China's Ministry of Commerce said Friday it will cut the quotas on export of tin and antimony for next year, in a sign Beijing is stepping up control over what it considers strategic metals.

The ministry issued its list of export quotas in a statement on its web site. It will cut the quota for tin and tin products to 21,000 metric tons next year from 23,300 tons, continuing a trend that started in 2007.

The government moved this year to stockpile 30 tons of indium, a vital metal for making liquid crystal displays, as supply plunged amid the financial crisis.

Item  Export Quota (Tons)

            2010   2009

Tungsten    14,300 14,600

Tin         21,000 23,300

Antimony    57,500 58,700

Molybdenum  25,500 25,500

Indium         233    233

Silver       5,100  5,100

Phosphorous 

ore      1,500,000 N/A

Bauxite     93,000 93,000

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