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In 1996 the world tin consumption was as high as 233,300 tons, with tin consumed in the form of tinned plate, solder, fusible alloy, chemicals and other alloys. Over last more than ten years the tin consumption area and forms have changed a lot. The proportion of tinned plate in the total consumption dropped distinctly, from 40% in 1978 to 31% in 1988, and even down to 25% in 1995, while the proportions of solder and chemicals increased at the same time from 27% and 7% to 35% and 15% respectively.

In 1996, the tin consumption in China was as high as 24,000 tons. The tin consumption structure of China, however, is somewhat different from that abroad. In China, the solder industry is the largest tin consumer, with its tin consumption occupying 41.4% of the total consumption, and then comes the tin alloy industry making up 26.5%. The tinned plates--the most tin consuming goods abroad, consume only 3.2% in China, while tin compounds--5.1%, tin plating--6.2% and others--17.6% respectively.

Tin is a traditional export commodity of China, and China is the world largest tin supplier. In 1997, a total of 30,700 tons of refined tin was exported, almost a three times increase over that in 1990 (Table 3.13.5). There was no export of tin concentrate in 1996 and 1997.

13.5 A statistical table of import and export of tin products

3.2 Trends

The development and utilization of tin ores have a long history in China, and now China remains to be a world large tin producer, and occupies an important position in the world tin market. Tin is an important strategical material and is indispensable in modern national defense, modern industry, sophisticated science and technology and human livelihood. Its demand will increase with each passing day. As a result of more than 40 years construction and development, nearly 60,000 tons comprehensive mining and dressing capacity and 126,400 tons comprehensive smelting capacity have been set up, with output of refined tin reaching 57,000 tons, which not only can satisfy about 30,000 tons domestic demand, but also can export a great deal of it.As the professional manufacturer of complete sets of mining machinery, such as ore processing plant,mobile crushers, Henan Hongxing is always doing the best in products and service.

As concerns the tin industry of China, the easily developed and dressed placer tin resources are getting less and less, with the primary tin ores occupying a leading position, so it is of great significance to intensify the research in technologies of mining and dressing of tin ores, raise economic efficiency and reduce production costs. Especially the primary tin ores in China are mainly composite ores, containing a lot of useful elements, such as lead, zinc, copper, tungsten, and others, so it is of great importance to intensify the study of comprehensive utilization and raise the integrated recovery ratio.

In the field of tin production in China, the supply exceeds the demand, so a considerable quantity of tin should enter the world market annually and the tin production and exportation are affected greatly by the world market, so it is necessary to study the trends of international market, in order to accommodate the tin export trade to the international market.