PT Timah gives downstream investments priority
In a press briefing yesterday, PT Timah executives said that the company was pursuing plans to move into solder and tin chemicals production, despite overall cutbacks in capital spending. A combination of lower refined metal output and increased tin products activity...
Metals X: Renison still viable but projects likely to be shelved
In a statement today Metals X Limited reported further problems in the ramp-up to full production at its Renison mine in Tasmania and also suggested that a planned expansion there and the development of its Wingellina nickel project will be held back by low prices and...
Price fall threatens Bolivian mines
A senior Bolivian government official warned of mines closures and job losses if world tin prices continue to fall. The country has already been hit hard by the slump in zinc prices and last month announced measures to support small scale mines. Freddy Beltran, mining...
Van Dieman agrees new re-financing deal with Galena
Van Dieman Mines has agreed a new one year GB£6.75 million financing arrangement with the Galena Special Situations Master Fund Limited to allow it to progress its two tin projects in Tasmania. Galena will in turn receive loan notes which can be converted into a...
Indonesian police fight tin smuggling
Police in Bangka-Belitung province have stepped up efforts to control illegal mining and smuggling of tin ore. Most independent tin smelters ceased operations last month as world tin prices fell sharply, leaving small scale miners with a much reduced market for their...
Minsur completes Taboca acquisition
Minsur SA of Peru has completed the purchase of the Paranapanema group’s Taboca tin division, according to Brazilian press reports today. The 850 million reais (US$374 million) deal was done through Minsur’s Brazilian offshoot Serra da Madeira and adds...
Progress on tin mine projects
While the world financial crisis and lower tin prices have adversely affected a number of new mine projects, the big Pirquitas silver/tin/zinc operation in Argentina is still on schedule to start production early next year. In addition several Australian Stock...
China production up and down
Official production figures released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics today show a large rise in output in October, but year-to-date production still running more than 10% down on 2007 levels. ITRI believes that the figure reported for last month is...
MSC reports healthy results to September
Malaysia Smelting Corporation posted a pre-tax profit of Malaysian Ringgit 55.6 million (US$15.5 million) for the nine months ended September 30, 2008, up 28.8% from the same period in 2007. For the third quarter ended September 30, 2008, pre-tax profit was RM 22.0...