China’s National Bureau of Statistics today released provisional non-ferrous metals production figures for September, which showed refined tin production at 10,113 tonnes. Although the September total was 12.5% lower than in September 2007, it was higher than in July and August 2008. The slight recovery reflects the conclusion of a major maintenance shutdown of Yunnan Tin’s Gejiu smelter, although national output remains constrained by a shortage of raw materials.
Refined tin production in the first three quarters of 2008 was down 13.8% year-on-year to 92,320 tonnes according to NBS. In the same period Chinese production of all other LME metals increased, with gains ranging from 8.8% for zinc to 16.5% for lead.
