Show ways sought to curtail US dependence on foreign metals the federal governments recent ly announced long teim mineral stockpile objectives are lal intended n ed to eliminate where possible the h c dependence ot of the united states upon all 11 but immediately acce accessible sible foreign sources in time of emergency c y E il H weaver of the office fen c e of defense mobilization has told americas miners for the purpose of calculating these long term objectives no su supplies plies are assumed to be available ab fa e to the united states in wartime except in the case of that limited group of countries to which wartime access can be had with the same degree of reliance as afforded by sources within our country weaver said Is currently working to define the necessary levels of domestic production that should be maintained in peacetime in order to insure a rapid and orderly transition to the production of materials tor for defense he declared the mobilization agency Is working with other government agencies to insure that wartime mobilization flans plans give adequate rec ree to the importance of the domestic mining industry weaver waver e said and we must be sure key technicians iani and skilled mining labor force are not indiscriminately ly dratted drafted into the armed services weaver said is striving ie to C develop expansion programs wherever needed which will help us in achieving our stockpile objectives and which will at the same time help us broaden our mobilization base it is our desire to carry forward programs that will encourage wherever possible the development of sources of critical materials within the united states and thereby decrease and prevent wherever possible a dangerous and costly dependence of the united states on foreign nations for supplies of these materials at a time of national emergency weaver said bis his agency is is in accord with american mining policy urging that the government afford domestic mines at leat least the same price and other considerations and advantages as are given foreign production ayour by pur covern govern ment he said aid he could enumerate many cases where domes tie lie pro ducton is a given important advantages 01 er foreign prodoc tion in the In interests teresh of maintain ing a st strong ron 9 and effective mobilization w the advances made by your industry are remarkable weaver told his audience of mining men f from rom all over the united states A good example Is the achievement of the copper industry whereas some years ago ores mined e d averaged 2 percent in copper content today some of the larger pro properties 1 les treat ores containing slightly aru y more thai one half of one percent of copper he declared most people lose sight of this great accomplishment whereby million tons of copper ores are handled to produce about tons of domestic copper metal 1 |