(a) Application. Application for the bonding of a plant of a manufacturer engaged in the smelting or refining, or both, of metal-bearing materials as provided for in section 312, Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, to reduce the metal content thereof to an unwrought metal, or metal in the form of oxides or other compounds which are obtained directly from the treatment of the dutiable materials provided for in chapters 26 and 71 through 83, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (19 U.S.C. 1202), shall be made by the manufacturer, to the director of the port nearest in which such plant is situated, giving the location of the premises and setting forth the work proposed to be carried on therein.

(b) [Reserved]

(c) Discontinuance. At the request of the proprietor the bonded status of the warehouse may be discontinued at any time provided the port director approves such discontinuance and the proprietor complies with directions of the port director with respect to the disposition of merchandise which may remain in the warehouse. The number of warehouses covered by a blanket smelting and refining bond may be reduced by discontinuance without necessitating a new bond unless the proprietor so desires.

(d) Upon the importation at any seaboard or frontier port of the United States of metal-bearing materials in any form intended for a bonded smelting or refining warehouse situated at some other port of entry, they may be forwarded under an immediate transportation without appraisement entry.

(e) Bond. Upon the arrival of imported metal-bearing material in any form for the purpose of being smelted or refined, or both, in bond at a port where a bonded smelting or refining warehouse is established, it shall be entered for warehouse. A bond on Customs Form 301, containing the bond conditions set forth in § 113.62 of this chapter shall be on file. The port director shall thereupon issue a permit to the inspector to send such metal bearing materials from the importing vessel or vehicle by designated bonded vessels or vehicles to the smelting and refining warehouse named in the entry.

(f) Bonded metal-bearing materials shall be kept separate and distinct from nonbonded material until they have been sampled and weighed. The proprietor shall maintain a report of sampling, weighing, and assay of each shipment of bonded materials received into the warehouse for 5 years after liquidation of the warehouse entry for shipment.

(g) Statement of inventory and bond charges. Where two or more smelting or refining warehouses are included under one blanket smelting and refining bond, an overall statement must be prepared and maintained by the principal named in the bond by the 28th of each month, showing the inventory as of the close of the preceding month, of all metals on hand at each plant covered by the blanket bond and the total of bonded charges for all plants. If the warehouses covered by an overall statement are located in more than one port, each port director may choose to verify the accuracy of the inventory report only with respect to that portion of the report that relates to amounts held at a plant that is located within that port director's jurisdiction. All discrepancies which cannot be reconciled by the port director shall be reported to Headquarters, U.S. Customs Service. If Headquarters finds that the aggregate quantity of dutiable metal at the several plants does not equal the quantity charged against the blanket bond, duties shall be collected for the quantity determined to be deficient.