NewsWhore
01-17-2007, 12:50 PM
The Dominican Republic exports so much "scrap" metal that it is pushing out mining for leadership in the industry. Iron, copper and steel, supposedly gathered as scrap are now exported in quantities that are close to exceeding the ferro-nickel ingots from the Falconbridge mine in Bonao. It is a major business. In 2006, "scrap" exports of steel and iron totaled 93,540 tons. 980 tons of zinc and nickel was exported, along with 1300 tons of copper. Under the guise of "scrap" these metals are shipped overseas, mostly to China where it is said that the construction of the world's largest hydroelectric dam project is leading to a huge increase in the demand for metals. The demand, according to Diario Libre, is also part of the push to steal metals from wherever they may be found, including electricity transmission lines, telephone lines, manhole covers and iron park benches. During the first eight months of 2006, exports of "scrap" iron and steel totaled over US$18 million. The area of Villa Consuelo in Santo Domingo is one of the major centers for collecting and smelting the "scrap" which, after processing, is untraceable.
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More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#8)