SIGNIFICANCE OF COBALT SHIPMENTS TO THE SOVIET ORBIT

Created: 9/22/1950

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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SUIU2CTI Significance of Cobalt shipments to the Soviet Orbit

Cobalt, on alloying decent important in tho nonuf.icture ofsheila, tungsten-carbide cuttingcognate, hieh-tenperature steels and high-speed stools, ifiinndists, Thio iter, is one ofalloying elements in shortest supply within the Soviet orbitontrols byastern nations on all shipments of

cobalt ciould bo dotriiiontal to tho Soviet bloa production of tho above items, -est of the uorld'o supply of cobalt oomoo from tho Belgian Congo with goine snail ajjounts cotiing fron Canada, Northern Rhodooia, and French torooco. The Soviot bloc produces little cobalt and tlie orbit's extra's need for the nets! can be soon in tho cany urgent attcqpts to purchase the natal byans poaaiblo. Ilunr.ary recently rade an urgent request for the purchaso, from any oource, ofons of cobalt and uos uilllng to pay prerd.ua prices. China has alao boon trying to buy cobalt froa several sources. The arjount available froe. any one of the sources is noro than China could possibly use. The USSX la also knoun to be attempting purchi.es through Snltzerland and Czechoslovakia.

It ia to be oxpocted that Soviet bloc purchases vould be In smallsuch purohnsos are not so noticeable and conooquontly more easilyIn addition, the Soviet bloc nust realise that any attemptscobalt in largo art)unto would bo readily detected ond atoppod. of cobalt being purchased from Franco by thev'; company.

Industrial Specialtieslthougharatively0 kilogram) is sufficient according to best estimates, for approxinately tno-conths production of tuneaten-carbide by tho USSR. In viee of the past record of Industrial Specialties Ltd. in transshipping aslybdenunhe US to tho USSR, denial of this shircsent of cobalt to thia oonjony nould probably moan denial of tho cobalt to the Soviet orbit.

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Tente of State, Army, Havy, and the 1

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Original document.

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