exported, mostly to Western Europe. Exports, however,
have been declining both in volume and as a proportion of output. The
decline has been more pronounced in the case of lead, and lead exports
dropped from 65 percent of output in 1960 to 22 percent in 1970. The
volume of lead exports fell from 53,500 tons to 22,100 tons in the
1965-70 period. Zinc exports declined from highs of 78 percent of output
in 1965 and 58,100 tons in 1966 to 64 percent of output and 48,100 tons
in volume in 1970.

Bulgaria also possesses small reserves of gold, silver, and uranium.
Gold has been found near the town of Trun, not far from the border of
Yugoslavia. Silver and uranium deposits are located in the western Stara
Planina. The uranium ore is processed by the Rare Metals Combine near
Sofia. Gold and silver are also obtained as by-products in the smelting
of copper, lead, and zinc. Information on reserves and production of
these metals is not available. Aluminum and tin must be imported.

Other Raw Materials

There are reported to be adequate resources of nonmetallic minerals for
the production of cement and other building materials, glass, and
ceramics. Asbestos, salt, sulfur, and cement are produced in quantities
large enough to allow some exports. The quality of asbestos, however, is
low, and better grades must be imported for some uses. Exports of cement
declined from 715,000 tons in 1965 to 153,000 tons in 1970. Timber and
wood pulp from domestic sources are in short supply. Under an agreement
with the Soviet Union, Bulgaria has supplied 8,000 workers to the timber
industry of the Komi Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic for the
development of Siberian timber resources, in return for which the Soviet
Union has undertaken to export to Bulgaria about 900,000 cubic yards of
timber in 1973 and up to 2 million cubic yards per year after 1975.
Similar arrangements exist with regard to paper pulp, iron and steel,
natural gas, and other raw materials.

Domestic agriculture provides ample raw materials for the food
processing industry, but only a fraction of light industry's needs for
fibers and hides. In the 1968-70 period average annual imports of these
materials included cotton, 60,000 tons; wool, 2,900 tons; synthetic
fibers, 26,000 tons; and cattle hides, 7,700 tons. In addition to the
raw cotton, cotton textiles in the amount of 63,000 tons were imported
annually.

Because of the general shortage of domestic raw materials and t