Provisional data released today by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that China’s refined tin production in January-February was 20,300 tonnes, 94% higher than in the same two months of 2009, Bloomberg reported. Production of all other LME metals also rose by between 9% (nickel) and 48% (zinc). February tin production was 9,700 tonnes, 9% lower than in January but just over double the February 2009 level.

The large year-on-year increases in tin reflect that fact that several major plants, including Yunnan Tin’s Gejiu smelter, were closed in this period last year in response to the slump in sales and prices following the global financial crisis. The latest monthly figures are lower than levels of some 12,000 – 14,000 tpm recorded in the final quarter of last year, due to the impact of Spring Festival holidays. ITRI expects that monthly output will move back up to around 12,000 tpm from March.