Petsamo, Germans get any Nickel?

They captured Petsamo, but then what? Were they able to transport Nickel in any serious quantity? & if so, how?

 

I think I have a book on this but here´s some things I found:

German troops immediately occupied the nickel-producing Petsamo area in the north (and managed to ship 70,000 tons of nickel to Germany in 1941).

http://www.ww2wings.com/wings/finland/finlandmain.shtml

One third of all German tanks were made of Petsamo-nickel.

http://www.ottar.net/a_english/an_anecdotes/an03_secondworldwarstory.htm

 

Wow.

 

You know I almost did not read about this. I was thinking "who cares about nickel", now I am glad I did. I had no idea so much activity went on up there during the war!!! And "neautral Sweden" was playing with all sides. And I did not know of the Russians in Norway either.
What a great find KP

 

OK.

Some things I found in a Finnish book on Petsamo

During the first part of war Germany mostly used the nickel they got from France to build tanks etc. But in 1943 the nickel of Petsamo covered some 73% of the German use and in 1944 even up to 87%.

Between 1940-42 Petsamo delivered 2,900 tons of PURE nickel ( counted as pure while most of it was sent to Germany to be purified ) and 43-44 12,900 tons ( also turned into pure nickel figures ).

All in all the need for PURE nickel in Germany was about 50,000 tons during WW2 of which Petsamo delivered some 13,000 tons, this much considered as covering one year´s need for all production.

 

Very interesting. Wonder where they got the rest of their supply?

 

Well, here's some data.

Steel

The production of high-grade steel was one of the major difficulties faced by Germany from the very early years of the Nazi government. The main suppliers of quality iron ore were as follows:

Sweden 45%

France 27%

Spain 7%

Norway 21%

The importation of iron ore was a major problem with massive logistical challenges to overcome. Shipping was threatened and rail networks both lengthy and difficult. Soviet Baltic submarines and allied Atlantic blockades, surface fleet action and aircraft attacks on harbours all conspired to cause fluctuations in supplies to smelting works. Weapons such as tanks, guns and U-Boat production used over 70% of steel produced in Germany during the war.

Steel production in Germany 1939-1945

(Million of tonnes) 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945

Production 22.9 26.1 31.8 32.9 34.6 28.5 5(?)

Came from here.
WW 2 Model Maker-Alasdair K Johnston The " MATERIAL WAR".what shortage?
... Finland supplied ores; Switzerland had major financial interest and provided much of ... and iron ore from Norway; all were quickly established ... Search Web WW2Model Maker WW2 Ref Photos ...
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