Wa renews push for mining restart at Man Maw

Authorities in the autonomous Wa region of Myanmar held a meeting with former Man Maw mine operators on Wednesday morning to clarify the process for companies to resume mining at the world’s largest tin mine.
On 23 April, the Wa State Industrial and Mineral Management Bureau met with other officials and investors in the companies formerly mining at Man Maw and officially released the document previously seen by the International Tin Association detailing the new licensing regime.
The meeting was originally scheduled for 01 April but had been delayed due to the earthquake in Myanmar at the end of March.
Wa accounts for the vast majority of Myanmar’s tin concentrate exports, with the country ranking as the third largest tin miner globally before the mining suspension in August 2023.
Authorities set fees for mining and processing significantly higher than previously set in a December 2023 announcement. Analysts believe that the new fee structure will have limited impact on near-surface operations, but will place major cost pressures on deeper mining operations and smaller processing plants. The smaller producers may find it difficult to restart operations, while larger enterprises with strong capital availability will have an advantage.
Applications for new mining and processing permits will be collated by Wa authorities and will be subject to final approval by the Central Economic Planning Committee (EPC). The EPC will grant permits upon payment of the licensing fees.
After a 20-month mining ban, the market remains unsteady on poor clarity of the timing of the recommencement of operations at Wa, and it is expected to take at least two months for full-scale mining to resume. The new regulations may drive resource development at Man Maw towards larger scale, more intensive operations.
With Alphamin announcing the gradual resumption of operations at its Bisie mine in eastern DR Congo, the return of supply from Wa is expected to help soften market pressure in the coming months.