At the 2025 Indonesia Mining Conference & Critical Metals Conference - 2025 Southeast Asia Tin Industry Conference, hosted by SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (SMM), supported by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a government supporter, and co-organized by the Association of Indonesia Nickel Miners (APNI), the Jakarta Futures Exchange, and China Coal Resource, Mamoko Egyul, a smelting expert from the Coordination and Technical Department for Mining Planning (CTCPM) of the DRC Ministry of Mines, delivered a presentation on the current status and development prospects of the African tin ore market, using the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as a case study. He introduced the geographical location and administrative situation of the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is abbreviated as DRC.
Geology and Mineralogy
► Geology
He elaborated on the types of tin deposits worldwide:
Notable tin deposits in Africa include:
Pegmatite-type deposits: Manono (DRC), Bikita (Zimbabwe), and Uis (Namibia);
Vein-type deposits: Jos (Nigeria);
► Placer deposits: Maniema Province, North Kivu Province (Bisié), and South Kivu Province (DRC).
In placer deposits, cassiterite is concentrated through gravitational forces, often accompanied by tungsten ore (wolframite) and other common heavy minerals (tantalite).
► Mineralogy
Tin primarily exists in nature as **cassiterite (SnO₂)**. Other minerals are of lower economic significance, ranked as follows:
Cassiterite (SnO₂): 78.7% tin content; Teallite (PbSnS₂): 30%; Stannite (Cu₂FeSnS₄): 27.6%; Cylindrite (Pb₃Sn₄Sb₂S₁₄): 24.8%, etc.
Tin Industry and Its By-products
Currently known mineral resources: 80 million mt of cassiterite, 30 million mt of tantalum-niobium ore, and 4 million mt of tungsten ore.
2024 Production: 43,000 mt of cassiterite, 2,900 mt of tantalum-niobium ore, and 337 mt of tungsten ore.
2024 DRC Mineral Statistics
2024 Industrial Exports of Tin Ore (mt)
He also elaborated on the 2024 artisanal cassiterite exports by province in the DRC, the 2024 artisanal tin concentrate exports by province in the DRC, the total 2024 cassiterite exports, the total 2024 artisanal tantalum-niobium ore exports, the distribution of 2024 artisanal tantalum-niobium ore exports, the 2024 tungsten ore exports, and the 2024 artisanal tungsten ore exports.
Changes in Tin Ore Exports from 2020 to 2024 (mt)
Changes in Tantalum-Niobium Ore Exports from 2020 to 2024 (mt)
Changes in Tungsten Ore Exports from 2020 to 2024 (mt)
Legal and Regulatory Framework for the Mining Industry in the DRC
The mining industry in the DRC is governed by the Mining Code and the Mining Regulations. This framework is attractive and incentivizing, with the following characteristics in particular:
Favorable tax, customs, and foreign exchange regimes; swift, transparent, and objective procedures for granting mining and/or quarrying rights;
Consideration of issues related to environmental protection and the well-being of communities surrounding mining projects;
Alignment with international standards for transparency and accountability.
Development and Prospects of Tin in the DRC
Currently, the DRC exports tin in the form of concentrate or intermediate products. This situation is not conducive to maximizing mining revenues and enhancing the added value of marketable mineral products in the country. Therefore, CTCPM (Congo Technical Center for Mineral Research and Planning), the research, design, and planning institution for mining activities in the DRC, proposes the following actions for the future:
• Sign a memorandum of cooperation with SMM on matters such as the use of SMM prices;
• Promote partnerships between the state-owned company SAKIMA and leading global tin ore mining enterprises;
• Conduct capacity-building training for CTCPM officials on the entire process of the tin industry chain.
Conclusion
Indeed, the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is currently facing an unjust war due to its abundant mineral resources. Currently, discussions are underway on how to help restore stability in the eastern part of the DRC.
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