The overall value of exported tin exploded by an average 210.1% for exporting countries since 2018 when tin shipments totaled $231.1 million.
Year over year, the value of globally exported tin accelerated by 42.3% compared to $503.3 million during 2021.
Tin is a key ingredient used to solder microelectronic components to circuit boards. Tin can prevent corrosion when coating other metals.
The 5 biggest suppliers of tin on international markets are Australia, Congo, Brazil, Malaysia and Rwanda. Combined, that quintet of leading tin exporters collected about three-quarters (75.6% of international sales from exports of tin in 2022.
Applying a continental lens, suppliers in Oceania’s Australia sold the highest dollar worth of exported tin during 2022 with shipments valued at $263.8 million or 36.8% of the global total. In second place were suppliers in Africa at 29% trailed by those in Asia (15.9%) and Latin America (11.5%) plus the Caribbean.
Smaller percentages came from providers in Europe (6.4%) and North America (0.4%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2609 for tin ores and concentrates.
Top Tin Exporters
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of tin during 2022.
- Australia: US$263.8 million (36.8% of total tin exports)
- Congo: $127.8 million (17.8%)
- Brazil: $74.4 million (10.4%)
- Malaysia: $42.9 million (6%)
- Russia: $33 million (4.6%)
- Laos: $29.4 million (4.1%)
- Nigeria: $27.4 million (3.8%)
- Vietnam: $26.9 million (3.8%)
- Democratic Rep. Congo: $20.7 million (2.9%)
- Namibia: $17.6 million (2.5%)
- Tanzania: $13.6 million (1.9%)
- Spain: $8.7 million (1.2%)
- Thailand: $5.6 million (0.8%)
- Venezuela: $3.1 million (0.4%)
- Bolivia: $3.1 million (0.4%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 97.4% of globally exported tin in 2022.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing tin exporters since 2021 were: Thailand (up 70,425%), Venezuela (up 61,900%), Laos (up 1,964%) and Nigeria (up 624.4%).
A pair of major suppliers posted declines in their exported tin sales, namely Bolivia (down -94.7% from 2021) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (down -60.2%).
Countries Earning Largest Trade Surpluses from Tin
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for tin during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the surplus between the value of each country’s exported tin and its import purchases for that same commodity.
- Australia: US$263.8 million (net export surplus up 5.9% since 2021)
- Congo: $127.8 million (2021 data unavailable)
- Brazil: $72.6 million (reversing a -$2.9 million deficit)
- Russia: $33 million (up 87.8%)
- Laos: $28 million (up 1,884%)
- Nigeria: $27.4 million (up 624.4%)
- Vietnam: $26.9 million (reversing an -$11 million deficit)
- Democratic Rep. Congo: $20.6 million (down -60%)
- Namibia: $17.6 million (up 42.3%)
- Tanzania: $13.6 million (up 160.9%)
- Spain: $7.8 million (up 9%)
- Venezuela: $3.1 million (up 61900%)
- Bolivia: $3.1 million (down -94.7%)
- United States: $2.6 million (down -45%)
- Portugal: $2.1 million (up 55.3%)
Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of tin. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms both countries’ strong competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Countries Facing Worst Trade Deficits from Tin
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for tin during 2022. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports. Thus, the statistics below present the deficit between the value of each country’s imported tin purchases and its exports for that same commodity.
- China: -US$2 billion (net export deficit up 53.6% since 2021)
- Malaysia: -$382.4 million (up 34.1%)
- Thailand: -$228.8 million (down -26.7%)
- Myanmar: -$27.8 million (up 343.6%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$16.8 million (up 88.4%)
- Belgium: -$5.9 million (up 5,667%)
- Rwanda: -$4.8 million (reversing a $46.9 million surplus)
- Poland: -$1.8 million (up 0.1%)
- Czech Republic: -$174,000 (down -22.7%)
- Uganda: -$162,000 (2021 data unavailable)
- Romania: -$151,000 (up 7.9%)
- Honduras: -$93,000 (2021 data unavailable)
- South Korea: -$80,000 (reversing a $61,000 surplus)
- Indonesia: -$73,000 (down -36%)
- Paraguay: -$45,000 (up 4,400%)
Mainland China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of tin. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights strong Chinese competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for tin-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Tin Exporting Companies
Below are the top 10 tin-producing companies that also engage in the international trade of tin presented in descending order based on tin output. The home country for each business is shown within parenthesis.
