Export license rule change restricts Indonesian shipments
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20 April:Changing rules regarding the granting of export permits for Indonesian tin producers have restricted shipments of refined tin since early March.Customs data revealed shipments fell to 5,469 tonnes in March, down from 7,207 tonnes in February, while Indonesian Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (ICDX) data indicates similarly low levels of trading activity so far in April. State tin producer, PT TIMAH, has estimated that around 3,000 tonnes of tin shipments have been affected since March 6 by failure to be granted government approval.A solution to the issue is in sight, with responsibility for export quotas transferred from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to the Ministry of Trade. New rules are currently being finalized, with a draft awaiting approval from the Law and Human Rights Ministry, Reuters has reported.Our view: We understand the delay to shipments has led to a build-local in ICDX warehouse inventories to almost 3,000 tonnes. The delay has been supportive of tin prices in recent weeks due to concerns about supply shortages, although a swift resolution to the current issue would likely result in high export volumes as the backlog of shipments is released into the global market over the following weeks.
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Renison output down slightly ahead of ore sorter completion
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20 April: Australian miner Metals X’s Q1 activities report has revealed that production from the Renison tin mine in Tasmania fell to 1,725 tonnes in Q1, down 3.3% year-on-year and 3.4% from Q4 2017.The small drop in tin output compared to the last quarter of 2017 was due to slightly lower tin recoveries of 73.4% despite an increase in ore grade to 1.27%. 207,639 tonnes of ore were mined in Q1, up 11% both year-on-year and compared to the previous quarter, despite the volume of ore processed remaining broadly stable at 185,196 tonnes. Cash costs rose to A$11,429 (US$8,800) per tonne of tin contained up 5.2% from Q4.Surplus ore is being stockpiled ahead of the completion of a new ore sorting plant. During the quarter, construction of the ore sorter accelerated with the fabrication completed and construction beginning. The ore sorter and additional mine development required to boost output remain on track for completion in the June 2018 quarter.Our view: Metals X owns a 50% equity interest in Renison through its 50% stake in the Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture. With the commissioning of the new ore sorter, we provisionally anticipate that production from the underground mine will total some 8,000 tonnes in 2018, with output rising to 8,500tpy in subsequent years.
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Aus Tin commence Granville expansion
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16 April: Aus Tin Mining (ASX-ANW) have announced the execution of a contract with Jemrok Pty Ltd. to carry out mining activities and construction of a new tailings storage facility for the level 2 expansion of its Granville tin operation in western Tasmania.The new tailings site is located downstream of the existing storage facility and has a design capacity appropriate for level 2 operations. The construction phase is expected to take six weeks, with mine operations also set to commence at the Granville East mine on a contract mining basis. Concentrate production will recommence once sufficient ore stockpiles from mining have been accumulated, which is expected to be the case by the middle of the year. Tin concentrate output will ramp-up in the second half of 2018.The cash cost of production for the level 2 expansion has been revised upwards to A$17,300/t (~US$ 13,450) from A$15,600/t (~US$ 12,500) in July 2017. This is due to higher operating costs at the site related to the finalised cost of contract mining and adoption of a lower tin recovery of 60%.Our view: The Company has already been producing tin concentrate by processing tailings material and ore stocks at Granville but had been limited by existing user rights which restricted annual processing to 2,500 tonnes of ore. The new approval increases this limit to 40,000 tonnes and permits the resumption of mining at the Granville East open pit mine. The expansion is projected to result in an increase in tin-in-concentrate output to 550 tpa.
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Tin makes solid state sodium-ion battery super conductive
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6 April:Scientists at Pennsylvania State and Pacific Northwest universities in the US a superconductive material for solid-state sodium ion batteries using tin.The new material is based on the sodium-phosphorus-sulfur family of solid electrolytes, similar to materials being developed for solid-state lithium-ion batteries. Adding 19% tin to the formula boosted ionic conductivity to a high of 0.67 mS cm-1. The crystal structure of the conductor had a high number of channels and pathways for sodium ions to pass through. The team went on to test a prototype battery, itself using a sodium-tin alloy electrode, to demonstrate its potential application.Our view: Sodium-ion batteries are cheaper than lithium-ion technologies, though with lower charge capacity, and solid state versions are safer because they don’t have flammable components. They are most likely to be used in larger scale energy storage applications.
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Zeon Corporation patent tin-carbon anode for lithium-ion batteries
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6 April:Japanese chemicals producer Zeon Corporation has worked with Shinshu University, Japan to develop and patent a novel tin-carbon anode for lithium-ion batteries with dramatically increased energy density.The technology is part of a second generation of lithium-ion anodes now being adopted that enhance the performance of conventional graphite anodes by adding tin and/or silicon, possibly with other elements such as cobalt too. This particular innovation has increased the available energy density benefit by reducing the weight of the carbon active component. The new material is made using carbon nanotubes prepared with the ‘supergrowth’ method used in the Zeon Tokuyama plant, and electroplating to distribute fine particles of tin inside the composite.Our view: Zeon Corporation is part of the Furukawa Group that includes well-known brands such as Fuji Electric and Fujitsu. The company produces elastomers and other speciality chemicals, including binders for lithium-ion batteries. Development of energy materials is part of its long-term strategy.
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