Russian miner Seligdar has said it plans to begin tin metal production at its Amur Metallurgical Plant, currently under construction, in the fourth quarter of 2028.

The company, whose tin subsidiary Rusolovo produced 3,500 tonnes tin-in-concentrate in 2025 from its two mines, has made large investments into expanding its existing mining operations through improved efficiencies and tailings reprocessing.

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Australian tin explorer Elementos (ASX: ELT) has announced that its Oropesa project in Spain has been granted an ‘Overriding Public Interest’ classification, supporting the permitting process.

Elementos Managing Director Joe David said this “marks a significant milestone for the Oropesa Tin Project and further strengthens the strong support from the Government of Andalucia.”

The status awarded by the Regional Government of Andalucia recognises that the project delivers material environmental, economic, and social benefits to the sustainable development of the region.

This supports a clearer pathway for project approvals, specifically related to water licences and water-related utilities, according to the company.

Water access is a key part of the project’s permitting pathway. EU regulations require companies to demonstrate a public interest rationale alongside technical and environmental considerations for licensing. The public interest classification fulfils the first part of these requirements.

The company is working towards final project approvals, financing, and development work ahead of a final investment decision following the April 2025 definitive feasibility study.

The Andalucian Minister for Industry, Energy and Mining Jorge Paradela, who addressed the International Tin Conference in Seville last month, said that the ministry anticipates granting Oropesa’s permits “by the end of the year or in the first half of 2027”.

Our view: ITA is pleased to see continued strong support for the tin project from the Andalucian government. With Europe 66% reliant on refined tin imports in 2025, Elementos’ vertically integrated tin project is set to support the region’s tin demand and help insulate the region from global supply disruptions.

Elementos is a member of ITA’s Explorers & Developers Group.

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ITA recently attended the 2026 European Partnership for Responsible Minerals (EPRM) Conference in Amsterdam, which brought together stakeholders from across government, industry, civil society and artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) communities to discuss the theme “Balancing Interests: ASM’s Role in Reliable and Responsible Value Chains.” The event provided an important platform for open dialogue on the future of responsible sourcing and the role of ASM in global mineral supply chains.

A key theme throughout the conference was ensuring artisanal and small-scale miners remain central to discussions around responsible sourcing frameworks. Discussions reinforced the need for practical due diligence approaches, fair market access and greater collaboration across supply chains to support meaningful and sustainable improvements within the ASM sector.

As part of our TIN2030 strategy, and as a longstanding EPRM member, ITA’s participation reflects our continued commitment to supporting responsible ASM engagement and recognising the important role ASM plays within resilient and sustainable global tin supply chains. Our Tin Code, under Principle 8, promotes positive engagement and continuous improvement with suppliers of ASM, alongside our ASM Handbook which provides practical guidance on implementing ESG improvements and supporting progressive improvement of ASM.

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The decision follows an independent alignment assessment conducted by LME-approved assessor Kumi Consulting Ltd, confirming the Tin Code’s policies, standards and implementation are “Fully Aligned” with the OECD Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains of Minerals from Conflict‑Affected and High‑Risk Areas. 

This elevates Tin Code Standard 7.3 to a fully accepted Track A assurance pathway, enabling tin smelters to demonstrate responsible sourcing through a single, standardised and independently verified programme aligned with international expectations. 

Tin Code Standard 7.3 provides independent third-party assurance of key due diligence controls, including country of origin verification and processes to identify and mitigate risks, supported by transparent reporting. This is backed by independent assessment of the results to produce a clear and transparent performance rating. 

For downstream users, it improves access to verified responsible sourcing data, supporting procurement decisions, regulatory compliance and supply chain transparency. View our responsible sourcing assurance reports here. 

LMEpassport further enhances implementation by linking Certificates of Analysis and wider Tin Code full ESG disclosures directly to metal brands, creating a digital trail that improves traceability and access to verified documentation. 

Overall, the approval reinforces the Tin Code as a practical responsible sourcing assurance programme, aligned with OECD and international expectations, supported by recognised assurance standards and digital reporting tools.
 

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This marks ITA’s first visit to Indonesia in 2026, following a November 2025 trip by ITA’s Sustainability team to observe operations first-hand with the Tin Code as the focus, and a 2025 September visit by ITA CEO Helen Prins and the team for stakeholder engagement in Jakarta.

The team’s first trip was to Bangka Island. On the morning of 2nd June, the team visited PT Timah’s offshore KIP 7 mining site. The dredge vessel’s team explained the production process and guided the delegation through the entire operational flow. The dredge uses a simple-process method to treat alluvial tin ore from the seabed, producing a 70% tin concentrate through an environmentally-friendly operation.

