Evening star., 1941-11-25
Dutch Guiana Serves
As Chief Source Of
j. !. Aluminium
Soldiers Would Guard
Supply for Defense
From Sudden Disruption
BY THOMAS c. HARDMAN.

BY THOMAS c. HARDMAN.
Principal source of supply for the
estimated lO0O,00O,000 pounds OF
siuminum needed in this Nations
defense program for 1912 has been
insured by the dispatching of Amer
ican troops to Surinam Dutch
Guiana.
From this little colony in North
ern South America the United States
currently is importing two-thirds of
the bauxite used in the production
OF aluminium, 10000 pounds of which
goes into every bomber rolling from
assembly lines.
Despite rapid development of
bauXlte sources in Arkansas, sec
ondary source of Americas supply
Of this material, Surinam's resources
have been drawn on heavily by the
United States in the past year.
Since February of this year, huge
new bauxite production plants have
been built in the Surinam mining
area and others are under construc-
ton.
Loss Would Be Critical.
1t takes about pounds of bauxite
to make l pound of aluminium,
and although authoritative esti-
mates hold that domestic reserves
of high and low grade bauxite would
be sufficient to take care of require
ments for about eight years, sudden
loss of the import source would deal
critical blow to this Governments
defense program.
The Dutch colony is a next-door
neighbor to French Guiana, and
the move Of the American and
Brazilian governments yesterday to
insure its protection follows closely
on the heels Of the ousting of Gen.
Maxim Weygand. French proconsul
IN Africa. a step pointing toward
closer collaboration between the
Vichy government and Germany.
Other than because Of its vital
place in the American defense pic
ture. Surinam's bauxite supply holds
little interest for Germany. as the
Nazi regime is adequately supplied
with the aluminium raw material
from European states absorbed by
the Reich. including France. which
led all other countries in the pro-
duction of bauxite last year.
Production Stepped Up.
Surinsm produced 615434 metric
tons of bauXite last year and this
years production figure is expected
to reach the 100000 mark. The
aluminium Co. of America owns one
Of the larger Surinam mines. located
at Moengo Hill A new mine is being
developed at Paranam. center of the
heaviest production area Alcoa has
owned interests in Surinam since
1923.
Supplies OF beauXite needed in this
eountry's defense program next veaI
have been variouslv estimated from
1900 900 900 to 1900 100000 pounds.
Alcoa officials have estimated that
the United States possesses around !
5000 0000 pounds OF high-grade I
bauxite below ground. and an addi- /
tional 10000 100000 pounds in low
grade reserves.
For months aluminium has been
on the priorities critical list. and |.
was one Of the first commodities to !
have imposed on it an industry /
wide mandatory priority control by
the prorities division Of the Office /.
Of Production Management early
this year.
Expected TO Outproduce Axis.
A 1912 defense requirement Of
more than 1,000,000,000 pounds OF
aluminium probably will result in a
cut in the anticipated demand from
civilian industries This demand is
expected to range from 900 900 900
to 00000000 pounds.
BY the end OF this year, reduction
pots In the United States will be
turning out 72O,OOOOOO pounds of
aluminium annually. as compared /
with 4l3000.000 pounds in 1910 and /
327 900 900 pounds in 1889 Aluminium
production in the United States and
Canada by the end of next year Is
expected to equal. If not surpass, !
that OF Germany, Italy and all the
conquered countries on the European
continent, according to authoritative
sources.
In demonstrating the importance
OF aluminium in aviation defense in .
dustries alone. o. P. M. statisticians
have estimated that from so to IS .
per cent of the total weight of a
military airplane Is aluminium ALLOW.
A fighter plane has 1000 pounds of
aluminium. bomber 10000 pounds
and the Army's superbomber, the
Bib, 10000 pounds.