SHANGHAI, Feb 4 (SMM)—China produced 8,958 mt of tin ore and concentrate in December, up 24.3% on the month, but down 4.2% on the year, and output totalled 94,463 mt in 2020, up 10.4% from a year ago, data from National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed. China imported 158,000 mt of tin ore, or 39,536 mt in tin content, in 2020, accounting for 30% of total tin ore supply in China, while domestic tin ore output stood at 94,463 mt (tin content), accounting for 70%. 

Inner Mongolia Yinman Mining resumed operation in August 2020, producing 500-700 mt of tin ore (tin content) per month, and its monthly output is expected to rise to above 1,000 mt in 2021. 

Currently, Covid-induced restrictions still affect transportation of tin ore. Rising tin prices have made it more profitable to process low-grade raw ore such as the Sn 0.7% ore, and thus tin ore imports from Myanmar are likely to increase in the near term.