The so-called "green bullets" have the same lethal characteristics as conventional ammunition, but use tungsten instead of lead in their cores.

That's why the military is trying to develop a more environmentally friendly bullet — one without a lead tip and without lead in the primer that ignites the spark that fires the round.

The "green bullet" program is just one of many Department of Defense environmental initiatives.

Tin is likely to receive a further boost as manufacturers of electronic equipment such as mobile phones are forced to use tin instead of lead for soldering of electronic components. Authorities are concerned that often non-recyclable electronic equipment, packed full of lead, ends up in waste dumps.

These environmental concerns have given tin - a non-corroding metal - a head start as "the green metal", a concept that the British-based International Tin Research Institute is promoting.

RGC's operations director, Mr Peter Robinson, yesterday predicted that new uses of tin such as the "green bullet" could boost worldwide tin consumption.