Brazilian tin production has increased sharply in the first half of this year, but tin companies there are still facing challenging issues. After falling below 10,000 tonnes for the first time since the early 1980s in 2006, Brazil’s mine production of tin-in-concentrates in January-June 2007 has jumped by 48% year-on-year to 5,770 tonnes, according to provisional data collected by the industry association SNIEE. Meanwhile refined metal production is up by 18% to 4,970 tonnes in the same period.
The rises are due to increased production by the Paranapanema group and small scale garimpeiro operations. Paranapanema’s mine production has been close to 60% up on last year’s level, following the successful commissioning of the first phase of its hard rock mining operation at the Pitinga mine late last year. However a second phase expansion is now believed to be running behind schedule and the group recorded a $33 million loss in January-June as a result of problems in the group’s copper subsidiaries. Meanwhile mine production by CSN subsidiary Ersa has declined sharply this year and the company has temporarily idled its smelter.
