The Tin Man …….and the Copper man?

By Volume, top five largest producers of tin are:

1. Indonesia

2. Singapore

3. Malaysia

4. China

5. Peru

http://www.intracen.org/tradstat/sitc3-3d/ep687.htm

If a detailed report of tin is wanted- go here to purchase report (you can see the outline and abstract first): http://www.the-infoshop.com/study/ros24981_economics_toc.html

Although Indonesia is the largest exporter of tin in the world, all exports are illegally done- with illegal mining by the population. The government does not acknowledge the exportation of tin. The illegal market is not just a problem with registered and unregistered transaction, but with weak authority and government. More Information can be found here in greater detail: http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/GreenGovernance/papers/Erman2007.pdf

Although the US is the 8^th largest exporter of Tin in the World (found in Alaska): http://econgeol.geoscienceworld.org/cgi/content/abstract/84/7/1936

World resources to meet the demand for tin are sufficient for many decades to come.

On balance, the world production and consumption of tin have not grown during the past 20 years, due mainly to the substitution of tin by plastic in the manufacture of cans and other containers, such as tubes for toothpaste and ointments.

http://www.mii.org/Minerals/phototin.html

On Tin Recycling in the United States: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2001/of01-433/of01-433.pdf

The quantity of tin recycled in 1998 as a percentage of apparent tin supply was estimated to be about 22%, and recycling efficiency was estimated to be 75%. Of the total tin consumed in products for the U.S. market in 1998, an estimated 12% was consumed in products where the tin was not recyclable (dissipative uses).

However, because of the recent financial crisis, commodities are becoming more precious, Indonesia has cracked down on illegal exports and China and Indonesia are limiting exports. Increase consumption of tin has evolved because of soldering- replacing lead. This website has the best up-to –date information: http://www.commodityonline.com/ndtv/news/topstorydetails.php?id=9424&cont=2

and

http://www.american.edu/TED/tin.htm

There is already an existing blog about copper- found here: http://updates.zdnet.com/tags/copper.html

Telephone poles are being stripped for copper as scrap markets will pay $3 a pound

COPPER

Chile is the largest exporter of Copper

http://www.intracen.org/tradstat/sitc3-3d/ep682.htm

http://www.intracen.org/tradstat/sitc3-3d/ep283.htm

and a visual map can be found here: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_wor_tra_exp_cop-economy-world-trade-exports-copper∫=-1

However, with the high world demand for copper, there is a price. The smelting of the

copper ore at the factories emits arsenic and carbon-monoxide which pollutes the air and water near the mines. The parties at risk include: fishermen and farmers who live and work near the port Caldera, marine life and animals that live in the area, other people who live and work in the area (including the miners).

http://www.american.edu/TED/copper.htm

Of course there HAS been attempts at sustainability: http://www.icsg.org/conferences/Sustainable_Development_Copper_Sector_Patrick_Hurens_ICSG.pdf

But demand for copper has it that people are stripping wires and melting them down for money. Luckily It is estimated that about 80 percent of all the copper ever mined (about 13 percent of the world’s reserves) is still in use in one form or another today, making copper one of the planet’s most sustainable materials. It has the highest recycling rate of any engineered metal. Some products, such as copper tube and sheet goods, can be recycled over and over without any loss to their engineering properties. In its pure form, and in alloys like brass and bronze, it is practically 100 percent recyclable. Excluding wire production, copper- based products contain about 75 percent recycled copper.

More info here: http://resources.schoolscience.co.uk/CDA/16plus/sustainability/index.html

And for those who want to order raw metals: http://www.titanium.cc/?source=google&gclid=CKnjsdzN-ZMCFQZZHgod0xcHVw