On 3rd June, the ITA China team toured PT Mitra Stania Prima’s (MSP) smelter, which is operating near capacity, as well as its open-pit mine Mapur and dressing plant which produces a 70% tin concentrate for the company’s smelter.

With sustainability a key priority, the dressing plant operates using recirculated seawater in a closed-loop system.

In Jakarta, the ITA China team was welcomed by PT Timah’s Director of Production and Commercial Mr Ilhamsyah Mahendra and his team. Both sides discussed the venue and timing for the International Tin Conference for 2028, scheduled to be held in Indonesia.

The ITA team also extended a warm invitation to Mr. Ilhamsyah Mahendra to join the CEO panel discussions at the Asia Tin Week (ATW) 2026 conference, taking place in Kunming, China on 24th – 27th November.

Alongside this visit, Huanbo Qin delivered a presentation at the tin session of the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo organized by SMM, introducing China’s tin industry in the context of changing global tin ore supplies.

ITA thanks PT Timah and MSP for hosting the site visits and meetings in Jakarta.

Indonesia accounts for approximately 22% of global mine tin supply in 2025, and the country’s evolving tin export and production policies continue to have a significant impact on the global tin market.

PT Timah Tbk is a member of the International Tin Association.

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The work builds on ongoing research at St Andrews into high-capacity anode materials and further strengthens understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with tin-based energy storage technologies. The International Tin Association previously visited the University of St Andrews in 2024 as part of its ongoing programme to engage with leading researchers developing new applications for tin.

Tin is attracting significant attention as a sodium-ion battery anode material due to its high theoretical capacity of 847 mAh g⁻¹, more than double that of conventional hard carbon anodes. However, during charging, tin alloys with sodium and can undergo volume expansion of more than 400%, creating mechanical stresses that can lead to electrode degradation and capacity loss over time.

To better understand these challenges, the St Andrews team compared commercially available micron-sized tin particles with laboratory-synthesised nanosized tin materials. The materials were evaluated using both conventional carbonate-based electrolytes and diglyme-based electrolytes.

The study found that electrolyte chemistry played a decisive role in performance. Micron-sized tin operated in a diglyme-based electrolyte delivered stable cycling for more than 150 cycles, retaining approximately 85% of its capacity. Despite the substantial volume changes associated with sodium alloying, the electrolyte formed a stable and flexible solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) that helped maintain electrode integrity during repeated charge and discharge cycles.

In contrast, all materials tested in conventional carbonate electrolytes showed rapid capacity fading. Detailed microscopy revealed extensive electrolyte decomposition, cracking, and the formation of thick surface layers that isolated the active tin material from the electrochemical reaction. The researchers also observed that nanosized tin particles, while better able to accommodate volume expansion, promoted increased electrolyte decomposition due to their higher surface area. This ultimately resulted in poorer long-term cycling stability.

The findings highlight the importance of considering both particle size and electrolyte chemistry when developing tin-based sodium-ion batteries. Rather than focusing solely on reducing particle size, the research suggests that achieving stable long-term performance requires careful optimisation of the interactions between the tin anode and the electrolyte.

As interest in sodium-ion batteries continues to grow, studies such as this provide valuable guidance for researchers and developers seeking to commercialise high-capacity tin anodes. The work also reinforces the growing body of evidence that tin remains one of the most promising alloy-type anode materials for next-generation sodium-ion battery technologies.

For more information, visit Tin Valley.

Link to article

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Kentucky-based Sofab Inks has developed a proprietary tin oxide (SnO₂) nanoparticle ink for use in perovskite solar cells. Perovskites have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their high efficiencies and potential for lower manufacturing costs than conventional silicon photovoltaics. However, translating laboratory-scale breakthroughs into commercially viable products remains one of the industry’s greatest challenges.

Sofab’s solution is a solvent-based tin oxide ink containing nanoparticles as small as five nanometres. Within perovskite solar cells, these materials act as electron transport layers, helping move electrical charge efficiently through the device while remaining compatible with large-scale manufacturing processes.

Tin oxide is uniquely well suited for perovskite solar cells because it combines favorable energy alignment, high conductivity, chemical and photostability, and low-temperature solution processability, offering significant advantages over alternative metal oxides such as titanium oxide and zinc oxide.

The technology has already achieved notable recognition, contributing to large-area perovskite solar modules that have reported efficiencies exceeding 22%.

While the solar opportunity alone is significant, the broader implications for tin may be even more exciting.