- Yunnan Tin (China)
- Malaysia Smelting Corporation (Malaysia)
- PT Timah (Indonesia)
- Yunnan Tin Chengfeng (China)
- Minsur (Peru)
- EM Vinto (Bolivia)
- Thaisarco (Thailand)
- Guangxi China Tin (China)
- Metallo Chimique (Belgium)
- Gejiu Zi-Li (China)
Searchable List of Tin Exporting Countries in 2022
The 36 countries highlighted in the automated database below represent 100% of the value for globally exported tin during 2022.
| Rank | Exporter | Tin Exports | 2021-2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Australia | $263,830,000 | +5.9% |
| 2. | Congo | $127,803,000 | 0% |
| 3. | Brazil | $74,402,000 | +605.3% |
| 4. | Malaysia | $42,919,000 | +227.8% |
| 5. | Russia | $32,953,000 | +87.8% |
| 6. | Laos | $29,430,000 | +1964% |
| 7. | Nigeria | $27,439,000 | +624.4% |
| 8. | Vietnam | $26,914,000 | 0% |
| 9. | Democratic Rep. Congo | $20,654,000 | -60.2% |
| 10. | Namibia | $17,630,000 | +41.5% |
| 11. | Tanzania | $13,552,000 | +160.9% |
| 12. | Spain | $8,653,000 | +13.6% |
| 13. | Thailand | $5,642,000 | +70425% |
| 14. | Venezuela | $3,100,000 | +61900% |
| 15. | Bolivia | $3,092,000 | -94.7% |
| 16. | United States | $2,663,000 | -44.2% |
| 17. | Hong Kong | $2,542,000 | -52.5% |
| 18. | France | $2,214,000 | -41.1% |
| 19. | Portugal | $2,082,000 | +53.2% |
| 20. | Myanmar | $1,777,000 | -37.4% |
| 21. | Mongolia | $1,725,000 | +190.4% |
| 22. | Kyrgyzstan | $1,530,000 | 0% |
| 23. | Colombia | $1,516,000 | +335.6% |
| 24. | China | $918,000 | 0% |
| 25. | Singapore | $618,000 | -42.9% |
| 26. | Burundi | $442,000 | 0% |
| 27. | Zambia | $195,000 | +57.3% |
| 28. | Peru | $72,000 | 0% |
| 29. | Italy | $58,000 | -91.9% |
| 30. | South Korea | $39,000 | -50% |
| 31. | Türkiye | $18,000 | -35.7% |
| 32. | Netherlands | $6,000 | +500% |
| 33. | Honduras | $6,000 | 0% |
| 34. | South Africa | $5,000 | -98.6% |
| 35. | Sweden | $2,000 | -33.3% |
| 36. | Czech Republic | $2,000 | 0% |
Focusing on these suppliers, the fastest gainers from 2021 to 2022 were Thailand (up 70,425%), Venezuela (up 61,900%), Laos (up 1,964%), Nigeria (up 624.4%), Brazil (up 605.3%), then (up 500%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the above table’s columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means 2021 data was unavailable.
See also Top Nickel Exporters by Country, Top Aluminum Exporters by Country, Top Stainless Steel Exporters by Country and Copper Ore Exports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 2, 2023
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 2, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 2, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 2, 2023
Statistica (The Statistics Portal), Leading tin producing companies worldwide in 2018. Accessed on September 2, 2023