BALQASH

formerly Balkhash, city, east-central Kazakstan. The city is a landing on the northern shore of Lake Balqash. A major centre of nonferrous (copper, predominantly, and molybdenum) metallurgy, it came into being in 1937 in connection with the construction of large copper-smelting works for the Kounrad mines to the north. Fish canning declined as pollution and increasing salinity in the lake reduced the catch. There is a botanical garden of the Kazak Academy of Sciences. Pop. (1991 est.) 87,600.