Copper and Cobalt (Imports)

HC Deb 09 June 1978 vol 951 cc291-2W

Mr. Blaker

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentages of Great Britain's requirements of copper and cobalt, respectively, have been imported from Zaire for each of the last three years for which figures are available.

Mr. Meacher

Following are the tonnages of United Kingdom imports of copper consigned from Zaire, together with the percentages which these represent of our total imports of the metal in this form:

REFINED COPPER, UNWROUGHT (SITC(R) 682.12)
	1975	1977
Metric tonnes	5,900	2,600
Percentage of total imports	1.6	0.7

There were no imports of copper from Zaire in 1976 or of cobalt in any of the three years in question. These figures do not take account of imports of copper and cobalt mined in Zaire but consigned from other countries, whether or not following further processing. Of total United Kingdom imports of cobalt metal in 1977–2,117 tonnes—42 per cent.—891 tonnes—was consigned from Belgium-Luxembourg.