Timah production up 15% in Jan-Sep 2003

State-owned tin miner PT Timah Tbk reported that its refined tin production for the nine-month period of 2003 was 15 percent higher from 30,891 tons last year to 35,891 tons.

?Sales volume of refined tin in the period was 34,105 tons or 21.6 percent up from last year?s corresponding period of 28,048 tons,? the company said in a report to the Jakarta Stock Exchange released on Friday.

Meanwhile, Timah reported that its tin in concentrate production during the first nine month of 2003 dropped by 5 percent to 36,869 tons from 38,819 tons in the same period last year. ?Around 6,691 tons or 8.8 percent was contributed by the offshore dredge production, while the remaining 81.2 percent was from inland sources,? the company added.

Timah operates tin mines and a large tin smelting plant in Bangka-Belitung province. The company is currently one of the world's lowest cost tin producers. Last year, Timah?s tin in concentrate production reached 55,038 tons, while refined tin amounted to 43,528 tons. (robert)