Tin
About Tin
Tin is a soft, silvery base metal essential for solder used in virtually all electronic circuit boards and semiconductor packaging. It is also widely used in tinplate for food can coatings and in chemical compounds for various industrial applications. Growing electronics production and the shift to lead-free solders have strengthened tin's position as a critical technology-enabling metal.
Primary Uses
Top Producing Countries
Quick Facts
- Symbol
- Sn
- Atomic Number
- 50
- Category
- Base Metal
- Criticality Level
- Medium
- Supply Risk
- Medium
- Top Producer
- China
- USGS Critical List
- Listed
- EU CRM List
- Listed
Explore Tin In Depth
Dive into detailed analysis across 11 key topics covering every aspect of the Tin value chain.
Uses & Applications
Discover the primary industrial, technological, and commercial applications of Tin across key sectors.
Supply Chain
Trace the Tin supply chain from mine to market, including key intermediaries, processing hubs, and trade flows.
Mining & Processing
Learn how Tin is extracted, concentrated, and processed into usable forms for downstream industries.
Refining & Grade Specs
Explore the refining methods, purity grades, and technical specifications that define Tin products.
Recycling
Assess the recycling potential, current recovery rates, and circular economy opportunities for Tin.
Substitutes
Evaluate possible substitutes and alternative materials that could reduce dependence on Tin.
Investing
Understand the investment landscape for Tin, including equities, ETFs, futures, and direct exposure strategies.
Price
Analyze Tin pricing mechanisms, historical trends, benchmarks, and the factors that drive market volatility.
Companies
Identify the major miners, processors, and technology companies involved in the Tin value chain.
Projects
Review the significant mining and processing projects shaping the future supply of Tin worldwide.
Risks
Examine the supply risks, geopolitical vulnerabilities, and strategic concerns associated with Tin.
Return to the full Mineral Library to explore other critical and strategic minerals.