Aydarken

Aydarken (Kyrgyz: Айдаркен, romanized: Aydarken; Russian: Хайдаркен, romanized: Khaydarken^[2] or more recently Айдаркен) is a city^[3] in Batken Region of Kyrgyzstan. It is part of the Kadamjay District.^[4] The population of Aydarken amounted to 12,031 in 2021.^[1] Aydarken is situated at about 2,000 m elevation, on the northern slopes of the Alay Range.^[2]

Aydarken Kyrgyz: Айдаркең
Flag Coat of arms
Aydarken
Coordinates: 39°56′24″N 71°19′48″E
Country	Kyrgyzstan
Region	Batken
District	Kadamjay
Founded	1941
Elevation	2,000 m (7,000 ft)
Population  (2021)[1]
• Total	12,031

Population

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1970	10,385	—
1979	11,002	+0.64%
1989	11,115	+0.10%
1999	9,148	−1.93%
2009	10,331	+1.22%
2021	12,031	+1.28%
Note: resident population; Sources:[5][1]

Aydarken Mercury Plant (KMP)

The Aydarken Mercury Plant (KMP) was the third largest producer of primary mercury in 2005. The ore reserves (which also contain antimony) exploited are located in or near Aydarken.^[6] The Minamata Convention on Mercury includes provisions which will eliminate primary mercury mining.^[7]

Gallery

Unusual minerals of Aydarken

• 
  Blue fur-like mass of acicular crystals of the Copper-Aluminium mineral Khaidarkanite (Cyanotrichite group), named for type locality Khaidarkan (a.k.a. Aydarken)^[8]
• 
  Getchellite: double sulphide of Arsenic and Antimony: mass of scarlet crystalline material of resinous lustre on grey matrix
• 
  Wakabayashilite: Arsenosulphide of Arsenic and Antimony: expanse of radiating, acicular, golden crystals
• 
  Chursinite: an extremely rare arsenate of mercury: yellow microcrystals on matrix
• 
  Kuznetsovite: another rare arsenate of mercury: expanse of beige crystals
• 
  Calcite cave formation: corallite forms ("spheroidalites", - dissymmetrical spherulites)