SOVIET PLATINUM AND PALLADIUM (S-4454)

Created: 7/6/1972

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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MEMORANDUM

Soviet Platinum and Palladiua

In rcaponse to your request ofune, directed to ve have prepared the attached data on the Soviet platinum and palladium industry, including three tables, Tor transmittal to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Thie info oration is classified SECRET and is intended for use by officials in EPA onlv

Attachment:

As stated above.

CIA historicalPRCGRKJ release as san steed

Soviet Platinum and Palladium

Resources

of platinum and palladium in tha USSR are estimatedilllon troy ouncesthe largest in the vorld. Sovietfor aboutof the world's known reserves of platinum These metals are obtained principally as co-productscopper-nickel ores at the Horil'ck Combine.1 Extension ofdeposits and discovery of nev deposits at nearby Tal'nakh have Insuredhigh output for many years. The copper-nickel facilitiesand Fechcnga on the Kola Peninsula also recover platinun Placer deposits in the Urals represent another, althoughof platinum-group metals.

Production and Trad^

0 the USSR produced about half of total world output of platinum and palladium. Production ofunces, was about one-third of world total and palladiumunces, was about two-thirds of world output.

The USSR hasajor supplier of platinum and palladium to the non-Communist world for many years. Exports of these metals to tho USotalledillion ounces, of5 million wen palladium. Imports of pollodium from the USSR comprisedf new supply ln the US during that period, whereas, imports of platinum accounted for onlyf new supplies.2 (Sec

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Marketing Policy

it. In the past, the Soviets have speculated in the international platinum market to take advantage of the difference between "spot" or free market prices and producer prices (sometimes as much aslthough annual amounts sold remained fairly stcudy, the marketing practice of sporudic sales only during periods of high price level has causedon the part of buyers about the reliability of Soviet supplies of metal. More recently, the Soviets have changed their sales tactics end

1- The platinum group metals contained in these ores are distributed as follows: palladiumhodium, ruthenium, osmium and.

2. New supplies include imports and domestic production of primary and secondary metal. ear-to-year basis, total supply includes new supply plus amounts held in industry stockpiles.

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have shown interi-at in selling platinum to US corporationsong term contractual basis, at or below market prices, probably due to the increased coapetition in the platinum market. This move is on apparent effort to establish themselves os an alternative source to South Africa which is presently the source of most US platinum. In addition, the Soviets haveesire to significantly increase amounts of platinum available for export to the US. The USSR could significantly increase the level of platinum exports in response to Increased demand.

5- The Soviets have not'ailar desire to enter into long tens contracts to export palladium. This is probably due to the fact that they presently controlf world supply and can virtually oet the world price by manipulating supply and demand.

Original document.

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