20 US cents, the fare is one of the cheapest rides you can find.
I travelled to the north and east of Kazakhstan to get a flavour of what life might have been like in Soviet era. These regions, where Russian is more commonly spoken than Kazakh, were once industrial powerhouses of the Soviet economy. Temirtau, in particular, had a reputation as the quintessential “rust belt” town—a term familiar from the United States, as an area where presidential elections are won and lost.
After dropping my bag off at the left luggage counter at Karaganda station, I made my way to the nearby bus station—or, more accurately, a modest shack—and eventually boarded the bus to Temirtau.
Temirtau: Built on Steel, Choked by Smoke
Temirtau, which means “Iron Mountain” in Kazakh, is aptly named for a town deeply connected to steel and industry. Established in 1905, its importance surged due to its location in the resource-rich Karaganda region. It became a key centre for steel production, with the Karaganda Metallurgical Plant’s construction starting during World War II. The workforce included forced labourers from the nearby Karlag camp, highlighting some of the more troubling aspects of its past.
The plant’s first blast furnace began producing pig iron in 1960, a significant milestone in the town’s industrial journey. Following the Soviet Union’s collapse, the plant was privatized in 1995 and later acquired by Mittal Steel in 2004, which is now known as ArcelorMittal, the second-largest steel producer globally. Renamed ArcelorMittal Temirtau, the facility expanded to include eight coal mines, solidifying its status as a vital part of Kazakhstan’s heavy industry.
However, Temirtau’s industrial legacy is not without its controversies. In 1959, violent riots broke out, and in 1992, the plant’s general director was assassinated on-site. Concerns about worker safety and environmental issues have continued, with one of the most notorious events occurring in January 2018, when “black snow” covered the town, serving as a stark reminder of pollution levels. In response to ongoing issues, the plant’s assets in Kazakhstan were sold to the Qazaqstan Investment Corporation, with a total investment of around one billion USD.
Pollution and Pride in the Metal City
I spent a few hours walking around Temirtau in the soaring heat, an effort that later took its toll during my stay in Karaganda. What made it worse was the acrid smell, almost certainly pollution wafting from the steelworks. Thick layers of smoke visible in the distance confirmed this impression.
The town, with a population of 177,000 according to 2023 statistics, accounts for around 0.9% of Kazakhstan’s population. However, according to the government’s own data, Temirtau emitted 223,000 tons of pollutants from static sources in 2023—an astonishing 10% of the country’s total.
The city itself has a decayed feel, with many signs of neglect. While I felt safe during the day, I wouldn’t have been eager to linger after dark. Scattered throughout the town are statues commemorating steelworkers, emblematic of the pride in Temirtau’s industrial past. Like many former Soviet industrial centres, the town exudes a bittersweet mix of reverence for its history and uncertainty about its future.
The Steelworks Towering Over Temirtau’s Horizons
Wide roads crisscross the city, flanked by dilapidated apartment blocks that offer little sense of community. Surprisingly, I stumbled upon a large, serene reservoir teeming with wildlife—a rare bright spot in an otherwise harsh landscape. Yet even here, the looming presence of the steelworks was impossible to ignore, a constant reminder of the town’s defining feature.
Few cities are as dominated by a single entity as Temirtau is by its steelworks. The smell assaults you upon arrival, and the skyline—tinged with yellow and brown—reflects the plant’s presence. Approaching the steelworks, I couldn’t shake the feeling of drawing closer to Mordor, the dark, fiery domain of Sauron from The Lord of the Rings.
Yet, for all its pollution, the steel plant is the lifeblood of Temirtau. It is difficult to imagine the city surviving as a viable population centre without its existence. Temirtau’s identity, its economy, and its very reason for being are inextricably tied to the steelmaking giant.
Temirtau Searching for a Second Act
Temirtau also holds a notable place in Kazakhstan’s history as the starting point of Nursultan Nazarbayev’s career. The country’s first president worked at the steelworks in 1958, and in 1962, the plant’s Komsomol organization elected him as a delegate to the 10th Congress of the Komsomol of Kazakhstan—a pivotal first step in his long political journey. Today, references to his time in the city remain, including a sparse and somewhat uninspiring museum. However, since Nazarbayev stepped down in 2019, Kazakhstan has been increasingly focused on moving forward and shaping a post-Nazarbayev era.
One recent positive development for Temirtau is the planned introduction of a tram system, part of the agreement linked to the steelworks buyout. Although the system was not operational during my visit in August 2024, it is expected to begin running in 2025. This promises to be a significant improvement over the city’s poorly maintained buses, which currently dominate its streets.
Whether these efforts can arrest the slow decay that seems to envelop Temirtau remains uncertain. The city’s economy is a classic “one-trick pony,” heavily reliant on the steelworks and vulnerable to the shifting tides of global markets and trade disputes. While some former industrial powerhouses have successfully reinvented themselves, Temirtau’s survival still hinges on the aging steel plant. For the city to not just survive but thrive, it will need to find another way forward—a new “trick” to secure its future.
