On June 13, at the 2025 SMM (13th) Minor Metal Industry Conference - Antimony Forum, hosted by Shandong Humon Smelting Co., Ltd. and SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd., Yi Xiaobo, Senior Advisor/Senior Engineer at the National Power and ESS Battery Product Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, shared insights on "The Fundamentals of Supply and Demand in the Battery Market and the Application and Development of Antimony Metal in Lead-Antimony Alloy Plates for Batteries.

On June 13, at the 2025 SMM (13th) Minor Metal Industry Conference - Antimony Forum hosted by Shandong Humon Smelting Co., Ltd. and SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. (SMM) , Yi Xiaobo, Senior Advisor/Senior Engineer at the National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for Power and Energy Storage Battery Products, shared insights on "The Fundamentals of Supply and Demand in the Battery Market and the Application and Development of Antimony Metal in Lead-Antimony Alloy Plates for Batteries." I. Analysis of the Lead-Acid Battery Application Market 1. Total Production 2. Proportion of Main Products ►Power Type: Electric two-wheelers, electric three-wheelers, electric four-wheelers; Top-tier enterprises: Tianneng, Chilwee, Xupai, Jingjiu, Suzhong, Huoju. ►Starting Type: Cars, agricultural vehicles, motorcycles, ships, diesel locomotives; Top-tier enterprises: Camel, Fengfan, Leoch, Jujiang, GS Yuasa. ►Standby Power Type: Electric power, telecommunications, UPS, data centers; Top-tier enterprises: Narada, Leoch, Shuangdeng, Sacred Sun, Ruida, Vision. ►Energy Storage Type: ESS power stations, industrial and commercial ESS, household ESS; Top-tier enterprises: Narada, Leoch, Shuangdeng, Sacred Sun, Huafu. 3. Market Situation In recent years, with the continuous emergence and application of various new-type batteries, the traditional lead-acid battery market has faced severe challenges. Overall Situation: Lithium batteries have rapidly occupied the high ground; sodium-ion batteries are poised for takeoff; other new-type power supplies are eagerly awaiting their turn. Automotive Market As of 2024, the domestic automobile ownership stood at approximately 353 million units, with NEVs accounting for 8.9%; globally, automobile ownership reached 1.6 billion units, with NEVs accounting for 3%. ►Market Analysis Ø The market demand growth rate for internal combustion engine vehicles will decline over the next three years. Ø Extended-range and plug-in electric vehicles have become the mainstream in NEV development. Ø Currently, 98% of internal combustion engine vehicles, except for parked heavy trucks, use lead batteries. Ø Lithium batteries dominate in NEVs, with lead batteries serving as a supplement. Ø The development of vehicle electrification and intelligent driving over the next three to five years will have a significant impact on the traditional lead-acid battery market. Ø Demand characteristics: Safety, starting capability, charging acceptance, vibration resistance, low-temperature resistance, high-temperature resistance, lifespan, and price. Ø Sodium-ion batteries are beginning to penetrate the market. Electric Two-Wheelers In 2024, the total domestic sales of electric two-wheelers reached approximately 49.5 million units, representing an 11.6% YoY decline compared to the previous year, while overseas sales totaled around 18.77 million units, showing a 24.8% YoY increase. By the end of December 2024, the ownership of electric two-wheelers in the Chinese market was approximately 400 million units. ►Market Analysis Ø Currently, lead-acid batteries hold a market share exceeding 87%, lithium batteries account for around 11%, and sodium-ion batteries make up less than 2%. Ø The trend still favors lead-acid batteries, as there is a demand for batteries with higher safety than lithium batteries, and sodium-ion batteries are emerging as a strong contender. Electric Three-Wheelers and Low-Speed Electric Four-Wheelers By the end of 2024, the market ownership of electric three-wheelers nationwide was approximately 70 million units. In 2024, the sales of low-speed electric four-wheelers in China were about 302,000 units, representing an 8.5% YoY decline. The market is expected to continue declining in 2025, with future development depending on policies and relevant standards. ►Market Analysis Ø Lead-acid batteries account for approximately 60% of the market for electric three-wheelers and low-speed electric four-wheelers, with lithium batteries gradually increasing their share to 40%, and sodium-ion batteries accounting for 0.5%. Ø For other electric vehicles, including electric forklifts, electric logistics vehicles, electric flatbed trucks, and tourist sightseeing vehicles, lithium batteries account for about 80% of the market, lead-acid batteries for about 20%, and sodium-ion batteries for 0.3%. II. Application of Antimony Metal in Lead-Acid Batteries 1. The Importance of Antimony Metal Rare Metal: Antimony has an extremely low abundance in the Earth's crust, at only two parts per ten million. It is primarily found in the sulphide mineral stibnite (Sb2S3). As of 2024, global antimony reserves reached 2.255 million mt, with China holding 670,000 mt, accounting for 29.7% and ranking first in the world. Strategic Metal: Known as the "vitamin" of industry, antimony plays an indispensable role in new energy and military industries. 