SULPHUR AND PYRITES 679

Italian Parliament a new bill, dated November 23, 1932, which provided:
 1. Disciplinary action through the formation of a special national sulphur
consortium.
 2. Prohibition of grinding raw sulphur ore with certain allowances for concerns
already grinding raw sulphur ore.
 The production of sulphur in Sicily during the fiscal year ended July 31,
1932 was 257,509 long tons, an increase of 12,155 tons over the preceding
fiscal year. Of the total production 38,422 tons were superior yellow, 110,626
tons inferior yellow, 81,392 tons good thirds, 25,670 common thirds, and
1,399 tons dark common thirds. Improve-. ments in melting methods are increasing
production of the better grades of yellow. Exports of sulphur from Sicily
during the fiscal year totaled 183,576 tons, of which 33,302 tons were refined
sulphur, compared with 195,407 tons of which 50,138 were refined sulphur,
during the preceding fiscal year.

JAPAN

 Preliminary figures indicate a production of 75,868 long tons of sulphur
in Japan during 1932 compared with 59,469 tons in 1931. Most of the Japanese
sulphur comes from the Island of Hokkaido.
 Exports of sulphur from Japan were 25,589 tons in 1932, or nearly double
the 13,966 tons exported in 1931. Exports in 1932 went principally to New
Zealand, China, and Hong Kong.

SPAIN

 Spain's output of sulphur, which was estimated at 10,000 long tons in19~32,
does not fill its owm requirements. The bulk of the sulphur mined iii Spain
comes from T~ruel;~ Murcia, and klbacete~ —Smaller quantities of sulphur
come from the mines in Almeria where the Tigon Mining & Finance Corporation,
Ltd., is operating.

CHILE

 Figures for the 1932 production of sulphur in Chile are not available, but
it is estimated that the output was 9,000 long tons compared with 5,018 tons
in 1931. The closing of the nitrate plants and the disturbed domestic agricultural
conditions were responsible for curtailment of consumption in the domestic
market, previously the principal outlet. The difficulties facing the sulphur
producers and the limited extent of the domestic sulphur market prompted
the passing of a new law (no. 5108), effective April 20, 1932, which authorizes
the payment of 100 pesos per metric ton of refined sulphur and 30 pesos per
ton of sulphur ore exported. Previously the Government had helped the industry
by loans through the Mining Credit Bureau. Exchange conditions favored the
entrance of sulphur into the world markets, as sulphur may now be mined and
refined at a much lower price than was possible when exchange was relatively
stable. Exports of sulphur from Chile were 9,407 metric tons in 1932 compared
with 4,091 tons in 1931. About half the exports went to Latin America, while
the other half went to Europe.