With Reserves Only Sufficient for 15 Years, PT Timah Targets Mining Operations Abroad

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - PT Timah Tbk (TINS) is targeting tin mining assets abroad. This is an effort to extend the company’s tin reserve lifespan.

Of course, the company’s current domestic tin reserves are projected to last only 10 to 15 years.

Director of Production and Commercial at TINS, Ilhamsyah Mahendra, explained that the company is working to secure new reserves to meet operational targets for the next 100 years. He said the company is currently continuing to seek opportunities for collaboration with international partners.

“We need a longer mine life. I think those figures are only for 10-15 years. We need more deposits for more than a hundred years,” he said at the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo 2026, Jakarta, quoted on Thursday (4/6/2026).

Currently, TINS has total resources of around 800,000 tons with reserves of 300,000 tons. To accelerate the discovery of new reserves, the company has begun to optimise the use of digital technology and aerial surveys using drones to improve data accuracy.

“We are now looking for global expansion, not only expanding capacity on the refining side, but we are looking for mining assets outside of Indonesia and we are very open to seeking opportunities to form partnerships and collaborations with global tin companies,” he added.

The company believes that current global tin prices are the right time for the company to make expansion investments abroad. In addition to strengthening the mining sector, PT Timah also relies on TSL Ausmelt refining technology which is able to process low-grade ore with more efficient energy consumption.

“With current tin prices, I think this is the right time to invest, to expand. So yes, we are really looking for something strategic and broader to make us more dominant globally in the tin industry ecosystem,” he said.