Yunnan Tin Company Limited announced that it has commenced a regular smelting equipment maintenance at its main 50,000 tpy capacity Gejiu plant from 30th December in order to ensure good performance and sustainable production. It is estimated that the maintenance work on the Ausmelt furnace will last for 35 days. The refinery will continue to operate and YTC can meet sales requirements from stocks.
The company said it is a routine maintenance and will not affect its annual production plan. YTC produces some 70,000 tpy of refined tin, mainly in Gejiu but also including production at its smaller Chenzhou plant in Hunan province and toll smelting at overseas producers. The shut-down will help under-pin a currently weak physical market in China. Other Chinese smelters are also reducing production because of low prices and the coming of Spring Festival holiday at the end of the month.
