Tin prices peaked at $39,159 per ton in November 2021, soaring by 79% from the beginning of that year. The spike was driven by a shortage resulting from sharply heightened demand from the electronics sector, where tin is used for circuit board manufacturing, while the total volume of metal production was insufficient. According to October World Bank’s forecast, the average annual tin price should drop from an expected $31,250 per ton in 2021 to $31,000 per ton in 2022.

Tin fell to 39,136 USD/T on December 1, 2025, down 0.06% from the previous day. Over the past month, Tin's price has risen 8.57%, and is up 36.97% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Tin - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

Monthly and long-term tin price data (US$/mt): historical series and analyst forecasts curated by FocusEconomics.

Tin prices rose to record levels in response to high demand from the electronics industry and a severe supply shortage on the market. The deficit has been driven on by pandemic-related decreases in mining output in 2020, the shipping container crisis and a drop in exports due to supply-chain disruptions. Prices are forecast to fall only in 2022 thanks to ramped-up mining output and supply and demand returning to equilibrium.

In 2014, Myanmar (Burma) confounded industry analysts by emerging to become the World's third biggest tin producer, experiencing a 5-year tin production increase of ca. 4900%. This surprise emergence of Myanmar as a major tin producer is a possible Black Swan event that potentially has significant repercussions both for the future of global tin production, and for the economic development of Myanmar. This is a disruptive event that has likely contributed to a substantial drop in tin prices in 2015. The Myanmar production increase came from a new mine site in Wa State, and not from the traditional tin producing areas in the South. We discuss tin mining and potential in Myanmar and consider whether it could provide a foundation for the economic rehabilitation of the country

Yearly citation counts for the publication titled "The Decline and Fall of the Cost Book System in the Cornish Tin Mining Industry, 1895–1914".

The price of Tin Bar in June 2023 was $34,773 per ton (FOB, Hong Kong), showing a decrease of -4.3% compared to the previous month.

In 2024, the Italian tin market decreased by -3.9% to $80M, falling for the second consecutive year after two years of growth. Over the period under review, consumption, however, showed a slight expansion. Tin consumption peaked at $147M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

The Nepalese tin market reduced sharply to $193K in 2024, dropping by -35.3% against the previous year. This figure reflects the total revenues of producers and importers (excluding logistics costs, retail marketing costs, and retailers' margins, which will be included in the final consumer price). In general, consumption continues to indicate a deep downturn. Tin consumption peaked at $2.8M in 2021; however, from 2022 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

In 2024, the German tin market decreased by -11% to $293M, falling for the second consecutive year after two years of growth. In general, consumption recorded a perceptible setback. Tin consumption peaked at $493M in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption remained at a lower figure.

In 2023, PT Timah Tbk recorded a net loss of approximately ****** billion Indonesian rupiah. The decline in the company's financial performance was driven by several factors, including the falling price of tin in the global market and the impact of illegal mining. PT Timah Tbk is one of Indonesia's largest tin producers and exporters, operating in Bangka Belitung Islands, Riau, South Kalimantan, Southeast Sulawesi, and Banten.

In 2024, the Europe tin market decreased by -0.7% to $1.2B, falling for the second year in a row after two years of growth. Overall, consumption, however, saw a relatively flat trend pattern. The level of consumption peaked at $1.5B in 2022; however, from 2023 to 2024, consumption failed to regain momentum.

Lead rose to 2,003.78 USD/T on December 2, 2025, up 0.11% from the previous day. Over the past month, Lead's price has fallen 1.32%, and is down 3.99% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Lead - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

Europe's Precious and Non-Ferrous Metal Manufacturing industry has had a volatile run recently, heavily impacted by fluctuating metal prices and the far-reaching effects of the pandemic. A significant presence scattered across the continent, including Germany, France, Italy and Eastern Europe, ensures a highly competitive market. However, it's also laden with challenges due to growing imports from cost-effective Asian countries, primarily China. The high volatility in metal prices, coupled with a drop in demand from various sectors during the pandemic and the recent economic slowdown in 2023 and 2024, has weighed on industry revenue. Still, revenue is projected to contract at a compound annual rate of 6.2% to €321.6 billion over the five years through 2025. The easing of restrictions and the rebound in economic activity brought a surge in demand for metals from downstream manufacturing industries and construction in 2021. However, soaring inflation in 2022 and the energy crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict disrupted manufacturers heavily by severely raising production costs. Even though gold prices remained high due to ongoing uncertainty, reduced demand adversely affected most non-ferrous metals. Metal price fluctuations and intense competition, including inexpensive imports from China, have constrained profit since 2022. Demand from car manufacturers and the boom in electric vehicles (EVs) should bolster growth prospects. The rising use of aluminium and copper in EVs offers opportunities for non-ferrous metal manufacturers. Expanding the construction sector across Europe will also fuel demand for non-ferrous metals. However, fluctuating metal prices and competition from Asian, primarily Chinese, imports could somewhat dampen growth. Sustainability will be a significant factor in shaping the industry's trajectory. European manufacturers will need to align with the push for a circular economy and focus on reducing CO2 emissions through modernised processes and recycling practices. Revenue is forecast to expand at a compound annual rate of 6.3% to €437.4 billion over the five years through 2030.

LME Index rose to 4,700 Index Points on October 29, 2025, up 0.79% from the previous day. Over the past month, LME Index's price has risen 7.33%, and is up 13.22% compared to the same time last year, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. LME Index - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on December of 2025.

