§ Mr. Skeetasked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the major producers of the following metals: copper, tin, chrome, nickel, platinum and iron ore; how much was produced in 1979; what percentage the figure represented of world sales; and whether any trading or cartel arrangements exist for regulating the 438W supply, sale or price of any of the metals listed.
§ Mr. David MitchellEstimated production in 1979 by the major producing countries, and its percentage of the world total, was as follows:
Copper—000 metric tonnes copper content United States 1,456 (18 per cent.) USSR 1,140 (14 per cent.) Chile 1,061 (13 percent.) Canada 644 (8 per cent.) Zambia 588 (7 per cent.) World Total 7,890 Tin—000 metric tonnes tin content Malaysia 62 (25 percent.) USSR 34 (14 per cent.) Bolivia 30 (12 per cent.) Thailand 30 (12 per cent.) Indonesia 24 (10 per cent.) World Total 247 Chromium Ore—000 metric tonnes gross content South Africa 3,433 (35 per cent.) USSR 2,400 (24 per cent.) Albania 1,100 (11 percent.) Turkey 700 (7 per cent.) Zimbabwe 606 (6 per cent.) World Total 990 Nickel—000 metric tonrles nickel content USSR 140 (23 per cent.) Canada 129 (21 percent.) Australia 77 (13 percent.) New Caledonia 69 (11 per cent.) Cuba 36 (6 per cent.) World Total 612 Platinum Group Metals—kg metal content USSR 99,500 (48 per cent.) South Africa 99,500 (48 per cent.) Canada 7,800 (4 per cent.) World Total 209,300 Iron Ore—million metritonnes gross content USSR 244 (28 per cent.) Brazil 87 (10 per cent.) Australia 85 (10 per cent.) United States 85 (10 per cent.) China 70 (8 per cent.) World Total 878 The International Tin Agreement aims to secure the long-term balance of supply and demand of tin at prices remunerative to producers and equitable to consumers, and to prevent excessive fluctuations in price and export earnings.
There are no known trading or cartel arrangements for regulating the supply, sale or price of copper, chromium, nickel, the platinum group of metals and iron ore.