developing a process to separate the nickel and cobalt. The reserves of ore in the Levisa Bay area have been estimated to average 0.075 percent cobalt. Currently, somewhat in excess of 1 million tons of ore from this area are being treated at the Nicaro plant annually for the production of nickel oxide. Assuming a recovery of 60 percent, it is estimated that about 900,000 pounds of cobalt is being lost annually. The largest reserve of nickeliferous iron ore is in the Mayari district, but the ore is less rich in cobalt and nickel than that in the Levisa Bay area. Second to the Mayari district in importance is the Moa Bay area, where the Freeport Sulphur Co. recently announced the discovery of a large deposit of ore averaging about 1.35 percent nickel and 0.14 percent cobalt. The deposits in Cuba possibly contain over a million tons of cobalt. SOUTH AMERICA POSITION Occurrences of cobalt are found in several countries in South America but production has been reported only in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Chile. However, production has been very small. ARGENTINA POSITION Cobalt is found at the Rema Alejandra mine near Vinchima, La Rioja Province and some ore was produced before 1904. BRAZIL POSITION Cobaltiferous manganese-iron-oxide "pebbles" occur in the ferruginous clay overlying the nickel silicate deposits near São José do Tocantins, Goias. During 1939-41 about 450 metric tons of ore containing 3 to 5 percent cobalt were shipped to Japan. It has been estimated that the deposits in this area contain about 4 million tons of ore averaging 0.28 to 0.4 percent cobalt. CHILE POSITION Cobalt occurrences have been reported at many places and it has been mined from time to time at several localities in Chile but total production has been small. Several years ago an attempt was made to work a deposit of low-grade ore in Freirina; and a concentrating plant for improving the grade of the ore was installed. Judged by the small output the operation was not successful. VENEZUELA POSITION Large deposits of nickel-silicate ore containing a little cobalt have been found a Loma de Hierro. Data on ore reserves have not been published, but press notes have indicated that reserves exceed 30 million tons, averaging about 1.75 percent nickel. AFRICA POSITION The Belgian Congo has the largest and richest commercial reserves of cobalt. On the basis of a rate of production of 6,000 metric tons annually, the Union Minière du Haut-Katanga, the sole producer, reports reserves of cobalt adequate for about 40 years, and it anticipates that these reserves will increase as a result of further development of its copper deposits. Production reached an all-time high of 6,831 metric tons in 1952, or 68 percent of world total. The reserves of cobalt in Northern Rhodesia have been estimated at 225 million pounds, but percentage of recovery is not reported. The Rhokana Corp., the sole producer, began production of cobalt metal in August 1952 at its new electrolytic refinery, which is designed to produce 3 million pounds annually. Inferred reserves in French Morocco have been estimated at about 28 million pounds of cobalt. SOURCES OF SUPPLY FOR UNITED STATES As shown in the following table, the Belgian Congo is by far the chief source of supply of cobalt for the United States. In 1952 Belgian Congo furnished about 90 percent of the total supply. 39888-53-pt. 1- -7 Due to Germon occupation of France 1,000,532 lbs. in 1943 and 28,413 lbs. in 1944 were shipped to the United States 1954 1953 Prepared by United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines has been developed by the Bureau of Mines. The Bureau of Mines is now conducting metallurgical studies to develop an improved and lower cost method of extraction of nickel and for recovering the associated cobalt, chromium, and iron. The geographical remoteness of the Tocantins deposits in Brazil, the scarcity of labor, and the excessive cost of power, fuel, and freight are factors which preclude their economic exploitation. Although the deposits of nickel silicate ore at Loma de Hierro, Venezuela, are reported to be large and are favorable for mechanized mining by open pit, the ore cannot be treated economically by current smelting practice. As for the United States, there is little hope for it to become an important producer of nickel, unless an economic and feasible method is developed for recovering the nickel in low-grade nickeliferous iron ores and unless further exploration of certain sulfide deposit should disclose substantially larger reserves. Production of nickel ore in 1952 and estimated reserves of nickel ore in the Western Hemisphere |