The full text of a law permitting the disclosure of information on private stocks, production and trade in platinum group metals was published yesterday.

It was signed on the 11th November by Russian President Vladimir Putin, and will become effective three months after the date of publication.

However, whilst the law will make a host of new Russian pgm data available, it does not cover the stocks held by the country's central bank and the Russian state repository Gokhran.

Russia's secrecy over precious metals stocks at one point appeared to threaten the recent takeover of the American Stillwater Mining Company by Norilsk Nickel, Russia's largest pgm enterprise.

Experts say that the liberalisation of legislation pertaining to commercial secrecy should enable Russia to participate more easily in international markets.