The overall value of exported tin accelerated by an average 226% for exporting countries from five years earlier in 2019 when tin shipments totaled $260.2 million.
Year over year, the value of globally exported tin accelerated by 49.1% compared to $569.2 million starting from 2022.
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, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Congo and Rwanda. Combined, that quintet of leading tin exporters collected almost three-quarters (74.2% of international sales from exports of tin in 2023.
Applying a continental lens, suppliers 51.1% of the global total. In second place were suppliers in Oceania’s Australia at 26.9% trailed by those in Asia (9.3%) then Latin America (6.5%) plus the Caribbean.
Smaller percentages came from providers in Europe (5.6%) and North America (0.7%) United States only.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 2609 for tin ores and concentrates.
Top Tin Exporters
Below are the 15 countries that exported the highest dollar value worth of tin during 2023.
- Australia: US$227.9 million (26.9% of total tin exports)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $197 million (23.2%)
- Nigeria: $90.9 million (10.7%)
- Congo: $64.7 million (7.6%)
- Rwanda: $48.5 million (5.7%)
- Russia: $37.6 million (4.4%)
- Vietnam: $25.6 million (3%)
- Bolivia: $21.7 million (2.6%)
- Namibia: $20.8 million (2.5%)
- Venezuela: $16.4 million (1.9%)
- Brazil: $15.2 million (1.8%)
- Laos: $15 million (1.8%)
- Malaysia: $14.8 million (1.7%)
- Thailand: $11.5 million (1.4%)
- Tanzania: $8.6 million (1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 96.2% of globally exported tin in 2023.
Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing tin exporters since 2022 were: Congo (up 34153.4%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 858.9%), Bolivia (up 601%) and Venezuela (up 430.2%).
Those countries that posted declines in their exported tin sales were: Brazil (down -79.6% from 2022), Malaysia (down -65.6%), Laos (down -58.8%), Tanzania (down -36.7%) and Australia (down -13.6%).
Searchable List of Tin Exporting Countries in 2023
The 39 countries highlighted in the automated database below represent 100% of the value for globally exported tin during 2023.
| Rank | Exporter | Tin Exports | 2022-3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Australia | $227,859,000 | -13.6% |
| 2. | Democratic Republic Congo | $197,041,000 | +858.9% |
| 3. | Nigeria | $90,915,000 | +231.3% |
| 4. | Congo | $64,739,000 | +34153% |
| 5. | Rwanda | $48,530,000 | 0% |
| 6. | Russia | $37,566,000 | +14% |
| 7. | Vietnam | $25,560,000 | 0% |
| 8. | Bolivia | $21,676,000 | +601% |
| 9. | Namibia | $20,798,000 | +18% |
| 10. | Venezuela | $16,435,000 | +430.2% |
| 11. | Brazil | $15,171,000 | -79.6% |
| 12. | Laos | $15,019,000 | -58.8% |
| 13. | Malaysia | $14,780,000 | -65.6% |
| 14. | Thailand | $11,470,000 | +103.3% |
| 15. | Tanzania | $8,576,000 | -36.7% |
| 16. | Spain | $7,235,000 | -16.4% |
| 17. | United States | $6,098,000 | +129% |
| 18. | Myanmar | $5,055,000 | +184.5% |
| 19. | Kyrgyzstan | $3,082,000 | +101.4% |
| 20. | Burundi | $2,636,000 | +496.4% |
| 21. | Hong Kong | $2,560,000 | +0.7% |
| 22. | Colombia | $1,343,000 | -11.4% |
| 23. | Portugal | $1,247,000 | -40.1% |
| 24. | France | $1,041,000 | -53.2% |
| 25. | Mongolia | $587,000 | -66% |
| 26. | United Arab Emirates | $450,000 | +47.1% |
| 27. | Somalia | $333,000 | 0% |
| 28. | Israel | $174,000 | 0% |
| 29. | Guyana | $171,000 | 0% |
| 30. | Singapore | $103,000 | -83.3% |
| 31. | Türkiye | $41,000 | +127.8% |
| 32. | Zambia | $35,000 | -82.1% |
| 33. | South Korea | $27,000 | -30.8% |
| 34. | United Kingdom | $15,000 | 0% |
| 35. | Norway | $5,000 | 0% |
| 36. | Italy | $3,000 | -94.6% |
| 37. | Luxembourg | $2,000 | 0% |
| 38. | Honduras | $2,000 | 0% |
| 39. | Sweden | $1,000 | -50% |
Focusing on these suppliers, the fastest gainers from 2022 to 2023 were Congo (up 34,153%), Democratic Republic of the Congo (up 858.9%), Bolivia (up 601%), Burundi (up 496.4%) then Venezuela (up 430.2%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of the above table’s columns. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means 2022 data was unavailable.
Countries Earning Largest Trade Surpluses from Tin
The following countries posted the highest positive net exports for tin during 2023. 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$227.9 million (net export surplus down -13.6% since 2022)
- Democratic Republic Congo: $197 million (up 859.4%)
- Nigeria: $90.9 million (up 231.3%)
- Congo: $64.7 million (up 34153.4%)
- Rwanda: $48.3 million (reversing a -$4.8 million deficit)
- Russia: $37.6 million (up 14%)
- Vietnam: $25.6 million (down -458.8%)
- Bolivia: $21.7 million (up 601%)
- Namibia: $20.8 million (up 18%)
- Venezuela: $16.4 million (up 430.2%)
- Laos: $15 million (down -57.1%)
- Brazil: $13.2 million (down -81.9%)
- Tanzania: $8.6 million (down -36.7%)
- Spain: $7.2 million (down -7.6%)
- United States: $6.1 million (up 133%)
Australia generated the highest surplus in the international trade of tin. In turn, this positive cashflow confirms the world leading tin exporter’s strong competitive advantages for this specific product category.
Countries Facing Worst Trade Deficits from Tin
The following countries posted the highest negative net exports for tin during 2023. 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.
- mainland China: -US$1.5 billion (net export deficit down -26.2% since 2022)
- Malaysia: -$349.8 million (down -8.5%)
- Thailand: -$137.2 million (down -40%)
- United Arab Emirates: -$9.6 million (up 167.5%)
- Poland: -$2.4 million (up 34.9%)
- Hong Kong: -$288,000 (down -114.1%)
- Romania: -$193,000 (up 27.8%)
- South Korea: -$175,000 (up 118.8%)
- Belgium: -$159,000 (down -97.3%)
- Bulgaria: -$107,000 (2022 data unavailable)
- Indonesia: -$93,000 (up 27.4%)
- Canada: -$50,000 (up 194.1%)
- Germany: -$50,000 (2022 data unavailable)
- Czech Republic: -$35,000 (down -79.9%)
- Netherlands: -$31,000 (up 416.7%)
Mainland 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.
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)
See also Top Nickel Exporters by Country, Top Aluminum Exporters by Country, Top Stainless Steel Exporters by Country and Copper Ore Exports by Country Plus Average Prices
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on September 20, 2024
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on September 20, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on September 20, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on September 20, 2024
Statistica (The Statistics Portal), Leading tin producing companies worldwide in 2019. Accessed on September 20, 2024