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Tin is a soft, non-toxic, malleable, and corrosion-resistant metal that has been traded and used by humans for over 5000 years. It is found in primary and secondary ore deposits, with the principal ore of tin being cassiterite. Australia has a long history of tin mining, with the largest underground tin mine in the world, Renison, located in Tasmania, which accounts for 85% of the country's economic tin resources. In addition to Renison, Australia has nearly 90 named tin prospects or deposits across the country, with significant deposits also found in Western Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Tin deposits in Australia | Renison Bell mine in Tasmania, Cleveland, Kara, Mount Lindsay deposits in Tasmania, Taronga deposit in New South Wales, Greenbushes in Western Australia, Reedy Creek in the Beechworth Eldorado district, Koetong, Mount Cudgewa, Toora in South Gippsland, Burrowye, Mount Alfred, Walwa |
| Largest tin deposits in Australia | Carbonate-replacement deposits in western Tasmania, e.g. Renison |
| Largest tin mine in Australia | Renison Bell mine in Tasmania |
| Tin ore | Cassiterite (SnO2) |
| Tin production in Australia | 7.4 kt in 2017 |
| Global tin production | ~230 000 t in 2013 |
| Australia's contribution to global tin production | 3.8% in 2013, 7.7 kt in 2019 |
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What You'll Learn
The world's largest underground tin mine is in Tasmania, Australia
Tin is a soft, non-toxic, malleable, and rust and fatigue-resistant metal. It has been used and traded by humans for over 5000 years. Today, its largest application is in solder, which is used to join metals and pipes. Tin is also used as a coating for steel cans and in metal alloys.
Australia is a significant producer of tin concentrates, with nearly 90 named prospects or deposits across the country. The largest use of tin in Australia is also in solder. The country's largest tin producer is Metals X, which operates the Renison Tin Mine in Tasmania through its joint venture with Yunnan Tin Group, called Bluestone Mines Tasmania JV.
The Renison Tin Mine in Tasmania is the world's largest underground tin mine and Australia's biggest operating tin mine. It was first discovered in 1890 by George Renison Bell and has been in operation since 2008. The mine has a production capacity of 680,000tpa of tin, accounting for 85% of Australia's economic tin resource. The Renison expansion project (Rentails) is currently in progress near the mine site, with the aim of extracting more tin from the processed ore tailings of Renison.
The Renison deposit is a primary carbonate replacement deposit, which forms some of the largest tin deposits in Australia. Cassiterite (SnO2) is the most important tin ore in all deposits, including Renison.
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Australia's largest tin producer is Metals X
Australia has a long history of tin mining, with the metal being found in various parts of the country. The largest tin producer in Australia is Metals X, which has a 50% equity interest in the Renison Tin Operation in Tasmania through its stake in the Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture (BMTJV). Renison is located on the west coast of Tasmania, approximately 15km northeast of Zeehan, and is considered one of the world's largest and highest-grade tin mines.
In 2020, Metals X announced plans to increase production and extend the mine life by a decade at the Renison mine, which accounts for 85% of Australia's economic tin resource. This mine has been in operation for over 50 years and is a major contributor to the regional and state economy of Tasmania. It is also one of the few publicly held tin projects in the world. Metals X's commitment to responsible and sustainable mining practices has made it a member of the International Tin Association.
The Renison deposit is hosted by a thick late Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic sedimentary and volcanic sequence, which was deposited within the Dundas Trough between two Neoproterozoic blocks. The mineralisation at Renison occurs in three main forms, with tin found almost solely as fine-grained cassiterite, along with the presence of other minerals like pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, and pyrite.
While Metals X is the largest producer, other tin mines in Australia include Greenbushes in Western Australia, and the Cleveland, Kara, and Mount Lindsay deposits in Tasmania, and the Taronga deposit in New South Wales. These deposits contribute to Australia's global significance as a producer of tin concentrates, with nearly 90 named prospects or deposits across the country.
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Australia's Ore Reserves of tin are mostly attributable to the Renison Bell mine
Australia has a long history of tin mining, and while it is a significant producer of tin concentrates, it is outpaced by China, Indonesia, and Peru. Australia's largest tin producer is Metals X, which operates the Renison Tin Mine in Tasmania. The mine is located on the west coast of Tasmania, approximately 15km northeast of Zeehan, and is accessible via the Murchison Highway. It is also connected to the Burnie port by fully sealed roads.
