Kasbah Resources’ Achmmach tin project in Morocco is on track towards the completion of a pre-feasibility study on bulk underground mining of the deposit in the second quarter of next year. A full feasibility study should be completed in the first half of 2012, according to managing director Wayne Bramwell, speaking at the Africa Down Under mining conference in Perth today.

The mine is expected to produce 5,400 – 6,000 tpy of tin in concentrate over a phase one mine life read more

Offshore tin mining is contributing more to Indonesian state-controlled tin miner PT Timah’s production, according to first half results released on Monday. January-June offshore tin-in-concentrate production rose by 28% year-on-year and contributed 52% of the company’s total mine production of 17,588 tonnes. In the second quarter this share rose to 68%. However while mine output has risen from quite depressed levels in the first half of 2009, refined tin production increased only read more

Peruvian tin producer Minsur will see a temporary decrease in concentrate production at its San Rafael mine in Puno region, according to local paper Gestion today. The story, reported by BNAmericas, said that in compliance with a precautionary measure enforced by energy and mining investment regulator Osinergmin, Minsur will stop sending tailings to two existing storage areas and will instead use them in back-filling mined-out areas in the San Rafael mine. The move will reduce concentrate read more

An International Conference and Exhibition on the Rehabilitation, Restoration and Transformation of Mining Land is to be held from 1 to 3 November 2010 in Kuala Lumpur, which is being co-organised and co-sponsored by the Kuala Lumpur Tin Market (KLTM) and major Malaysian industry corporations and organisations. “This will be the first Conference/Exhibition on such an important subject matter ever organised in the country or perhaps in the region, and we are certainly very excited about read more

Adex Mining Inc has announced a deal with a Hong Kong based investor to arrange funding for its Mount Pleasant project in New Brunswick, Canada. Adex could potentially start production of tin, zinc and indium from the North Zone of the project in 2012, while another orebody could subsequently produce tungsten, molybdenum and other by-products.

Great Harvest Canadian Investment Company Limited will provide up to C$12 million in equity and C$50 million in loans, which will cover the read more

America’s Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) is drawing attention to the fact that this week we should be celebrating the 200th “Can-niversary” of the food can, and “acknowledging its consistent relevance in our past, present and future.”

The can revolution began on August 25, 1810, when Englishman Peter Durand was granted a patent for an idea to preserve food in tinplate vessels. The can manufacturing industry was born in England in 1812 and was brought read more

The tonnage of tin metal checked prior to export from Indonesia in July was 8,870 tonnes, 1% higher than in the same month last year and 10% up on the previous month. “Smelters raised output and released their stockpiles after gains in tin price,” Alberth Tubogu, export director for mining and industry products at the Ministry of Trade, told Bloomberg. However year-to-date shipments in the seven months to July this year, at 52,133 tonnes, are 12.2% lower than in the same period of read more

Yunnan Tin Company, China’s and the world’s largest tin producer posted a net profit of RMB 184 million yuan (US$ 27 million) for the first half of this year, up 544 % from a year earlier. The company increased its refined tin production by 19.6% to 29,400 tonnes in January-June, and also announced an even stronger recovery in the performance of its downstream businesses. YTC produced 8,459 tonnes of tin chemical products in the first half, up 69% from a year ago, and 8,998 tonnes read more

The short period the US has given countries to prove their minerals are not from DR Congo will disrupt supply and hurt economies, a Rwandan government told East Africa Business Week. The US financial reform act passed by President Obama on 20 July includes a provision requiring companies to disclose whether they use minerals from DRC or neighbouring countries within nine months.

Dr. Michael Biryabarema, Director General Rwanda Geology and Mines Authority argues that enough time is read more

Tin production in Indonesia, the world's largest exporter, may fall 20% short of a government target of 105,000 tonnes as unseasonally long rains hamper mining. "Rains could cause a 20 percent fall in tin output for this year from our initial target," Witoro Soelarno, secretary at the directorate general of minerals, coal and geothermal at the energy ministry told Reuters.

The new government forecast would take output towards levels already expected by analysts because of read more

Silver Standard Resources reported increased output and falling operating costs at its Pirquitas silver-tin-zinc project in Argentina, but has further downgraded its estimate of tin-in-concentrate production in 2010 to some 270 tonnes. The operation has a theoretical annual tin capacity of some 2,500 tpy .

In its latest quarterly results statement the company confirmed that it plans to produce seven million ounces of silver at a net cost (after by-product credits) of $10/ounce. read more

Korea’s tinplate and tin-free steel output in the first half of this year climbed by 13% year-on-year to 328,700 tonnes. Speculative demand from consumers prompted by several hikes in domestic prices contributed to the increase in output, according to Steel Business Briefing.

SBB notes that demand from end-users has improved slightly during the period and exports have also increased. Producers led by the three major mills – Dongbu, TCC Steel, and Shinhwa Silup – read more

Cookson Group plc, the world’s largest solder producer, reported a 43% year-on-year rise in sales by its Electronics Division in the first half of 2010 to UK£344 million, although it noted that some £30 million of the increase was accounted for by higher tin and silver prices being passed through to customers. The division includes both assembly materials (solders) and electro-plating chemicals. After adjustments for raw materials and exchange rates changes, underlying sales read more

Peruvian tin producer Minsur's net sales in the first half of 2010 rose to 1.18 billion soles (US$420 million), up 91.9% from the same period in 2009, thanks to the greater volume of metal sold and higher tin prices, according to official filings to securities regulator Conasev reported by BNAmericas. The company's operating profit in H1 rose 106% year-on-year to 869 million soles, while net profit was nearly 467 million soles , up 24.3% year-on-year.

Minsur is Peru's only tin read more

Metals X reported an improved operating margin of some A$8,000/tonne of tin-in-concentrate at its Renison Tin 50:50 joint venture with Yunnan Tin Group in the June quarter. Cash operating costs at the Tasmanian operation were reported at A$12,518/tonne, and with tin prices rising the unit generated a positive cash flow of A$12.3 million in the quarter.

Total production of tin-in-concentrate in April-June was 1,673 tonnes, bringing the annual total in the company’s financial read more