Wa State authorities have issued instructions for applications for mining, processing, and prospecting licences in the autonomous region of Myanmar that suspended tin mining in August 2023.
In a document seen by the International Tin Association, the authorities outlined the new process for permitting, involving applications to the Wa State Industrial and Mineral Administration Office. As a part of the approval process, surveyors will visit mine sites to validate information provided and determine the licensing fee.
Applications are subject to approval from the Economic Planning Committee (EPC) and payment of the licensing fee to the Bureau of Industry and Mines who will issue the relevant licence.
This announcement is seen as a first step towards the re-commencement of tin mining operations in Wa. Pre-suspension, Myanmar was the third largest tin miner, with the vast majority of the country’s mined tin originating from the Man Maw mining area within Wa.
This is the first major announcement from Wa since details of a new mining tax scheme were released by the EPC in February 2024, which did not indicate any plans for a restart to tin mining.
The mining ban was partially lifted at the start of January 2024 for other minerals, but notably the Man Maw mining area was specifically excluded from the order, despite a request from the mine investors.
Our view: While this step represents progress towards a restart to mining at Man Maw, a resumption to production will not be immediate. A delay of a few months could be expected as workers—mainly from China—will need to re-apply for work permits and move back to Wa, and only then can mines and processing plants ramp back up to usual volumes. Additionally, due to the long shutdown at Man Maw, dewatering will likely be required before mining can resume on a significant scale.
ITA continues to monitor the situation closely.
