Two settlements grew up beside the Combine's plants in the 1960s. Many families have worked for the Combine for three generations.
| Settlement | Inhabitants | Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Rudnik (Sary-Bulak) | about 5,000 | School, polyclinic, house of culture, Syro-Iradi parish church (1995), Russian Orthodox chapel |
| Chatkal works settlement | about 6,000 | Company housing, schools, polyclinic, technical lyceum |
Technical lyceum
The technical lyceum at Chatkal trains metallurgical technicians. Many of its graduates join the Combine.
Transport
Workers from the villages of the Talas valley travel to Sary-Bulak by company bus.
District programme
On 30-10-2026 the Sary-Bulak District administration set out its programme for roads, schools and clinics. The Combine supports the programme and will set out its contribution in a signed agreement with the district, which will be published here.
Sport and culture
The Combine backs the football club Surma Chatkal, the Sary-Bulak ulak team and the houses of culture of its settlements. See Sponsorship.
Raising a concern
Residents can raise a concern about dust, water, roads or land through the Grievance procedure.
Royalties
Under formulas adopted by the Territorial Legislature in the 1990s, antimony revenue is divided between infrastructure in Talas and rural schools. See Royalties and taxes paid.