2. Main Uses of Antimony Metal ►Flame Retardants: Antimony trioxide, when combined with halogenated flame retardants, becomes an irreplaceable flame-retardant material widely used in industries such as plastics, rubber, textiles, and chemical fibers. ►PV Power Generation: PV Glass: Antimony compounds and sodium pyroantimonate are used as glass refining agents to improve transparency. Monocrystalline Silicon Panels: Doping with antimony increases oxygen precipitation rates, improves crystal quality, and enhances photoelectric conversion efficiency. ►Lead-Acid Batteries: Grid alloys, parts, and additives (antimony trioxide). ►Semiconductor Materials: High-purity antimony and its compounds are used as dopants in n-type silicon wafers with ultra-high conductivity (for diodes, infrared detectors, Hall elements, etc.). ►Glass Ceramics: Porcelain: As a hardness and wear-resistance agent for glazes. Glass: As a coloring agent, strength enhancer, and heat-resistant agent. ►Strategic Military Applications: Nuclear weapons, rockets, missile shells, bullets, flares, gun barrels, night vision goggles, infrared sensors, precision optics, laser sights, etc. ► Alloy materials: Enhancers and corrosion inhibitors for bearings, gears, chemical pipelines, cable sheathing, etc. ► Chemical materials: Stabilizers and catalysts for polyester compounds and polyethylene terephthalate. 3. Production and price of antimony metal ► Limited production: In 2024, China's antimony metal production was 72,000 mt, a 10.3% YoY decrease, with a capacity utilisation rate of 33%, constrained by insufficient raw material supply. The demand in 2024 was 97,100 mt, mainly driven by the expansion of PV systems and flame-retardant materials, which increased the demand for antimony metal. ► Significant increase in antimony imports: According to customs statistics, China's imports of antimony ore and concentrate were 51,080.2 mt in 2024, a 46.0% YoY increase. ► Price increase: The intensified supply-demand imbalance drove up prices. ► Development trends: A. The state intensifies industry regulation and export controls; B. The supply of antimony resources may continue to tighten; C. The demand for downstream applications is increasingly robust; D. Technology reshapes the value chain, with application scenarios shifting towards high-end (PV, military, battery); E. The supply-demand gap for antimony will widen in 2025; F. Prices may continue to rise; G. Antimony recycling technology improves, with an increase in recycling rates. 4. Application of antimony metal in lead-acid batteries ► Application history a. In 1859, Frenchman Gaston Plante invented the lead-acid battery (two lead plates immersed in dilute sulphuric acid could generate an electric current). b. In 1881, Frenchman Camille Faure invented the pasted plate (a rechargeable lead-acid battery with lead oxide coated on the lead plates). c. In 1882, Englishman Sellon invented the lead-antimony alloy grid (with 5%-7% antimony content, enhancing plate strength, conductivity, and lifespan). d. 1950s-1970s: Lead-antimony-arsenic alloy (with 3%-5% antimony content, addressing water loss and self-discharge issues). e. 1980s-1990s: Lead-antimony-arsenic-tin alloy (with 1.5%-2% antimony content, addressing water loss, internal resistance, and self-discharge issues). f. 1990s onwards: Application of valve-regulated batteries (gradually replacing lead-antimony alloy grids); lead-antimony-arsenic-tin-copper-selenium(sulphur) alloy (with 0.5%-1% antimony content, addressing water loss, self-discharge, and corrosion issues). ► Current application status a. Lead-antimony grids: Flooded battery grids (for automotive, agricultural vehicle starting batteries, forklift traction batteries, electric three-wheeler power batteries, and motorcycle starting batteries). b. Applications of lead parts: terminal posts, terminals, busbars, and connecting strips. c. Lead-calcium grid plate: Antimony trioxide (an additive for positive active material, addressing the passivation issue of deep-cycle plates, i.e., solving the "antimony-free effect" of plates). ‌‌►Usage volume a. Antimony ingot: Approximately 10,000 mt per year; b. Antimony trioxide: Approximately 2,000 mt per year. ‌‌►Future usage trends a. The usage of antimony ingot will gradually decrease (forklift batteries and electric three-wheeler batteries are gradually being replaced by lithium-ion batteries and sodium-ion batteries). b. The usage of antimony trioxide will remain basically unchanged. 》Click to view the special report on the 2025 SMM (13th) Minor Metals Industry Conference

