Timah production and margins revive in Q3
Indonesia’s PT Timah reported a strong revival in its production volumes in the September quarter, while profitability was also considerably improved compared to the first half of the year. The state-controlled tin company reported tin-in-concentrate production...
Japan imports remain low
Japan’s tin imports fell by 38% year-on-year to 15,181 tonnes in January-September. The drop was mainly due to very poor consumption in the first 4 – 5 months of the year, although imports in September were also very low, at 1,462 tonnes, down 48% on the...
China reduces export quotas
China’s commerce ministry announced reduced 2010 quotas for exports of tin, tungsten, antimony and magnesium over the weekend. Quotas for molybdenum, indium and silver were unchanged. Nest year’s quota for tin and tin products is 21,000 tonnes, down from...
Metals X-Yunnan Tin deal delayed
The deal announced in July under which China’s Yunnan Tin Group is to acquire up to 60% of Metals X’s Tasmanian tin assets as part of a joint venture between the two companies is on hold pending approval from Australia’s Foreign Investment Review...
Analysts raise short- and long-term metal price forecasts
Most analysts have raised their price forecasts for most LME metals, according to two separate surveys published by Reuters last week. Reuters surveyed views both on likely annual average prices in 2010 and for long-term (beyond 10 years) averages. The biggest upward...
Rains still hamper Indonesian production
A resumption of operations by private smelters in Indonesia continues to be held back by bad weather and police activity, despite original plans to re-start production and ore buying last week. Johan Murod, a director at the Bangka-Belitung Timah Sejahtera consortium...
Peru strike begins
Miners at a number of major Peruvian mining companies were due to start a 24-hour strike today over proposed legislation on pension and bonus issues. “The only way the government listens to us is when we go on strike. We’ve been working with Congress on...
Indonesian shipments fall in September
Data released by Indonesia’s trade ministry today shows a 29.5% year-on-year fall in tin checked for export in September to 7,755 tonnes. This is the lowest monthly total since April and reflects the impact of a police clampdown on illegal mining which began in...
Russia-China joint Siberian plan
Russia and China are to carry out joint exploitation of raw material deposits in Siberia under a 2009-2010 cooperation programme, the Russian daily Vedomosti reported. The programme, including 205 joint projects in the border regions, was approved by the Russian and...