MSC “no longer able to handle usual volume”
Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) has published a notice to suppliers detailing continued issues at its Butterworth smelter.
Weaker Chinese demand prompts continued exports
Customs data from China indicates that the country was a net exporter of refined tin again in March. Net exports were some four times higher than in February. The data reveals that, in March, imports of refined tin dropped to 102 tonnes, down some 78%. This is the...
Myanmar imports exceed expectations
China's imports of raw materials increased sharply in March. Imports from Myanmar, in particular, exceeded expectations. The latest customs data from the country reveals that it imported 21,115 tonnes of ores and concentrates (gross weight) in March. Some 86% of this...
EM Huanuni eyes Lucianita restart
Empresa Minera Huanuni plans to restart the Lucianita processing plant from 1 May, according to an announcement from COMIBOL. The Huanuni mine relies on the aging Santa Elena processing plant. This plant sees the bulk of the 1,500 tonnes processed daily, with some 200...
Tin boosts silicon performance in lithium-ion batteries
Tin nanoparticles are key to stabilising silicon-graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries, according to the latest published research. This work adds to growing evidence demonstrating tin can significantly boost silicon performance. Adding just 2% tin can dramatically...
MSC furnaces fail amidst smelter move
Malaysia Smelting Corporation, the world's third-largest refined tin producer, is having issues at its Butterworth smelter. The Butterworth smelter has five reverberatory furnaces, with annual capacity of some 25,000 tonnes. FastMarkets has reported that two of the...
Alphamin predicts EBITDA record as sales surge and tin market strength coincide
Alphamin Resources has been making good use of the high tin prices, according to its latest quarterly update. The company sold 3,351 tonnes of tin-in-concentrate at a realised price of US$ 23,083/tonne. This was a significant improvement over the final quarter of...
China smelters halt production
Small and medium-sized smelters in Gejiu, China, could suspend their refining processes due to environmental checks. This round of environmental inspections is set to begin in early April. Starting in Honghe prefecture, the checks could last around one month. In...
Environmental checks pressure Chinese raw materials supply
From the end of March, a number of tin fuming furnaces in the Chinese province of Yunnan will be closed for environmental checks. Fuming furnaces are a key part of smelting operations in China. The furnaces process low grade raw materials, including slag, hard-head,...