vlad.tribnet.com / Issue #147 / Business / Reading article...

Krai semi-precious metal manufacturer DalPolyMetall will resume selling its lead and zinc concentrate abroad after a three-month standstill, thanks to a decree signed last week by President Yeltsin.

After taking control of licensing power in May, Yeltsin did not renew any of the one-year authorizations required for selling semi-precious metals abroad. As a result, DalPolyMetall and 15 other manufacturers in Russia were forced to halt all transactions. DalPolyMetall does not sell to other parts of Russia because transportation costs are too high.

The Yeltsin decree allows DalPolyMetall to sell some 40,000 tons of zinc and lead concentrate held at the Rudnaya Pristan Port for the last three months. The Swiss metals corporation Glenkor will buy most of the supply, the firm announced.

But Sergei Kurakin, chairman of the Krai Industry Committee, said DalPoly-Metall cannot ship off its semi-precious cargo just yet. Yeltsin's decree must first be passed down the krai chain of command before the company's license is confirmed. This process could take weeks, Kurakin said.

The lead and zinc sales will help DalPolyMetall pay outstanding debts.