The company is now exploring how its ultra-fine tin oxide materials could be applied across a range of emerging technologies. Tin oxide is already used in areas including catalysis, water treatment, carbon capture and utilisation (CCUS), batteries, sensors, and advanced electronic materials. Early studies suggest Sofab’s high-surface-area nanoparticles may offer performance advantages in catalytic applications, where surface chemistry and material activity are critical.

For the tin industry, developments such as these highlight an important trend. Traditional markets such as solder and tinplate will continue to underpin global tin demand, but future growth may increasingly come from specialised, high-value applications where performance, functionality, and innovation drive adoption. Advanced materials, functional coatings, catalysts, and clean energy technologies are creating new opportunities for tin to contribute to a more sustainable future.

As perovskite solar cells move closer to commercial reality and new applications continue to emerge, companies such as Sofab Inks demonstrate how innovation can expand the role of tin far beyond its traditional uses. What begins as a material solution for solar energy today could help unlock entirely new technologies and markets tomorrow.

Sofab Inks is actively seeking collaborators interested in evaluating its tin oxide nanoparticle technology for new applications, joint development projects, and commercial partnerships. To explore potential opportunities, contact Jack Manzella at jack.manzella@sofabinks.com.

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Yunnan Tin, the world’s largest producer of refined tin, has announced its intention to bid for fellow Chinese tin smelter Chifeng Dajingzi Tin Industry Company, a subsidiary of state-owned China Nonferrous Metal Mining Group (CNMC).

The bid is a part of an auction for 100% equity of the Inner Mongolia-based company, which has a production capacity of 5,000 tonnes per year, and this move appears to be linked to Yunnan Tin’s aim of building a ‘northern tin hub’ in China.

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Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) reported a 23.2% quarter-on-quarter increase in Q1 operating profit, despite lower revenue, driven by cost savings associated with the closure of its old Butterworth smelter.

The company recorded a Q1 operating profit of RM70 million (approximately US$18 million), more than double the RM31 million (approximately US$8 million) reported in Q1 2025.

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More than 260 delegates from 35 countries met from 19-21 May for discussions across responsible sourcing, critical minerals policy, market trends, future supply security, and innovative tin technologies.

International Tin Association (ITA) Chairman and OMSA Bolivia Managing Director, Mariano Pero welcomed delegates to the conference and highlighted tin’s essential role to the global economy, and the role of new supply from a variety of sources to secure the industry’s future.

Andalusian Minister for Industry, Energy and Mining Jorge Paradela outlined the regional government’s critical mineral mining policy, while Chatham House’s Head of Critical Minerals Initiative Chris Vandome offered a global outlook on critical minerals.

Immediately after addressing the conference, the Minister spoke to radio station Canal Sur about the challenges of progressing mineral projects and Australian tin developer Elementos’ tin project in Andalucia, Oropesa. In this conversation, Paradela shared that said that the ministry anticipates Oropesa’s permits will be granted “by the end of the year or in the first half of 2027” – a significant step forward for advancing new European tin supply.

ITA CEO Helen Prins led a dialogue session with leaders from Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Fund, Yunnan Tin, Minsur, MMR, and Chatham House about strategies to secure long-term and responsible supply.

Following this, officials from Austria’s Federal Ministry of Finance, the LME, the Global Electronics Association, and ITSCI discussed transparency in the tin supply chain and progress to build downstream trust in responsible tin. This follows a meeting convened by ITA ahead of the conference of its Responsible Tin Network, a group dedicated to shaping discussion and exploring solutions across ESG, traceability, and supply chain themes.

Looking to the future, the conference saw sessions on future supply with speakers from Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Fund, Cornish Metals, Elementos, and Stellar Resources, and on innovation in tin technologies with speakers from Metso, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Renesis Metals, the University of Leoben, Aqua Metrology Systems, and Edortech.

Delegates were taken on two industry tours during the week. On Monday, ITA Explorers & Developers (E&D) Group member Elementos led a visit to their flagship Oropesa Tin Project and to the nearby Rio Tinto copper mine operated by Atalaya Mining. Additionally, Atlantic Copper hosted a tour of their e-waste recycling facility as a part of its Circular Project.

Spain is a key country for tin, with strong circularity of supply through secondary producers such as leading recycler CRM Synergies, as well as a strong solder and alloys industry and the primary tin supply chain being established by Elementos. Manuel Alonso, CEO of CRM Synergies spoke to delegates about the case for tin tolling in Europe and the potential for Spain to become a global processing hub.

ITA thanks our esteemed sponsors and all delegates for their participation in the premier event for the global tin industry. ITA continues to work to lead the industry towards a sustainable future, championing innovation, responsible practices, and collaboration across the supply chain.

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