Indonesia exports down, but smelters can re-open
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
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
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 authorized...
Bangka governor wants smaller quota
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 proposal...
Yunnan Government plans stockpile to support smelters
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
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...
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...