At the 2025 Indonesia Mining Conference & Critical Metals Conference - Tin Session , Chen Peng, Senior Tin Analyst at SMM, discussed the theme of changes in the global tin industry chain landscape and future development trends. 1. Global Tin Resource Distribution and Supply Landscape Intensified Resource Scarcity: Static Mining Lifespan Less Than 15 Years China accounts for 22% of global tin ore reserves but contributes 45% of global production, with resource development intensity exceeding critical thresholds. • Global tin resources are highly concentrated, with China, Indonesia, and Myanmar collectively accounting for over 50%. China, as the largest producer (45% of production), and Indonesia form a dual-core driving force, yet with significant differences in resource endowments. Tin Ore Segment: Global tin ore production is also primarily concentrated in countries with high reserves • Global tin ore production is mainly concentrated in countries such as China, Indonesia, Myanmar, and the DRC. • Except during the COVID-19 pandemic period, global tin ore production has consistently remained at the level of 300,000 mt in metal content annually. Tin Ore Segment: Tin ore imports continued to decline in 2025, with cumulative YoY imports for January-April 2025 at -47.98%. The contraction of tin ore supply from Myanmar has become a long-term trend. • The market generally expects that Wa State may resume production by mid-2025, but the initial increase will not exceed 10,000 mt in metal content, and it will require a 2-3 month transmission period. The progress of production resumption will be constrained by Sino-Myanmar mining trade negotiations and the centralization process in Wa State. Tin Ore Segment: Myanmar's Dominance Weakens, Diversified Landscape Accelerates • Before 2023: Myanmar once accounted for 72%-85% of China's tin ore imports. However, after the implementation of the mining ban policy in Wa State in August 2023, its supply volume plummeted. By 2024, Myanmar's import share dropped to 48.1%, and further declined to 24%-30% in 2025. The core mining area, Mansang (accounting for 80% of Myanmar's supply), remains in a state of suspension. • Emergence of Alternative Sources: Imports from Africa (DRC, Nigeria), South America (Peru, Bolivia), and Australia have increased significantly. For example, in 2025, the import share from the DRC rose to 28%, Nigeria's import share reached 11%, and Australia's imports surged by 101% YoY. The 20-day moving average of recent tin ore import profit margins has remained stable. ►Risk Point Reminder: African Supply Chain Stability to Be Verified: Operational risks at Alphamin mine in the DRC (short-term suspension in April 2025). Global Refined Tin Landscape Features "Asia-Dominated, South America-Supported, Africa-Supplemented" • In the global tin industry chain, most smelting and refining activities are concentrated near tin ore production sites. Countries such as China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Peru, Thailand, the DRC, Bolivia, and Brazil all have smelters of a certain scale, with China and Indonesia accounting for a relatively high proportion. The production resumption process in the Wa region of Myanmar has commenced, but due to the impact of earthquakes and rising policy implementation costs, the actual increase may fall short of expectations. The core contradiction in the tin ore event chain in the DRC lies in the game between geopolitical conflicts and resource dependence. Risk Points: Stability of the African supply chain to be verified: As the largest importer, China's refined tin industry chain is significantly affected by disruptions in the DRC, while the growth in demand for AI, new energy, etc., further exacerbates the supply-demand imbalance. 