728 MINERALS YEARBOOK, 1941

 Ita2y.—The tin resources of Italy are insignificant compared with
requirements It is reported that all tin-bearmg equipment m public bars and
restaurants has been requisitioned by the Government
 Japan.—On August 1, 1942, Japan possessed sour~es formerly supplying
two-thirds of the world's tin, as a result of military operations begun with
its attack on Pearl Harbor, December 7, 1941 The annual demand for tin in
Japan in peace time was about 4,400 tons, of which. 20 percent was supplied
from its own mmes and the remamder imported. Japan is believed to have accumulated
a stock pile of tin before hostilities began, but war needs have probably
increased to 12,000 to 15,000 tons a year, of which only about 5,000 tons
can be supplied by Japanese smeltmg facilities Therefore, unless the smelt..
ers in the Straits Settlements and Banka can be opw~ated, Japan will be somewhat
handicapped until its own smeltmg capacity has been increased Ample ore is
available m Thailand and Indochina to meet Japanese requirements; It has
been reported that t~he refineries at Penang, Smgapore, and Banka are to
be operated by Mitsubishi Mmmg Co and the Togo Mmmg Co
 Mexico.—The small quantity of tin produced annually in Mexico is obtamed
by native mmers, chiefly from scattered deposits A refinery of small capacity
at San Luis Potosi produces pig tm, all of which is consumed m Mexico Ores
that cannot be treated m Mexico are sold for export The Metals Reserve Co
has contracted for the purchase of 3,630 tons of tm concentrates from Mexico
By Presidential decree, effective July 15, 1q41, exportation of tm from Mexico
to any non-American country is prohibited Tm deposits of Mexico recentlyhave
been mvestig8ted by the United States Geological Survey The problem of concentrating
low-grade tin ores is bemg studied with a view to estabhshmg a central treating
plant at Aguascalientes
 Netherlands Indies.—~The permissible export quota of Netherlands Indies
for 1941 was 50,772 long tons; up through November, 48,805 tons had been
exported and as additional quantities were doubtless shipped during December
the total for 1941 has been estimated at 51,000 tons, or about 18 percent
more than in 1941. Production and smelting operations presumably continued
up to the end of January 1942 or shortly before Japanese planes came over
Banka on February
3. Japanese troops landed on the west coast of Billiton on April
10, 1942, according to a broadcast from Tokyo. The smelters on Banka were
at Muntok, Pangkalpinang, and Belinjoe. It is believed the smelting plants
were destroyed and all dredges with their machinery sunk to prevent them
from falling into Japanese hands. Ores imported into the United States from
Netherlands Indies during the latter part of 1941 contained 6,220 tons of
tin. The Bihiton Co. and the Netherlands Government contracted with the Metals
Reserve Co. for the shipment of tin concentrates at the rate of about 2,500
tons (equivalent to 1,875 tons of refined tin) monthly, starting with July.
Under the agreement Metals Reserve Co. was to acquire tin concentrates containing
20,000 tons of fine tin to be converted at the Texas City smelter upon the
basis of 50 cents per pound, less smelting charges and penalties for impurities.
 Nigeria.—Tin mining was greatly accelerated in Nigeria during 1941;
consequently, production no doubt reached an all-time peak. The output for
the year is estimated at 15,000 long tons of tin. Ex.. ports had exceeded
13,200 tons by October; statistics for November