Poor prices force closure of S.E.Asia's tin research center

Poor prices force closure of S.E.Asia's tin research center

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP): The Southeast Asia Tin Research and
Development Center (SEATRAD), the region's research and training
unit for the mining industry, will be closed due to dwindling tin
prices, an official said Thursday.

The decision to close the center was made recently by major
tin-producing countries Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, SEATRAD
acting director S. Senathi Rajah was quoted by Bernama news
agency as saying in Ipoh, in northern Perak state.

The three countries had been funding the Ipoh-based center
since its inception in 1977.

"We reached a consensus on the decision largely due to the
prevailing unhealthy state of the tin mining industry," Rajah
said.

Six professionals and 32 supporting staff are attached to the
center.

Tin prices at the Kuala Lumpur Tin Market are hovering around
14 ringgit (US$5.60) a kilo (2.2 pounds) after peaking at 29.15
ringgit before the tin market crashed in October 1985.

Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are key members of the
Association of Tin Producing Countries (ATPC) which has been
implementing a program since 1987 to rationalize supply to
bolster prices.

Other members are China, the world's largest producer,
Australia, Bolivia, Nigeria and Zaire.

The ATPC, which together with major tin producer Brazil,
accounts for 75 percent of global output, aims to deplete excess
stocks to 28,500 tons by year-end from more than 76,000 tons in
1987, officials said.