Tin, a metal once prized for Bronze Age tools, now powers AI servers by soldering components. Prices have doubled since 2003, hovering around $49,000 a tonne. The London Metal Exchange trades only a few percent of copper’s volume, yet speculators surged last year, prompting Shanghai’s industry body to warn against speculative buying as investors chase data‑center growth in 2024 today.

Tin’s supply chain snakes through conflict‑ridden Myanmar, Indonesia’s stricter export rules, and the DRC’s disease‑plagued mines. Only about 50 times less than zinc in the crust, tin is listed on the UK’s critical minerals list. With extraction costs near $14,500, UK miners see a viable margin, while US defense‑funded projects aim for vertical integration to boost domestic supply networks.

Investors eye reopening of Cornish Metals’ UK mine by 2028, a project that could tap a three‑decade‑old reserve. Governments and firms alike recognize tin’s role beyond chips, seeing AI as a catalyst for higher prices and recycling drives. With only 14–15 years of ore left, volatility looms, but current trends suggest tin will keep commanding premium prices for critical tech.