Europe's Precious and Non-Ferrous Metal Manufacturing industry has had a volatile run recently, heavily impacted by fluctuating metal prices and the far-reaching effects of the pandemic. A significant presence scattered across the continent, including Germany, France, Italy and Eastern Europe, ensures a highly competitive market. However, it's also laden with challenges due to growing imports from cost-effective Asian countries, primarily China. The high volatility in metal prices, coupled with a drop in demand from various sectors during the pandemic and the recent economic slowdown in 2023 and 2024, has weighed on industry revenue. Still, revenue is projected to contract at a compound annual rate of 6.2% to €321.6 billion over the five years through 2025. The easing of restrictions and the rebound in economic activity brought a surge in demand for metals from downstream manufacturing industries and construction in 2021. However, soaring inflation in 2022 and the energy crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict disrupted manufacturers heavily by severely raising production costs. Even though gold prices remained high due to ongoing uncertainty, reduced demand adversely affected most non-ferrous metals. Metal price fluctuations and intense competition, including inexpensive imports from China, have constrained profit since 2022. Demand from car manufacturers and the boom in electric vehicles (EVs) should bolster growth prospects. The rising use of aluminium and copper in EVs offers opportunities for non-ferrous metal manufacturers. Expanding the construction sector across Europe will also fuel demand for non-ferrous metals. However, fluctuating metal prices and competition from Asian, primarily Chinese, imports could somewhat dampen growth. Sustainability will be a significant factor in shaping the industry's trajectory. European manufacturers will need to align with the push for a circular economy and focus on reducing CO2 emissions through modernised processes and recycling practices. Revenue is forecast to expand at a compound annual rate of 6.3% to €437.4 billion over the five years through 2030.

In 1980, the biologist Paul Ehrlich agreed to a bet with the economist Julian Simon on how the prices of five materials would change over the next decade.

Paul Ehrlich had a clear expectation. He thought population growth would quickly deplete the planet’s resources.1 As a consequence, he expected that the cost of resources — including minerals — would rise steeply as they became more scarce.2

This claim got the attention of Julian Simon, who expected the opposite. Simon thought that human innovation and ingenuity would overcome resource shortages, and the price of resources would, therefore, not rise but fall. In the pages of the Social Science Quarterly, he challenged Ehrlich to put money on the line.

Simon offered Ehrlich the chance to choose any resource he wanted for the bet. Ehrlich chose five: chromium, copper, nickel, tin, and tungsten. The two bet $1,000 — $200 on each metal — on whether inflation-adjusted prices of these resources in September 1990 would be higher or lower than they were in September 1980.3 If prices had increased, Ehrlich would win. If they had fallen, victory would go to Simon. The chart below shows us the change in the price of the five materials in 1990 compared to 1980. Note that this is based on the average prices that year, not necessarily the price in September of each year. But the final results of the bet are the same, regardless of whether you take annual average prices or those specifically in September.

All five had become cheaper, so Simon won the bet (and Ehrlich did mail him the check).

The cost of tungsten and tin was more than 60% lower. Copper was around 20% cheaper. Nickel and chromium were only slightly cheaper than a decade before. None of them had increased in price, contrary to Ehrlich’s prediction.

In 2024, the Portuguese tin market decreased by -20.6% to $19M for the first time since 2020, thus ending a three-year rising trend. Overall, consumption, however, showed a pronounced expansion. Tin consumption peaked at $24M in 2023, and then dropped dramatically in the following year.

In 2023, tin imports into France dropped significantly to 3K tons, declining by -31.1% compared with the previous year.

Europe's Precious and Non-Ferrous Metal Manufacturing industry has had a volatile run recently, heavily impacted by fluctuating metal prices and the far-reaching effects of the pandemic. A significant presence scattered across the continent, including Germany, France, Italy and Eastern Europe, ensures a highly competitive market. However, it's also laden with challenges due to growing imports from cost-effective Asian countries, primarily China. The high volatility in metal prices, coupled with a drop in demand from various sectors during the pandemic and the recent economic slowdown in 2023 and 2024, has weighed on industry revenue. Still, revenue is projected to contract at a compound annual rate of 6.2% to €321.6 billion over the five years through 2025. The easing of restrictions and the rebound in economic activity brought a surge in demand for metals from downstream manufacturing industries and construction in 2021. However, soaring inflation in 2022 and the energy crisis triggered by the Russia-Ukraine conflict disrupted manufacturers heavily by severely raising production costs. Even though gold prices remained high due to ongoing uncertainty, reduced demand adversely affected most non-ferrous metals. Metal price fluctuations and intense competition, including inexpensive imports from China, have constrained profit since 2022. Demand from car manufacturers and the boom in electric vehicles (EVs) should bolster growth prospects. The rising use of aluminium and copper in EVs offers opportunities for non-ferrous metal manufacturers. Expanding the construction sector across Europe will also fuel demand for non-ferrous metals. However, fluctuating metal prices and competition from Asian, primarily Chinese, imports could somewhat dampen growth. Sustainability will be a significant factor in shaping the industry's trajectory. European manufacturers will need to align with the push for a circular economy and focus on reducing CO2 emissions through modernised processes and recycling practices. Revenue is forecast to expand at a compound annual rate of 6.3% to €437.4 billion over the five years through 2030.