The US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) could potentially resume disposals of small quantities of tin from 2013, American Metal Market reported. The National Defense Stockpile Market Committee has called for market comment on the impact of DLA Strategic Materials’ proposed annual materials plan (AMP) for 2013, the committee said in a notice published in the Federal Register. The main planned sales in 2012 and 2013 are of ferrochrome, ferromanganese and tungsten ores and concentrates, but the 2013 list also includes 804 tonnes of tin.
The AMP sets the limit on the amount of material the agency can sell during its fiscal year, but that does not mean it will sell the full amount. “The quantity of material that will actually be offered for sale will depend on the market for the material at the time,” MIC said in its filing. The deadline for written comments is 21 October.
US stockpile sales of tin were halted in August 2008 pending a review of strategy on materials management. The total tonnage of tin remaining in the stockpile is 4,020 tonnes.
