§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the major producing countries of the following metals: tantalum, tungsten, niobium and vanadium, production of each metal by each of the countries in 1979 and the percentage the total figure represented of world sales.
127W
§ Mr. MacGregorThe output of tantalum, tungsten, niobium and vanadium in 1979 by the major producing countries and the percentage this represented of total world production is as follows:
Country Tonnes % of World Total Tantalum (Gross weight) Thailand 410 37% Malaysia 200 18% USSR 140 13% Canada 130 12% Total 880 80% Tungsten (Metal content) China 11,500 26% USSR 8,700 19% Australia 3,140 7% USA 2,994 7% Total 26,334 59% Niobium (Gross weight) Brazil 22,100 78% Canada 5,130 18% Total 27,230 96% Vanadium (Metal content) South Africa 13,748 42% USSR 9,000 27% USA 5,717 17% Finland 2,650 8% Total 31,115 94% Source: Institute of Geological Sciences