312 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1985 
 
Table 9.—U.S. imports for consumption of tantalum mineral concentrates,
by country 
(Thousand pounds and thousand dollars) 
 
Country 
 
1984 
 
Value 
1985 
 
Value 
 
Australia                                                   
Belgium-Luxembourg1                                         
Brazil                                                     
Canada                                                    
371 
21 
351 
4,799 
81 
3,895 
~ 
150 
~ 
231 
233 
2,032 
~ 
2,262 
2,553 
China                                                     
22 
203 
 
 
FrenchGuiana'                                              
German1y,FederalRepublicof'                                    
Guyana                                                    
Malaysia                                                   
Mozambique                                                
Netherlands1                                                
3 
205 
1 
341 
16 
105 
36 
2,291 
14 
1,354 
152 
701 
5 
 
~ 
~ 
 
~ 
70 
~ 
 
~ 
~ 
~ 
~ 
Portugal                                                   
Rwanda                                                    
11 
37 
90 
753 
 
 
Singapore'                                                  
South Mrica, Republic of                                       
Spain                                                     
Taiwan'                                                   
10 
7 
71 
8 
122 
32 
672 
93 
 
 
Thailand                                                   
Venezuela'                                                 
609 
~ 
3,688 
~ 
60 
1 
502 
20 
Zaire                                                      
 
Total'                                                   
11 
79 
57 
748 
 
2,199 
19,054 
737 
8,187 
' Presumably country of transshipment rather than original source. ' Data
may not add to totals shown because of independent rounding. 
WORLD REVIEW 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sources: Bureau of the Census and Bureau of Mines. 
 
 
 
 
 
 World production data on columbium and tantalum minerals exclude columbium
or tantalum recovered from contemporary and old tin slagsand from struverite.
Tantalum contained in tin slags produced in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, and 1985
was, in thousand pounds, 1,006, 991, 1,049, 828, and 877, respectively, according
to data from the Tantalum International Study Center. 
 Regarding the shipments of old tin slags, data continued t~o be available
only from Thailand. shipments of old tin slags from Thailand in 1985 declined
significantly to 22 short tons from 326 tons in 1984. Data were not available
as to the disposition of the shipments. 
 Developments having potential effects on tantalum supply included the International
Tin Council's (ITC) announcement on October 24 that the council could no
longer continue its tin price support operations owing to lack of funds.
The announcement precipitated immediate suspension of trading on world tin
markets, including the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Kuala Lumpur Tin
Market (KLTM). Tin trading on the LME and KLTM remained suspended throughout
the year. In Thailand, the Government announced new regulations aimed at
curtailing tin smuggling 
activities. The regulations include a ban on transporting tin at night; trucks
and boats transporting tin must display identification of the cargo; and
tin storage sheds must have concrete walls and floors to resist break-ins.
Also, at midyear, the Government reportedly approved a 50% reduction in the
Thai tin miner's share of the country's contributions to the ITC. 
 Australia.—For the fiscal year (FY) ending June 30, 1985, Greenbushes
reported that throughput and production of tin and tantalum from soft-rock
reserves exceeded budgeted estimates. Ore treated was 2.1 million tons in
FY 1985, compared with 1.7 million tons in FY 1984. Tantalum oxide produced
in concentrates increased to 136,800 pounds from 105,200 pounds in FY 
1984. The chemical plant, which operated on one shift thoughout the year,
produced 40,100 pounds of Ta20, and 4,400 pounds of Cb2O, in FY 1985. Tantalum
oxide contained in tantalum glass production was 74,100 pounds in FY 1985,
compared with 48,500 pounds in FY 1984, with the tin smelter operating at
about 50% of available capacity. The tailings retreatment plant remained
inactive, but construction was under way to reestablish the plant with an
annual throughput capacity of 1.6 million tons of