IMPORTS OF VANADIUM BY COMMUNIST COUNTRIES ( S-1465)

Created: 3/17/1965

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

CIA HISTORICAL REVIEW PROGRAM

RELEASE5

Imports of Vanadium bv Communist Countries Information on-actual imports of vanadium by communist countries ls limited, for the most part,OCOH information on shipments of vanadium pentoxide. origin which is re-exportedureau of Foreign"h? ivnents by CQCOM countries to cosxaunist countries, anr'

CZECHOSLOVAKIA. During thean1zechoslovakia is known to have imported about short tons of vanadium (content of ore, concentrate,) from the United States and at leasttons of vanadium pentoxide from England, Finland, Luxembourg and Switzerland. It is assumed that she alsoinimumons of vanadium pentoxide. origin, which was approved for re-export or for re-processLag and re-export from Austria. Czechoslovakia's trade agreements with Norway0or Czech imports of upons of vanadiumommodity which Czechoslovakia also imports, ln undeterminedfrom. Recent information Indicates that slag imports from. have been discontinued temporarilyf limitations on Czech facilities for processing the raw material. Czechoslovakia evinces continued Literest in Imports of vanadium pentoxide; requests lor permission to re-export atonsorigin material to Czechoslovakia were receivedi, none of union arc known to iiave been allowed.

COKKUNIST CHINA. Chinese imports of vanadlua have boon chiefly in Iho form of ingots and rerrovanadium. nd againl, these Imports are thought to hava totalled aboutillion worth from Austria alone, ^ali quantities were also imported from Japan, Prance, and Bclglua-Luxcabourg. here ia evidence of imports of3 eetric tons of pure vanadium from Switzerland and the United Kingdom. No shipsionta are recordedndisitor (of unknown reliability) reported that China produces all tho vanadium she needs.

HORTH KOREA. During the four-yearorth Korea has imported frometric tons of ferrovanadiua,ono or vanadium Ingots, slabs and pollota, andons of vanadium ores and concentrates. Shipmentsons of ferrovanadiuaore aore than double those of any preceding year, althoughl contract called for shipmentons and2 contractons.

. At one timo, Soviet production of vanadium satiafled domestic requirements and permitted limited exports to other communist countries. However, it appears that in recent years production has not kept pace with increasing demands due to rapid depletion of the operating deposits and long lags in the construction of new facilities, both st the new deposits and in the metallurgical plants which process the vanndlua-containg materials. . has signed tradewith Finland providing for Soviet importsetric tons of vanadium pentoxide per year5. he