Indonesia’s state-owned tin producer PT Timah says it is confident of reaching its production goal of 21,500 metric tons of tin in 2025, despite facing significant declines in output during the first half of the year. In that period, the company saw a 32% year-on-year drop in tin ore output (to 6,997 tons) and a 29% decline in refined tin production (to 6,870 tons). The CEO of PT Timah, Restu Widiyantoro, pointed out that illegal mining competition, heavy rains, and delays in opening new mines have contributed to the lower-than-expected performance.
To overcome these challenges, PT Timah has deployed a task force focused on suppressing illegal mining in its key areas around the Bangka and Belitung islands. This crackdown includes targeting middlemen who purchase ore from illicit operators. The company also supports measures to improve transparency, like requiring refined tin trade to happen through exchanges, which helps with traceability. If these enforcement and regulatory strategies succeed, PT Timah believes it can make up for the weak start and still hit its full-year target.
