HC Deb 15 June 1981 vol 6 cc252-3W
Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the Group 77 nations which (a) produce cobalt, (b) have reserves of cobalt mineable profitably at $20 IB, (c) have reserves of cobalt capable of being exploited profitably at $10 IB and (d) have reserves of low-grade ore which may ultimately be exploited.

Mr. MacGregor

(a) G77 nations which are mine producers of cobalt ore: Botswana, Cuba, Morocco, Philippines, Zaire, Zambia; (b) G77 nations with reserves of cobalt considered to be economic to exploit at $20 per 16—that is, approximately current prices: The countries listed above, and Brazil, Guatemala, Indonesia, Uganda, Zimbabwe; (c) This information is not available; (d) Reserves of low-grade ores are not recorded consistently. In any case it would not be possible to predict which reserves might ultimately be exploited.

Mr. Skeet

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list, for nickel, manganese and copper, the Group 77 nations which (a) produce the metal, (b) have reserves of ores capable of being exploited profitably at current prices and (c) have reserves of low grade ores which will not be exploitable until the world price of the metal rises substantially above current rates.

Mr. MacGregor

(a) G77 mine producers: Nickel Botswana, Brazil, Burma, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Indonesia, Philippines, Yugoslavia, Zimbabwe. Manganese Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, Gabon, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Peru, Philippines, Romania, South Korea, Sudan, Thailand, Vanuata, Zaire. Copper Bolivia, Botswana, Burma, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, Cyprus, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, N. Korea, Papua NG, Peru, Philippines, Romania, S. Korea, Uganda, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, Zimbabwe. (b) G77 countries with ore reserves considered to be economic to exploit at current prices: The countries listed above and: Nickel—Columbia, India Manganese—None Copper—Algeria, Honduras, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan. (c) Reserves of low-grade ores are not consistently recorded.

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