Indonesian tin exports rise (probably)
The volume of refined tin checked for export from Indonesia in January was 9,914 tonnes, a trade ministry official told Reuters today. The figure is based on reports from two surveying companies which inspect tin prior to export as part of the new export licensing...
Bolivia to announce Vinto investment
Bolivia's President Evo Morales is expected to announce the signing of an agreement to install a new furnace at the Vinto metallurgical complex in Oruro later this week. "It will take nearly 18 months to install the new equipment, which calls for a US$15million...
Renison re-start confirmed for mid-year
Metals X has confirmed that commissioning of the Renison mill in Tasmania will begin in June, following the commencement of mining at the Mt Bischoff open pit this month and the Renison underground mine in April. The combined Renison operation, run by its subsidiary...
China freeze hits tin production
With China’s southern provinces suffering the worst weather conditions in 30 years in January, many mines and smelters are reported to have shut down, particularly in Hunan and Jiangxi. The two provinces accounted for over 20% of China’s tin production...
Indonesia to issue more tin export licences
Indonesia is preparing to issue two new tin export licenses, a government official said. That would bring the total to 17 licenced tin exporters, Hartojo Agus Tjahjono, export director of mining and industry products at the Trade Ministry, told Bloomberg in an...
Koba problems escalate
PT Koba Tin's smelting facilities on Indonesia's Bangka island have been shut down, pending an investigation into illegal mining, the head of local police force said today. "We closed down Koba Tin's smelting operation this morning. The company is not allowed to...
China’s tin production rose 7.4% in 2007
Provisional non-ferrous metals production figures released by China’s National Bureau of Statistics today show that refined tin production rose by 7.4% to 149,102 tonnes last year. December output was reported at 12,682 tonnes, 2.3% up on a year earlier. ITRI...
Wolf advances Hemerdon project
ASX-listed Wolf Minerals has commissioned several companies to update information on the Hemerdon Ball tungsten-tin project in Devon, UK with the aim of bringing the mine into production “as soon as possible”. A new JORC-compliant resource estimate will be...
Mixed views on price outlook
In the latest survey of LME metals price forecasts published by Reuters yesterday the average of 29 analysts’ forecasts of the tin price in 2008 was US$15,387/tonne, 6% higher than last year’s actual average of $14,542/tonne, but lower than recent levels....