2. Global Tin Consumption Structure and Demand Evolution Terminal Segment: Tin Consumption Structure • In the global tin consumption structure, tin solder accounts for 48%, tin chemicals 16%, lead-acid batteries 7%, and tin alloys 7%. • In China's tin consumption structure, tin solder accounts for 67%, tin chemicals 12%, lead-acid batteries 7%, and tinplate 6%. Terminal Segment: The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index (SOX) shows a significant negative correlation with the real yield of 10-year US Treasuries. AI demand has driven the capacity utilisation rate of semiconductor companies to record highs. • In the past two years, the SOX has shown a significant negative correlation with the real yield of 10-year US Treasuries, primarily driven by liquidity expectations and valuation pressures. • In 2024, the capacity utilisation rate of the US computer and semiconductor industry remained stable at 76.53%-78.44%, close to the average over the past 10 years (76.72%). In specific segments, the semiconductor capacity utilisation rate reached 95% in Q1 2025, a record high, reflecting the supply-demand tension driven by AI demand. Terminal Segment: The cumulative YoY growth rate of PVC resin production has dropped back slightly, while key enterprises producing tinplate have operated smoothly throughout the year. • The construction of commercial housing is not an isolated process; it is usually accompanied by an increase in demand for building materials. Despite two consecutive years of decline in the sales area of commercial housing, completion demand and policy support (such as ensuring timely delivery of housing projects and infrastructure investment) have driven PVC consumption growth, with a "weak positive correlation" maintained between the two in the past two years. • In the past two years, the tinplate industry has exhibited a differentiated pattern of "shortage in the high-end segment and surplus in the low-end segment". Leading enterprises have consolidated their advantages through technological upgrades and export markets, while small and medium-sized enterprises face integration pressures. However, overall production has remained at a relatively stable level and is expected to maintain its current magnitude in the future. 3. Inventory Cycle and Supply Chain Resilience Building Inventory Link: China's tin ingot social inventory exhibits significant cyclical characteristics •From February to March 2025, inventory showed an alternating pattern of "increase-decrease", mainly due to the release of downstream restocking demand coupled with fluctuations in SHFE tin prices. •Inventory changes in tin ingots are highly correlated with prices, seasonal demand (e.g., the "September-October peak season"), and policy adjustments (e.g., production restrictions in smelting), exhibiting a cyclical pattern of "inventory buildup in H1 and destocking in H2". It also elaborated on the inventory levels within China's tin industry chain. 4. Changes in the Global Tin Industry Chain Landscape and Future Development Trends In 2024, the global tin market was characterized by "regional shortages and a slight global deficit" The tin market achieved a tight balance amid supply disruptions and demand differentiation in 2024, and is expected to shift towards a slight surplus in 2025. However, structural contradictions (uneven regional supply recovery, emerging demand growth) will dominate price fluctuations. The market should closely monitor the pace of production resumptions in Myanmar, Indonesia's exports, and the semiconductor industry's recovery, while guarding against unexpected shocks from macro policies and geopolitical risks. ►SMM Outlook •In 2024, the global tin ingot market was characterized by concurrent supply contraction and weak demand recovery. Affected by factors such as the suspension of mining operations in Myanmar's Wa region and delayed approval of Indonesia's export quotas, global tin ore production declined YoY. However, the release of unreported inventory and the supplementation of recycled tin alleviated supply pressures, leading to a slight increase in annual refined tin production to approximately 374,000 mt. On the demand side, weak recovery in the semiconductor industry and a slowdown in PV growth dragged down global consumption to around 373,000 mt, resulting in a supply-demand gap of approximately 11,000 mt. •In 2025, expectations for production resumptions in Myanmar (with potential output increases in H2) and full production at new projects in the DRC and China will drive supply growth. On the demand side, the upward trend in the semiconductor cycle, coupled with the application of AI technology and growth in NEVs, may increase global consumption to 375,000 mt. However, growth in traditional sectors (e.g., tinplate, home appliance exports) will slow down to 2.1%-3.5% due to trade frictions. The annual supply-demand gap may narrow to 5,100 mt, but geopolitical risks (Myanmar's political situation, Indonesia's exports) may exacerbate volatility. 》Click to view the special report on the 2025 Indonesia Mining Conference & Critical Metals Conference

