Helen Prins, CEO of the International Tin Association (ITA), attended the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Forum hosted by the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association (CNIA) in London on 20 October and joined a panel discussion on China and the Global Metals Market: Demand, Supply and Resources.
The session brought together leading experts from across organizations of several base metals industry, including representatives from the London Metal Exchange, the International Study Groups for copper (ICSG), lead and zinc (ILZSG), and nickel (INSG), the International Copper Association, and GF Futures (Hong Kong) Limited.
During the discussion, Helen outlined the outlook for tin demand and the investment needed to secure future supply.
ITA forecasts that global tin demand will increase by 22% between 2026 and 2035, while refined tin supply is projected to grow by just 16%. This divergence highlights the need for substantial new mine supply to meet future demand.
Helen therefore stressed that recognising tin’s growing strategic importance must translate into tangible investment in future production, supported by capital, collaboration and a shared industry commitment
Helen also emphasized the value of security, resilience and responsible sourcing. With security moving up the agenda, governments and companies are looking much more closely at where supply comes from, diversification and resilience.
As for the risk facing the industry, Helen noted that the challenge lies not in any single risk, but in how multiple risks interact and amplify one another. Geopolitics, resource security, energy, regulation, currency fluctuations and technological change are increasingly interconnected, with ESG considerations and permitting requirements also playing an important role.
Helen finally reaffirmed ITA’s role as an international and neutral organisation, working with China and the global industry to raise awareness of tin’s strategic importance, encourage investment, and support innovation in tin applications and on research of market development as new technologies evolve.