The Renison Tin Mine is one of the highest-grade tin mines in the world and accounts for 85% of Australia's economic tin resources. It is jointly owned by Metals X and Yunnan Tin and is considered critical to the global transition to renewable energy. Metals X has a 50% equity interest in the mine through its stake in the Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture (BMTJV).
The deposit at Renison is hosted by a thick late Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic sedimentary and volcanic sequence of the Success Creek Group and Crimson Creek Formation. The Renison Mine Sequence has been intruded by the Devonian Pine Hill Granite, which is the likely source of the hydrothermal fluids responsible for carbonate replacement tin mineralisation. The deposit is found on the NE limb of the broad, SE plunging, Renison Bell Anticline, which forms a horst block. Mineralisation at Renison occurs in three main forms, with tin present almost solely as fine-grained cassiterite.
In 2017, Australia's Ore Reserves of tin amounted to 253 kilotonnes (kt), with approximately 67% attributable to the Renison Bell mine. The remaining reserves are found in the Cleveland, Kara, and Mount Lindsay deposits in Tasmania and the Taronga deposit in New South Wales.
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Greenbushes in Western Australia is an important producer of tin
Greenbushes in Western Australia is a significant producer of tin. The Greenbushes mine, located in the Bridgetown-Greenbushes Shire in southwestern Western Australia, has a long history of tin production dating back to the discovery of tin in the region in 1888. The mine has been one of the most intensely studied in Western Australia.
The Greenbushes deposit contains half of the world's known reserves of tantalum and is also a major source of lithium. The mine has been in operation for over a century, with tin and tantalum as its primary products until the discovery of lithium ore in the late 1970s. The mine is currently operated by Talison Lithium, a world-leading lithium producer headquartered in Perth, Western Australia.
Greenbushes is an open-pit mine, with a series of open-cut mining pits and processing facilities for extracting and refining lithium and other minerals. The mine produces a variety of minerals, including interesting crystals such as well-formed, coarse schorl and holmquistite. It is also the only locality for ferro-holmquistite.
While Greenbushes is a notable producer of tin, Australia's largest tin producer is Metals X, which operates the Renison Tin Mine in Tasmania. Renison is Australia's largest tin mine and one of the highest-grade tin mines globally, accounting for a significant portion of the country's economic tin resources.
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Australia has a long history of tin mining
Tin is also produced in smaller quantities at other mines in Australia. These include the Cleveland, Kara and Mount Lindsay deposits in Tasmania, and the Taronga deposit in New South Wales. Minor amounts of by-product tin are also produced from pegmatite deposits such as Greenbushes in Western Australia.
Victoria has also been a significant region for tin mining in Australia, with the metal previously being one of the only ones mined in the state, along with gold. The largest tin field in the state is at Reedy Creek in the Beechworth Eldorado district, which has produced approximately 9,200 tonnes of tin. Other significant alluvial tin deposits in Victoria include Koetong, Mount Cudgewa, and Toora in South Gippsland.
Exploration and development of tin deposits in Australia are ongoing, with many junior mining companies searching for tin mineralisation along the Federal-Bassett Fault in Tasmania. Metals X, the owner of the Renison mine, also holds rights to 45km2 of highly prospective tenure surrounding the site.
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Frequently asked questions
Tin is found in various parts of Australia, with more than 100 deposits known to contain tin. The largest underground tin mine in the world is located in Renison, Tasmania, which was discovered by George Renison Bell in 1890.
The principal ore of tin is cassiterite (SnO2), which was first reported at the Mount Mitchell Tin Workings in 1923.
Australia's annual tin production was around 18,000 tonnes, with most of the economic resources at the Renison Bell deposit in Tasmania.
Other significant tin deposits include Greenbushes in Western Australia, the Cleveland, Kara, and Mount Lindsay deposits in Tasmania, and the Taronga deposit in New South Wales.
Australia's tin production is comparatively lower than countries like China and Indonesia. Additionally, some tin mining companies, such as Aus Tin Mining, have faced struggles with equipment failures and market conditions, impacting their operations.
