22  MINERALS iN THE WORLD ECONOMY—1989metals, both countries logged
production gains in copper at both the mine and refinery stages, but in Canada,
mine output growth far outstripped that of refmed copper, whereas in Australia,
they were much nearer balanced. In the case of aluminum ofcourse, the two
countries are radically different; Australia's production is based on its
resources of both bauxite 
~ andthe energyto process it, while Canada 
~ traditionally has used low cost indigen- 
~ ously derived energy to process imported 
~ bauxite and aluEnina. Nonetheless, it is 
~ still rather anomalous that Australia ap 
~ parently achieved an increase of almost 
~ 9% in aluminum production(with a 5.5% 
~ growth in bauxite output), in contrast to 
~ Canada's meager 0.8% growth in alumi 
~ num. 
~ In the case ofthe oft-associated nonferrow inetals,lead, zinc, and silver,
Austral 
~ ian output at the mine and metal stages 
~ grew signfficantiy, whereas in Canada, 
~ only silver output showed an upturn, pre 
~ sumably because of growth in its bypro 
~ duct output with copper. Australian gold production grew by almost 20%
in contrast to a 3% growth in Canada, and Australia mine nickel advanced
3% in cornparison to the near 6% drop in Canada, but Australia did log a
substantial downturn innickelplant production, a shortfall more substantial
than that in Canada. 
 For the so-called "industrial" or nonmetallic mineral commodities,
there
are nottoo manyproducts for which cornparisonscan be made. Bothcountries
showed significant downturns in cement output, whereas in the case of salt,
which both countries produce in world class amounts, preliminary Canadian
data show an increase in output and Australia output was estimated at an
increased level. For other key materials in this group, Canada's resource
strengths in such items as sulfur and potash do not match with Australia's
preeminence in diamond. 
 
 China.—The legacy of the 1988 events in Tiananmen Square remained
through 1990 and into 1991 asadeterrenttocloser linkages between China and
other countries. Nonetheless, Chin&s mineral industry seemed to be
making
steady if slow progress in its production efforts in 1990. Gains of 8% and
0.6% in pig iron and crude steel output, respectively, were evidenced at
midyear 1990; and cernent production was over 7% ahead of 1989 levels. Gains
of 1.2% in coal output and 0.6% in natural gas production that were estimat

ed on the basis ofresults tbroughthe early fall months apparentlywouldbe
adequate to maintain overall energy output levels, evenintheface ofa0.3%drop
expected in 
~ crude oil output. To whatextentthe slow- 
~ ing in growth could be attributed to less 
~ than satisfactory international relations 
~ stemming from the suppression of dissent 
~ was aquestionwithout an answer. Forthe 
~ near future, it was evident that major ef 
~ forts were being made to restore losses in 
~ confidence onthepart of market economy 
~ countries and that the development rate 
~ would be increased if international link- 
~ ages were increased. It seemed noteworthy 
~ that published statistical reporting of 
~ mineral industry activity in China has substantially increased in recent
years, obviatingthe necessity of elaborately contrivingestimatesfromtechnicaltidbits
and propagandistic statements. This has been interpreted as amove toencourage
market economy interest. 
 
 Jtq,an.—Available statistics on Japan, long noted for its promptness
and precision in reporting, suggest that mineral industry activities were
generally following apattem ofrnodest gains inthe time since the end ofl989.
The all-important output ofsteeladvanced about2.2% in 1990. The island nation's
inconsequential primary aluminum output again declined marginally, but secondary
production advanced 6%to morethan 1.4 milliontons. Refmed copper output advanced
almost 2%, refmed lead output edged down about 1%, nickel plant output was
lower by 4%, but slab zinc output increased about 3.4%. This latter growth
was increasingly dependent on imported raw materials. Zinc is the single
traditional nonferrous base metal for which Japan's indigenous mming industry
has regularly supplied a significant share of the raw material base. 
Japanese mine zinc output, however, drop~ again in 1990, this time by 3.4%,
to alevelofonly l27,000tons, only 18.5% ofthe supplyrequired for slab zinc
output. 
 Continued rationalization of the coal industryled to a 19%drop in output;
1990 was the first year in recent times in which output was less than 10
million tons. A slight gain in natural gas production and a slight drop in
crude oil output were registered against such trivial output levels as to
have virtually no effect on the huge demand for imported energy. This latter
demand level was a source for considerable global criticism of Japan's neutralist
policy regarding the Iraqi seizure of Ku- 
wait. Widely expressed were views that Japanese policy was not so much a
moral stand against war as it was afear of supply loss. 
 Japan's cement industry reflected a continuingbuilding boom, with output
in 
1990 advancing 5%. 
 
 Other Asia and Pac~w Islands.— Among the Asian countries, a number
seemed to be enjoying more salubrious economic conditions forpiineral industry
operations in 1990 thaii were those in other areas of the world. 
 The rising processing centers of the Republic of Korea and Taiwan registered

impressive gains in steel and cement. The former also recorded increases
in its refmed copper output and its nickel plant, opened in 1989, increased
output. 
 Indonesia, long noted for crude oil and tin production, raised oil output
substantially from August onward in response to restrictions on deliveries
toward markets 
from Iraq and Kuwait. It also edged tin 
refmeiy output upward in contrast to a modestdecline inmine output. As a
result, thecountlywas smeltingvfttually its entire 
mine output, thereby ma.!imiiing foreign exchange earnings for this commodity.
Moreover, Indonesia turned its mine copper outputupward by morethan 10%,
but its mine nickel output declined by about 10%. The country's small steel
in- 
dustry logged an impressive production 
increase of more than 40% in 1990. 
 The region's premier tin producer, Malaysia, advanced refined tin output
by almost 4%, while reducing mine output 
almost 1 1%, requiring increased imports 
of tin in concentrates. Nearby Thailand also raised smeltertin output slightly
while reducing mine output in 1990, placing the countryin aposition ofbeing
anet importer of tin in concentrate. Thailand, with relative economic stability
and an optimistic outlook, was gradually gaining significance as a processing
center, and the country's very modest steel industry was approaching an annual
outputcapacity of 1 million tons. 
 In the Philippines, there were continuingproblems ofcivil unrest that may
have been reflected in declines in copper industryperformance—somewhatlessthan6%
for mine production and 4% for refmed output, although the island republic's
nickel mine output scored a modest increase. 
 The region's remaining resource giant, India, increased iron ore output
by 17% if