PT Timah (TINS) reveals that China’s largest tin producer Yunnan Tin Company Limited has expressed interest in forming a partnership with the Indonesian state-owned tin miner following a meeting of its representatives with the Indonesian company.

TINS Director of Business Development, Suhendra Yusuf Ratuprawiranegara, said the meeting took place four months ago, when Yunnan Tin conveyed that a collaboration between the two companies could unlock significant future potential.

“Yunnan Tin told us that if PT Timah and Yunnan Tin were to join forces, there is a strong possibility that together we could influence global tin prices. This also includes opportunities in the context of rare earth elements (REE),” Suhendra said during CNBC Indonesia’s Mining Zone program, as quoted on Tuesday, November 18, 2025.

He added that if PT Timah is given the mandate to develop strategic minerals such as REE, the partnership could open substantial opportunities − not only from a business perspective but also in terms of global geopolitical dynamics.

“If PT Timah is entrusted with developing REE going forward, I believe this could become a major opportunity and a significant bargaining position for us, both commercially and politically,” he said.

The remarks come shortly after PT Timah disclosed surprising information regarding the management of by-product minerals found in tin production residue. For years, these by-products − known locally as Sisa Hasil Produksi (SHP) − had been discarded into the sea without being utilized.

PT Timah President Director Restu Widiyantoro said the company recently received directives from Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, who also leads the Mineral Industry Agency, to begin managing these valuable by-products.

“We received guidance directly from the Minister. Only four days ago, he visited us, and fortunately we were instructed to start processing SHP at PT Timah,” Restu said during a hearing with Commission VI of the House of Representatives (DPR) on September 24, 2025.

Restu acknowledged that PT Timah had long overlooked the value of SHP, leading to years of waste as the materials were dumped into the ocean. Going forward, the company plans to change this practice by retaining and collecting all SHP for further processing.

The potential partnership with Yunnan Tin − combined with the renewed focus on recovering valuable by-products − signals a strategic shift for PT Timah as it seeks to strengthen its role in global mineral supply chains, including the increasingly vital rare earth sector.