The International Tin Association is pleased to announce that Atlantic Tin, tin-focused mineral exploration and development company and ITA’s Explorers and Developers (E&D) Group Member, has committed to implementing the Tin Code sustainability standard for its Achmachm tin project in Morocco.

This commitment demonstrates Atlantic Tin’s efforts to adopt responsible and sustainable tin mining practices from an early stage during the development of their operation, aligning with the growing global expectations for Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles in the mining sector.

“This commitment is part of Atlantic Tin’s broader strategy to integrate sustainable development goals into its core operations and contribute positively to the global tin supply chain. By aligning with the ITA’s Tin Code, Atlantic Tin also supports the collective movement towards a more sustainable and equitable future for the tin industry.” Atlantic Tin

“The Tin Code is now available to explorers and developers, and it’s great to see companies making use of it. Atlantic Tin’s commitment to the Tin Code positions them as leaders taking steps towards sustainable practices from early on in their tin project development” said Mayra Díaz del Olmo, ITA Sustainability Standards Manager.

You can find more information about Atlantic Tin and the Achmmach Project here

For more information on the Tin Code for E&D’s and how to participate visit our website.

The RTS Group brings together downstream and upstream supply chain actors from all tiers of the tin value chain as a platform for exchanging information, working towards international standards for reporting, and helping to achieve compliance.

We’re hosting the next call on Thursday, June 27th at 3:00 PM CEST to delve into exciting new developments around the Tin Code and responsible sourcing:

• New smelter assurance for responsible tin sourcing
• Latest Tin Code (ESG) reports published and key take-aways
• Highlights from industry gatherings at the International Tin Conference (Penang) and the OECD
Forum for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains

Joining the RTS Group is simple and free. It’s open to any company within the tin supply chain. You can sign up by emailing sonia.marsh@internationaltin.org. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Find out more about the RTS Group here.

In a landmark announcement at the International Tin Conference on May 15th, the International Tin Association (ITA) shared the first Explorer & Developer (E&D) Member company reporting against the Tin Code standard. This significant development marks a major step forward in the Tin Code’s mission to promote sustainable practices and progressive improvement within the tin industry.

This underscores the growing commitment of E&D members to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. The Tin Code provides a comprehensive framework to promote sustainable tin mining practices, encompassing social and labour practices, environmental protection, health and safety and driving positive improvement in the supply chain.

ITA is thrilled to see E&D members taking concrete steps to implement the Tin Code and to see their ESG commitment starting at an early stage, during the project phase or development of the tin operation.

For more information on the Tin Code and how to participate, visit our website.

You can find more information about the E&D Group here.

Building on the critical role of smelters in supply chain due diligence and managing Annex II risks, ITA and CCCMC will jointly host an in-person Partner Session during the 2024 OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains to take stock of the challenges faced by smelters including confusion over audit standards, training, and expectations, as well as difficulties in managing confidential information. It will also discuss responsibilities of companies and systems, both upstream and downstream and ambitions to achieve fully supply chain due diligence ecosystems. CCCMC and ITA have each separately introduced OECD-aligned assurance systems for control points to enhance their support for and participation in due diligence, with a focus on improving efficiency and functional transparency throughout the supply chain.

The session will take place on Wednesday 22 May 2024 between 17.00-18.00 CEST in room CC18 at the 2024 OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains (Rue André Pascal, 75016 Paris)

Capacity is strictly limited. Advance registration is required at: Partner Session: Chinese Due Diligence Guidelines & Tin Code Assurance Tickets, Wed, May 22, 2024 at 5:00 PM | Eventbrite

Simultaneous English-Chinese translation is available.

**Registration is only open to confirmed in-person attendees at the 2024 OECD Forum on Responsible Mineral Supply Chains. Entry to this event does not guarantee entry to the main Forum.**

For more information please contact:

Sonia Marsh, Lead Sustainability Specialist, ITA sonia.marsh@internationaltin.org

Ryan Wen, China Sustainability Manager, ITA wentianhua@internationaltin.org

We are pleased to announce the publication of the Tin Code Reports of two companies this month: Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture Pty Ltd (Bluestone) and Thailand Smelting and Refining Co Ltd (Thaisarco). The reports highlight the companies’ continued collaboration with the Tin Code towards continuous and progressive improvement.

Tin Code Reports detail the company’s commitment to improving sustainable practices in tin production across various aspects, including:

· Environmental management
· Social responsibility
· Corporate governance

Read the Full Reports

For a deeper dive into Bluestone and Thaisarco’s commitment to sustainability and progressive improvement of the tin industry, you can access the full Tin Code Reports here.

On behalf of Tin Code, the International Tin Association (ITA) is participating in a series of workshops and activities for the ISO International Workshop Agreement (IWA) 45 on “Sustainable Critical Minerals Supply Chains” organised by Standards Australia. The aim of the IWA is to support the understanding of the range of sustainability tools available to companies, which will in turn support good sustainability outcomes in an effective and efficient manner.

