From 2019 to 2020, the value of globally exported tin appreciated by 8.1%.
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, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bolivia and Laos. Combined, that quintet of leading tin exporters accounted for almost four-fifths (78.1%) of world tin shipments for 2020.
Applying a continental lens, Oceania’s Australia sold the highest dollar worth of exported tin during 2020 with shipments valued at $121.3 million or 37.4% of the global total. In second place were African exporters at 33.3% trailed by Latin America (12.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Asia (10%).
Smaller percentages came from providers in Europe (5.9%) and North America (1.1%).
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2609 for tin ores and concentrates.
Top Tin Exporters
Countries
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of tin during 2020.
- Australia: US$121.3 million (37.4% of total tin exports)
- Tanzania: $40.9 million (12.6%)
- Democr. Rep. Congo: $40 million (12.3%)
- Bolivia: $30.1 million (9.3%)
- Laos: $21 million (6.5%)
- Rwanda: $20.7 million (6.4%)
- Russia: $14 million (4.3%)
- Brazil: $9.8 million (3%)
- Myanmar: $7.1 million (2.2%)
- Namibia: $3.8 million (1.2%)
- United States: $3.1 million (0.9%)
- Spain: $2.5 million (0.8%)
- Singapore: $2.4 million (0.7%)
- Portugal: $1.5 million (0.5%)
- Malaysia: $1.1 million (0.3%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 98.4% of global tin exports in 2020.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing tin exporters since 2019 were: Namibia (up 6,886%), Bolivia (up 3,514%), Laos (up 453.5%) and Singapore (up 127.6%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported tin sales were led by: Brazil (down -49.1%), Rwanda (down -43.3%), United States (down -23.3%), Portugal (down -21.9%) and Russia (down -10%).
Advantages
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for tin during 2020. 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$121.3 million (net export surplus down -7.2% since 2019)
- Tanzania: $40.9 million (up 1.7%)
- Democr. Rep. Congo: $40 million (up 20.4%)
- Bolivia: $30.1 million (down -11,633%)
- Laos: $21 million (up 2,231%)
- Rwanda: $20.7 million (down -43.3%)
- Russia: $14 million (down -10.1%)
- Brazil: $9.1 million (down -50.3%)
- Myanmar: $7.1 million (up 33.4%)
- Namibia: $3.6 million (up 6,467%)
- United States: $3.1 million (down -23.3%)
- Spain: $2.4 million (up 3.8%)
- Portugal: $1.4 million (down -26.3%)
- Ivory Coast: $825,000 (no 2019 data)
- France: $750,000 (up 22.3%)
Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of tin. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms Australia’s strong competitive advantage for this specific product category.
Opportunities
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for tin during 2020. 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$554.7 million (net export deficit down -16.1% since 2019)
- Malaysia: -$328.6 million (down -12.1%)
- Thailand: -$152.9 million (up 32.4%)
- Vietnam: -$10.7 million (down -8%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$4 million (up 29.6%)
- Cuba: -$572,000 (down -40.5%)
- United Kingdom: -$457,000 (down -13.6%)
- Hungary: -$351,000 (down 0%)
- Poland: -$336,000 (up 9.1%)
- Taiwan: -$334,000 (down -83.1%)
- Saudi Arabia: -$204,000 (down -17.4%)
- Venezuela: -$125,000 (down -1,663%)
- Romania: -$95,000 (down -32.6%)
- Czech Republic: -$80,000 (up 105.1%)
- Indonesia: -$79,000 (down -11.2%)
The People’s Republic of China incurred the highest deficit in the international trade of tin. In turn, this negative cashflow highlights strong Chinese competitive disadvantage for this specific product category but also signals opportunities for tin-supplying countries that help satisfy the powerful demand.
Companies
Tin Exporting Companies
Below are the top 10 tin-producing companies that also engage in the international trade of tin presented in descending order based on tin output. The home country for each business is shown within parenthesis.
- Yunnan Tin (China)
- Malaysia Smelting Corporation (Malaysia)
- PT Timah (Indonesia)
- Yunnan Tin Chengfeng (China)
- Minsur (Peru)
- EM Vinto (Bolivia)
- Thaisarco (Thailand)
- Guangxi China Tin (China)
- Metallo Chimique (Belgium)
- Gejiu Zi-Li (China)
Searchable List of Tin Exporting Countries in 2020
The 34 countries highlighted in the automated database below represent 100% of the value for globally exported tin during 2020.
| Rank | Exporter | Tin Exports (US$) | 2019-20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Australia | $121,349,000 | -7.2% |
| 2. | Tanzania | $40,894,000 | +1.7% |
| 3. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $39,984,000 | +20.4% |
| 4. | Bolivia | $30,101,000 | +3514% |
| 5. | Laos | $20,957,000 | +453.5% |
| 6. | Rwanda | $20,735,000 | -43.3% |
| 7. | Russia | $14,005,000 | -10% |
| 8. | Brazil | $9,752,000 | -49.1% |
| 9. | Myanmar | $7,125,000 | +33.4% |
| 10. | Namibia | $3,842,000 | +6886% |
| 11. | United States | $3,067,000 | -23.3% |
| 12. | Spain | $2,496,000 | +1.8% |
| 13. | Singapore | $2,397,000 | +127.6% |
| 14. | Portugal | $1,484,000 | -21.9% |
| 15. | Malaysia | $1,058,000 | +32.7% |
| 16. | Ivory Coast | $825,000 | 0% |
| 17. | France | $767,000 | -12.6% |
| 18. | Burundi | $690,000 | +52% |
| 19. | Taiwan | $675,000 | +44.8% |
| 20. | Nigeria | $503,000 | +1337% |
| 21. | Canada | $497,000 | -48.3% |
| 22. | South Africa | $318,000 | +53.6% |
| 23. | Colombia | $239,000 | +528.9% |
| 24. | Belgium | $198,000 | +942.1% |
| 25. | Zambia | $121,000 | +656.3% |
| 26. | Congo | $120,000 | +3900% |
| 27. | South Korea | $77,000 | +28.3% |
| 28. | Ireland | $67,000 | +48.9% |
| 29. | Turkey | $67,000 | 0% |
| 30. | Germany | $20,000 | 0% |
| 31. | Italy | $6,000 | -25% |
| 32. | Kenya | $3,000 | +200% |
| 33. | Sweden | $3,000 | -86.4% |
| 34. | Switzerland | $3,000 | -25% |
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means 2019 data was unavailable.
See also Top Nickel Exporters by Country, Top Aluminum Exporters by Country and Top Stainless Steel Exporters by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 13, 2021
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 13, 2021
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 13, 2021
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 13, 2021
Statistica (The Statistics Portal), Leading tin producing companies worldwide in 2016. Accessed on September 13, 2021
