ITALIAN MERCURY MINES AND EXPORTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00457R005200100006-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: November 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 27, 1999
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: July 13, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

CLASSIFICATION ?^ ;.,,`ZC XAL - o:: L 25X1 A
.Approved For RelgMOA9 / $~ 4 2-00457 0, 0
INFORMATION REPS CD NO.
25X1X
COUNTRY Italy DATE DISTR. XL 50
SUBJECT Italian Mercury Mines NO. OF PAGES 2
and Exports
PLACE 25X1 A NO. OF ENCLS.
ACQUIRED (LISTED BELOW)
DATE OF SUPPLEMENT TO 25X1 A
INFO.
25X1X
REPORT NO.
1. The follotdng Italian mining installations are engaged in the mining of mercury
in the Florence Sim area:
a. The SIB ':lining stablishment is the property of the Society Anonima
Stabilimento Minerario del Siele, of 32 Via Guido d'Arezzo, Rome. The
installation is in full actin it7, with work being done.: ,~. so? at night.
Requests for purchases of mercury are made directly at the Commercial
Office at the Central Directorate of the corrparW in Rome, t ch upon
completion of the negotiations passes the orders to the Directorate of
the installation, tbich In turn provides for the shipments of mercury.
?ihis firm has reportedly sold no mercury to the USSR or its satellites
during the present year, but has made the following shipments between
1 January and 16 May 1950:
January-February: 4,306 flask to the warehouse of the
company in Rome;
14 April : 125 flasks to Belgium;
15 April : 500 flasks to Belgium;
15 April : 500 flasks to France;
15 April : 100 flasks to the Rinaldi Firm, 7 Via
S. Martino, t:ilan;
..5 April : 300 flasks to France;
April : 100 flasks to Hong Kong, China;
April 255 flasks to Bombay, India;
23 April : SAO flasks to the deposits of the company
in Rome-
31,197 A1ay : 700 flan to the United States;
9 May : 59 flasks to the Walter Schutz Firm,
1f Piazza De Marini, Genoa, for further
shipment abroad IV sea; and
15 14w : 300 flasks to Leghorn for further shipment
to New York by sea.
b, The Monte Amiata Mining Establishment, located at Abbadia San Salvatore
(Siena), is the property of the Society Anonima Mineraria Monte Amiata,
with headquarters at 1+7 Via Barberint, Rome, This installation, with
annexed mines, employs 678 laborers and 49 employees, almost all from
the commune of Abbadia San Salvyatore. About 90 per cent of the workers
CONFIDENTIAL
CLASSIFICATION /CC1TTR0L - U. S. OFFICIALS O.tiLY
STATE' NAVY FAI NSRB DISTRIBUTION
Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-0
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Document Mae
to Clang In Class. --------------
J Der1a-i; ifed
Glass. CLxnged To: TS S
Da tMR 70.2 IV Olt
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 Approved For Release 1999/09/09 : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200100006-1
CONFIDENTIAS
" T/CONTROL - U. S, UFFIC %ALS o ZY 25X1 A
CMITRA.L II I ~ELLIGM0 AMRZICY
are said to be members or sympathizers of the extreme leftist parties.
The installation is in full :activity, with work being done also at right0
Monthly extraction of mercury is about 2,2000 flasks, equivalent to
about 76 tons. Requests for punch:-t.asof the product are made as indi-
cated :above. There are no indications that during; the present year
the directorate of the installation has shinned mercury to the USSR
or its satellites. From 1 January to 16 I'OY' 1950 the directorate, on
orders from the Central Directorate, shipped mercury only to Italian
firms, chiefly to those: engaged in the treatment of hair for the manu-
facture of hats. The following shi-nrients have been made:
January': 34 flasks
Februarys 52 f1-,ske
::arch : 67 flasks
April : IW flasks
Iisy : 5 flasks
The management has on hand in storage 29,000 flasks, available to any-
one making requests.
c. The ARGUS Mining "Establishment is located in the Abetina locality of the
commune of Piancastaenaio (Siena). At present it employs 164 laborers
and six employe'Ms, all residents of the commune of Piancastaaaio except
for five or six, who cone from the commune of Santa Fiora (Grosseto).
Fifty per cent of the rrorkern are allegedly members or sympathizers of
the extreme leftist narties0 The :_nstallation is in full activity, with
work being done also at nijht. Monthly extraction of mercury varies
between 1400 and .5110 flasks, equivalent to about 15 tons. There are no-
indications that during the present year this installation has sold to
either Italian or foreign fires, except for a limited quantity to a firm
in Como which is engaged in the manufacture of thermometers.
Some time ago the firm received a bid from Pakistan for a certain quen-
titg of rtercu.Ny but was vm.:~.) :~e to conclude the negotiation, as Pakistan
turned to Spain, which was trilling to sell the mercury at a much lower
cost. The directorate of the installation allegedly has deposited, or
will deposit, at the Banca dell' Agri coltura in Rowe the temporary right
of possession on 15,000 (sic) flasks of mercury as collateral for a loan
to liquidate the expenses of the installation.
d. The SIAM I:ining "Establishment is located in the suburb of Cerreto Piano
in Scansano (Grosseto) and is oumed by the Societa Italians: Anonima
IUereurio, trith headquarters at 32 Via Guido d' Arezzo, Rome. It 3rnploys
at present 120 laborers and clef-:s. A majority of the laborers are said
to be members or sympathizers of the extrrne leftist parties and roside
in the commune of Scansano. The instalion is in full activity and
work is also carried on at niijbt. Monthly extraction at present is about
220 flasks, eoui.valent to bout seven tons. SIAM is associated with the
Societa, Anonima St:abFliriento T'inerario del Siele, which ohms all the
shares of the Societa Italian Anonima Mercurio. Negotiations for the
purchase of mercury are carried ore '6t the directorate of the corpparzv in
Rone.
2. The sale of mercury abroad was, until recently, effected through a "cartel"
between Italy ens? Spain, but since Spain's denunciation of the "cartel" (about
the end of 19149) the product has been freely sold abroad to anyone r1alzing a
request. Behind Spain's abrogation of the "cartel" is the fact that in 19149
Spain appealed to the United States sr a loan. When the United States did
not coripi r frith this request, Spain turned to the USSR. At the and of 19149
or early in 1950, the USSR reportedly obtained from Spain, in exchange for
foodstuffs and other raw materials, a considerable quantity of mercury, said
to be 10,000 flaci%s, at a price much lower then that charged by other countries.
CONFIDE11TIA1
COL2RCL s- U. S. OFFICIALS 0: LY
Approved For Release~1O9 WORM : CIA-RDP82-00457R005200100006-1