HC Deb 24 April 1978 vol 948 cc410-3W
30. Mr. Wall

asked the Secretary of State for Trade which countries are Great Britain's three major suppliers of each of the following minerals: platinum, chrome, manganese, gold, vanadium, fluorspar, asbestos, titanium, industrial diamonds, and uranium; and what is the approximate annual cost of these imports.

Mr. Meacher

The information is as follows:

MINERAL/METAL UNWROUGHT OR WROUGHT AND ARTICLES THEREOF
Country of Consignment Value(£'000 cif)
Chromium World 408
Japan 175
USA 100
Sweden 72
Manganese World 2,608
South Africa 1,371
USA 489
France 142
Titanium World 8,545
USA 4,493
Japan 652
France 575
Vanadium World 187
Belgium-Luxembourg 92
Federal Republic of Germany 53
USA 38
Platinum World 28,800(d)(j)
South Africa 10,853
USA 4,552
Belgium-Luxembourg 2,193
Uranium World 6,192
(e)
Industrial Diamonds World 67,478
(e)
Asbestos World 32,174(h)
Canada 20,884
Swaziland 5,378
South Africa 3,832
Gold World 57,077(i)(j)
(e)
Fluorspar World 286(k)
Spain 246
South Africa 35
France 4
ORES AND CONCENTRATES
Chromium World 10,007
South Africa 5,343
Philippines 3,176
Mozambique 450
Manganese World 16,630
South Africa 9,056
Ghana 2,933
Gabon 1,384
Titanium World 17,070
Australia 13,456
Norway 1,523
Taiwan 1,141
Vanadium (c)
Platinum (c)
Uranium (f)
Industrial Diamonds N.A.
Asbestos N.A.
Gold World 60
Italy 60
Fluorspar N.A.
FERRO-ALLOYS
Chromium (a)
Manganese World 21,233
(b)
Titanium World 172
USSR 117
Italy 16
USA 11

Country of Consignment Value(£'000 cif)
Vanadium World 1,916
Austria 1,305
Norway 207
Sweden 203
Platinum N.A.
Uranium (c)
Industrial Diamonds N.A.
Asbestos N.A.
Gold N.A.
Fluorspar N.A.
OXIDES, HYDROXIDES, SALTS, ASH AND RESIDUES, ETC.
Chromium World 640
Federal Republic of Germany 467
USSR 121
USA 29
Manganese World 2,553
Irish Republic 951
Greece 844
Japan 395
Titanium World 2,152
Federal Republic of Germany 674
Italy 669
Czechoslovakia 215
Vanadium World 2,376
Finland 1,447
Federal Republic of Germany 446
South Africa 400
Platinum (c)
Uranium World 107,872(g)
France 82,406
USA 25,027
Federal Republic of Germany 432
Industrial Diamonds N.A.
Asbestos N.A.
Gold (c)
Fluorspar N.A.
Notes:
(a) The value of imports in total and by individual countries are not available for publication. In 1977, 77,213 tonnes of ferro-chromium alloys were imported into the United Kingdom of which 31,303, 23,730 and 5,971 tonnes were consigned from South Africa, Sweden, and Norway respectively.
(b) Details for the major suppliers are not available for publication.
(c) Imports of the metal in this form are not separately distinguished in the Overseas Trade Statistics.
(d) Includes waste (including ash) and sweepings of other platinum group metals.
(e) Details by individual country are not available for publication.
(f) Details [in total and by individual country] are not available for publication.
(g) Partial coverage only (compounds of uranium depleted in U-235 are not separately distinguished).
(h) Excludes manufactured articles of asbestos.
(i) Includes gold coin and platinum plated gold.
(j) Excludes jewellery and other articles made from gold or platinum.
(k) Excludes fluorspar containing not more than 97 per cent. Ca F2 (calcium fluoride) which are not separately distinguished.
N.A.=Not applicable.

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