Since the global consensus on green and low-carbon development was reached, the strategic position of the secondary metal industry has become increasingly prominent. With the accelerated advancement of industrialization, the demand for metal resources has continued to grow. As a green, environmentally friendly, and economically viable alternative resource, secondary metals have become a global focus. In recent years, Southeast Asia has emerged as a significant global hub for the collection, distribution, and processing of secondary resources. Meanwhile, with the deepening internationalization of industries such as NEVs, processing enterprises in the secondary copper, aluminum, and battery industries, which are part of the material supply chain, have chosen to establish factories in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand to expand overseas resources and enhance global competitiveness. Thailand, as a key economy in Southeast Asia, boasts a relatively mature resource recycling system and a favorable geographical location, providing convenient conditions for regional collaboration and international trade in the secondary metal industry. It has now developed into a global industrial base for the recycling, sorting, and reprocessing of secondary metals such as secondary aluminum and secondary copper, annually exporting substantial amounts of secondary metal resources to China and other countries. Additionally, Thailand's manufacturing sector is thriving, with annual expansions in areas such as automotive manufacturing and electronics and electrical appliances, providing strong demand support for the secondary metal resource industry. From June 24-25, 2024, the 1st SMM Global Secondary Metal Industry Forum was held in Malaysia. The event brought together recycling associations, government officials, and renowned enterprises from various regions to discuss the current state and future development of the secondary metal industry. From 2024 to 2025, with the continuous updating of policies and rapid industrial development in the secondary metal sector, SMM Information & Technology Co., Ltd. plans to hold the 2nd SMM Global Secondary Metal Industry Chain Summit Forum in Thailand from June 12-13, 2025, to assist enterprises in navigating the changes in the secondary metal industry, comply with industry standardization requirements, and provide a platform for business exchanges. The summit aims to gather associations, leading enterprises, research institutions, industry experts, and policymakers from the global secondary metal sector to jointly explore new trends, technologies, and policies in the development of the secondary metal industry. It will establish an international platform for exchange, cooperation, resource sharing, and collaborative innovation, contributing to the construction and improvement of the global resource recycling system and the realization of a global green economic transition. At this year's conference, Jinliang Nonferrous Metals Co., Ltd. from Cambodia will make a grand appearance. Along with upstream and downstream colleagues in the secondary metal industry, they will engage in in-depth discussions on the pain points and challenges facing the industry, jointly explore business opportunities for win-win cooperation, and discuss ways to promote high-quality development in the industry. Click on the registration form to register for the conference immediately. The voice of low-carbon development resonates globally. See you in Bangkok! The Cambodia-China Metal Materials Industrial Park, located in Gaipo Township, Stung Hav District, Sihanoukville Province, Cambodia, spans 55 hectares and is dedicated to building an internationally first-class non-ferrous metal materials industrial cluster. Based on comprehensive refining of non-ferrous metals and purification of precious metals, the park extends its operations to deep metal processing and the development of advanced materials. It supplements resources through an urban mining recycling system, promoting green smelting and sustainable resource utilization. The park supports the "Belt and Road" Initiative, facilitating deep integration of the non-ferrous metal industries between Cambodia and China, and driving regional economic development and cultural prosperity. Currently, the park has attracted 8 enterprises, with an annual processing capacity of 300,000 mt of industrial solid waste and flue dust. It is equipped with 2 sets of lead blast furnace systems, 2 sets of copper environmental protection furnace systems, and 2 sets of wet zinc sulphate systems. As the only specialized economic zone for non-ferrous metal recycling and smelting in Cambodia, the park is equipped with an advanced and well-equipped laboratory center capable of analyzing and testing dozens of non-ferrous metal elements. Additionally, the park boasts a professional and experienced team of smelting technical personnel, providing support to enterprises within