Yunnan Tin commences annual smelter maintenance

Yunnan Tin Company (YTC), the world’s largest producer of refined tin, has announced it will commence maintenance at its Gejiu smelter in China on 30 August, and will last for up to 45 days.
Annual maintenance is usually performed in July and August, although it has occurred later than usual for the past two years, and timing is selected based on the company’s operational plans and annual budget. Maintenance will have no significant impact on the company’s production plan. Refined tin production in China is expected to fall substantially as a result, with YTC’s Gejiu plant representing approximately one third of the country’s production.
This year’s maintenance coincides with maintenance at several other major Chinese tin producers and, much like in 2024, comes at a time of acute tightness in the concentrate market. A reduction in refined production will likely ease some of the tightness, although as Chinese smelters return from annual maintenance in autumn, larger volumes of tin may be crossing the border from the Wa region of Myanmar.