Indonesia exports down, but smelters can re-open

Dec 5, 2008

Continuing the recent pattern of alternating bullish and bearish news from Indonesia, two stories this morning provided a bit of both. Earlier Bangka-Belitung governor Eko Ali Maulana told reporters that the provincial government would not limit operations by...

Vinto-Huanuni dispute continues

Dec 4, 2008

A dispute over delayed payments for concentrates between Bolivia’s state-owned smelter and largest mine continues, according to Business News Americas. Employees of Bolivian state miner Empresa Minera Huanuni (EMH) have threatened to take over facilities at the...

Bolivian government considers subsidies to small tin mines

Dec 3, 2008

Bolivia’s mining and metallurgy minister Luis Alberto Echazú said he is considering extending subsidies recently granted to zinc miners to the tin sector also, according to a report by state news agency ABI. In late November the Bolivian government...

Bangka governor wants smaller quota

Dec 1, 2008

The governor of Indonesia’s Bangka-Belitung islands said on Monday he may propose Jakarta sets a lower 2009 tin production quota on fears of slowing demand. The province may propose limiting production to as low as 60,000 tonnes for 2009, down from an earlier...

Yunnan Government plans stockpile to support smelters

Dec 1, 2008

News agencies reported today that the government of Yunnan province is to buy up to one million tones of metals, based on reports posted on its website and that of China’s Ministry of Land and Resources. Yunnan will buy 150,000 tonnes of copper, 300,000 tonnes...

Indonesia approves more tin export licences

Nov 28, 2008

In a surprise move today, Indonesia’s trade ministry confirmed that it had issued export licences to three more private smelters, bringing the total number of companies able to legally export tin up to 22. The ministry approved export licences on November 21 for...