Authorities in Myanmar’s autonomous Wa region have issued a new notice outlining a cost-sharing mechanism for dewatering deep mine shafts at Man Maw, marking another step toward the gradual restart of tin mining operations.
On 27 February, the Wa State Industrial and Mineral Resources Management Bureau (IMRB) released a document formalising the process for sharing pumping costs across 11 mine portals. The measure took effect from 1 March and follows discussions held between authorities and mine operators at the end of January.
Under the new arrangement, concentrate produced from the first batch of transported ore will be subject to a 5% fee to cover joint dewatering expenses.
Operators had been instructed to transport previously mined ore to processing facilities before 28 February, with site inspections at mine portals and concentrators scheduled from 1 March to verify implementation.
The Man Maw mining area is a complex of many interconnected underground mines, operated by several different companies. The highest-grade areas of the mining complex are the deepest adits, which have been flooded since operations were halted in June 2023.
Dewatering of deeper mining areas is expected to take more than a month, according to industry participants. When combined with the existing 30% tax-in-kind, total cost burdens for mine owners are estimated at around 35%.
Wa accounts for the majority of Myanmar’s tin concentrate exports to China. Shipments began to recover in late 2025, with exports averaging around 1,300 tonnes of contained tin per month in November–December, compared with roughly 630 tonnes per month during May–October. While January–February customs data have yet to be released, market participants expect export volumes to have remained at similar levels.
Our view: The introduction of a formal dewatering cost-sharing mechanism indicates that authorities are prioritising a structured restart of deeper, higher-grade mining areas. As pumping progresses and more mine portals resume operations, export volumes are expected to increase from March.
If domestic tin prices remain above RMB 350,000 per tonne in 2026 and restart momentum continues, Myanmar’s tin concentrate exports to China could approach 20,000 tonnes of contained tin this year.
ITA continues to monitor developments in Wa closely.