ITA participated in the first IWA on “Sustainable Critical Minerals Supply Chains” in Tokyo in February. The next IWA workshop is scheduled to take place in New York on 16-17 April, and IWA is encouraging all stakeholders to participate and share their views on existing sustainability tools and frameworks. The workshop is open to both in-person and virtual participation, so interested parties can join from anywhere in the world. The IWA particularly welcomes participants from mineral production areas, including governments. You can find more information and register here.

The findings of the IWA 45 are expected to help guide future decisions on the development of a proposed ISO/PC 348 standard on “Sustainable raw materials” applicable to the entire upstream-downstream value chain of all raw materials, from extraction to processing, refining, and final product manufacturing. 

International Tin Association (ITA) invites submissions of original presentations bringing ideas or solutions related to responsible tin supply for the opportunity to present at the International Tin Conference 2024: Securing Sustainable Tin Supply, Penang, Malaysia, 14th – 16th May 2024.

The tin industry is facing unprecedented opportunities and challenges from an increasingly complex regulatory landscape and expanding expectations on responsible sourcing including for the global energy transition. Navigating these intricacies requires new commitment, innovation, and support, including for due diligence and on-the-ground activities, to achieve meaningful progress.

We are particularly interested in submissions from companies and experts that address the following themes:

• Distributing costs and value of due diligence through the supply chain
• Prioritising ESG issues to meet investor, downstream or regulatory expectations
• Bringing supply chains closer together to resolve challenges
• Understanding risks and conflict-affected and high-risk areas
• Embedding environmental considerations into mineral due diligence
• Artisanal and small-scale tin mining
• Practical solutions related to responsible tin supply
• Other topic deemed relevant to sustainable tin

Submission Guidelines:

Papers:
Please e-mail your submissions as soon as possible to Sonia Marsh sonia.marsh@internationaltin.org Submissions should be synopses of original papers or case studies that preferably relate to the above topics or the tin supply chain. The paper should have a clear structure, well-supported arguments, and relevant references. The maximum length is 2 pages.

Submission Deadline: 9th February 2024

Evaluation:
Submissions will be evaluated by a panel of experts from the ITA taking into consideration the full conference agenda.

Notification: Authors will be notified of the decision by 16th February 2024.

Registration:

Please visit the conference website here for more information on the conference agenda, events and fees- and details on how to register.

We look forward to your submissions, and hope to see you at International Tin Conference 2024 in Penang!

As part of its members’ commitment to sustainable development, The International Tin Association (ITA) is pleased to publish results from a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) quantifying the environmental impacts of the production of refined tin. This study is the first of its kind for the tin industry and provides new insights into the environmental impacts for the production of refined tin. The ITA members who participated in the study are responsible for around 55% of globally refined tin production, including both primary and secondary metal.

The LCA study supports the tin industry’s commitment to understand and improve its sustainability performance. The LCA was undertaken by renowned consultancy Sphera Solutions Inc. in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards and included impacts of mining (including artisanal and small scale production), recycled material, mineral processing or beneficiation, smelting, and refining.

Kay Nimmo, Head of Sustainability at ITA explained that “This new LCA study provides an updated understanding of average industry impacts and provides aggregated tin industry sustainability performance data which is increasingly sought after by tin stakeholders and users.”

The Life Cycle Impact Assessment (LCIA) provides an insight into which processes and inputs contribute the most to potential environmental impacts across the sector as a whole. The study calculated the average global industry impacts of 1 tonne of refined tin metal (99.85% – 99.95%) for the reference year 2018/2019.

The report ‘Life Cycle Assessment of Tin Production’ is available for download.

As part of ongoing ESG efforts, ITA member PT Timah Tbk has recently undertaken a local community initiative to provide educational training on the preservation of mangrove forests to the people of Setunak Island and Karimun Regency in Indonesia.

These areas are characterised by a prominent stretch of pristine mangrove forests which provide many core ecosystem benefits and functionalities. For example, the mangroves provide an optimal breeding environment and habitat to protect marine life such as fish, crabs, shrimp, and shellfish. Mangrove fruit, which can be processed into food and drinks, also provides an opportunity for local MSMEs to earn additional income. The mangrove forests therefore provide many economic and tourism opportunities for the people of Stunak Island and Karimun Regency, the majority of whom work as fishermen.

Realizing the potential of mangrove forests, PT Timah Tbk provided training in mangrove cultivation for the people of Stunak Island in effort to preserve the Mangroves. The mangrove cultivation training carried out by PT Timah Tbk was met with enthusiasm by the community. The chief fisherman of Stunak Apid Island stating that the training and education provided by PT Timah was “very good.” The training provided was also comprehensive not only techniques for sustainable cultivation were taught but the community were also educated on the benefits of preservation and reforestation.

The Indonesian government is currently aiming to undertake several large-scale mangrove conservation and restoration projects across the country and is actively encouraging replanting of mangroves as part of efforts to meet their carbon emission reductions targets. The efforts of PT Timah Tbk have proven valuable as the local community now acknowledge the environmental and economic benefits that could be realised through conservation of the mangrove forests.

PT Timah Tbk continue to empower the local communities through knowledge and training. As an ITA member they participate in the Tin Code which encourages engagement and allows for progressive improvement when necessary. You can read more about some of these initiatives on the news section of the PT Timah website.