"Burma?s "hard rock” part of the mineral industry had another lackluster year in 1970. Production from the Bawdwin enterprise near Lashio and the Chinese border remained at its lowest level within a decade, with the modernization program behind schedule. Tin and tungsten output also showed little i£ any improvement. Nothing was done on the Monywa copper deposit. A Soviet technical assistance team arrived in July to rehabilitate the Mawchi tin-tungsten mine and a West German team was assigned to help develop tin mines in the Heinda district. Antimony mining was resumed. Near yearend, a special technical aid agreement was being negotiated with the West German Government regarding exploitation of mineral resources in Burma in general. The West Germans were also active in oil and fertilizers. An agreement was signed to conduct seismic surveys for oil in the Gulf of Martaban. The Germans, who are to assist in onshore exploration as well, were negotiating for a production-sharing contract. The Japanese tried to negotiate a similar contract for the Arakan coast, which they have surveyed on a preliminary basis, with no success as yet. Meanwhile, the Burmese made some headway themselves in exploration and exploitation. The Mann oilfield near Minbu was discovered and brought into production. New oil rigs were purchased. However, the overall Burmese effort was small, because of limitations in domestic capital and technical capability. On a related front, one fertilizer plant had been completed by the Japanese and another (virtually the same size) was being constructed by the West Germans, both to utilize local natural gas to make urea. The mineral industry of Burma has become very much a government business. About 5 percent of the national budget in 1969, or $109 million, was allocated to the Ministry of Mines, which also runs the petroleum industry. Various government corporations are assigned to manage the different mining sectors. In fiscal 1969-70,3 the budget for national development showed the following anticipated capital expenditures: People?s Oil Industry (POI), $11.8 million; People?s Bawdwin Industry (PBI) , $2-1 million; and Mineral Development Corporation (MDC) , $1.7 million. In February 1970, the Myanma Oil Corporation (MOC) took over the duties of POI and the Myanma Bawdin Corporation (MBC) took over the duties of PBI and other organizations. The power of MDC had been reduced, although it still supervises tin, tungsten, coal, and certain nonmetallics. Even the precious stone industries have been nationalized."