China’s April trade figures show minimal tin exports
For the third month in a row China’s official customs figures show extremely low tin exports in April. Data released today indicates that shipments were again 99% down on year-ago levels, at only 15 tonnes of refined tin and alloy. Meanwhile refined tin imports...
Tin from Germany
High tin prices are encouraging several companies to re-examine the potential for tin mining in Saxonia, East Germany. The region, centred on the historic mining town of Freiberg, produced tin almost continuously from the fifteenth century until the re-unification of...
US Senate committee considers restricting commodity funds
Following hearings earlier this week, the chairman of a US Senate committee said that legislation to limit the influence of investment funds in commodity markets might be considered. This follows mounting concern about soaring energy and food prices worldwide....
Bolivian mining boom
The value of Bolivia's mining production grew 62% year-on-year in first quarter 2008 from US$310million to US$504million, according to local press reports quoted by Business News Americas. Tin contributed US$70 million to the total, up 44% on the first quarter of...
Queensland copper-tin project scheduled for 2009 start
ASX-listed North Queensland Metals has announced that its Baal Gammon mine project in the Herberton area west of Cairns is scheduled for commissioning late next year. The relatively small scale open pit copper project has valuable by-product tin, silver and indium. In...
Van Dieman re-thinks mine projects
Van Dieman Mines has announced a revised development plan for its two tin and sapphire mine projects in Tasmania. This followed a two month review of the projects by a newly-appointed operations director. The Scotia mine is now expected to begin commissioning in July...
Fund predicts end of tin price rally
The rally in tin, the biggest on the London Metal Exchange this year, is nearing an end because Chinese producers will export more to take advantage of record prices, Galena Asset Management Ltd. said. “It's not far off the finale,” Alan Williamson,...
Bolivia may take 50% stake in Colquiri mine
The Bolivian government and Glencore subsidiary Sinchi Wayra are discussing the conversion of lease contracts on two mines into joint ventures with a 50% state participation, according to a Metal Bulletin report yesterday. The discussions centre on the Colquiri tin...
China’s tin output down again in April
Official non-ferrous metals production figures published by China’s National Bureau of Statistics today showed that tin was again the only major metal for which a fall in output was reported. April production of refined tin was 11,703 tonnes, 10.5% lower than in...