the park from design to installation and production. The park enjoys convenient transportation, being only 60 kilometers away from Sihanoukville Port, with nearby highway access and abundant hydropower supply. We believe that the construction of the park project will significantly drive the development of Cambodia's non-ferrous metal industry. The park is actively expanding its diversified industry chain support. Currently, it is advancing the construction of projects such as a lead-antimony-tin alloy production line, a sulphuric acid production line, and a white carbon black project. Simultaneously, a project for the annual recycling, treatment, and utilization of 300,000 mt of waste electronic and electrical equipment is also being actively promoted. We welcome suppliers of various raw materials, including lead, antimony, tin, gold, silver, and pyrite, to come and negotiate with us. We also invite global enterprises in non-ferrous metal smelting, recycled metal processing and utilization, chemical engineering, machinery manufacturing, and light industry to invest and cooperate in the park. Currently, enterprises settling in the park can enjoy up to full exemption from import and export duties and a 9-year exemption from income tax. Let us work together for development and create a brighter future. Contact Information Cao Zhuo, Email: zc.ccmmip@gmail.com, WeChat ID: zccsmmip Ouyang Gui, WeChat ID: qq59772597 Long press to scan the QR code and register immediately 2025 SMM (2nd) Global Recycled Metal Industry Summit Forum

Under the lens, a BGA solder ball used for chip packaging, when magnified tens of thousands of times, reveals a magnificent sight resembling cosmic planets. Researchers from the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory are using a scanning electron microscope to introduce this fascinating phenomenon to visitors. This solder ball, with a diameter of only 0.3 millimeters, shoulders the responsibility of ensuring the stable operation of 5G base stations and AI chips worldwide, and also reflects the determination of Yunnan Tin Group (Holding) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Yunnan Tin") to reshape the global tin and indium industry landscape through technological innovation. Currently, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is advancing rapidly, and global competition in science and technology is becoming increasingly fierce. As a crucial entity in the innovation system and a key component of strategic scientific and technological forces, laboratories shoulder critical missions such as attracting and nurturing high-quality talents, advancing basic research, producing cutting-edge achievements, and driving industrial development. In recent years, Yunnan Tin has collaborated closely with universities to establish a platform for technological innovation, integrate innovative resources, and position the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory as the cradle of technological innovation in China's tin and indium industry. Based on the in-depth implementation of the national innovation-driven development strategy and the demand for industrial transformation and upgrading in Yunnan Province, the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory was approved for construction by the Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Leading Group. It was inaugurated and commenced operations on August 22, 2024, becoming a laboratory dedicated to multidisciplinary comprehensive research and development across the entire industry chain of tin and indium. Led by Yunnan Tin and jointly constructed with Kunming University of Science and Technology, Yunnan University, and Shanghai University, this laboratory has been positioned as the highest-level laboratory representing the tin and indium industry from its inception. Sun Yong, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Yunnan Tin, stated that as a leading enterprise in the global tin and indium sector and a century-old state-owned enterprise, Yunnan Tin has always placed technological innovation at a strategic height. The construction of the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory aims to create an innovation hub with core competitiveness and become an important support for the national strategic scientific and technological forces in the tin and indium industry. Henceforth, "building a national technological innovation hub and an original technology cradle for the tin and indium industry, and supporting Yunnan Tin to become a world-class demonstration enterprise" has become the development goal of the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory. Yunnan Tin has a first-mover advantage in establishing the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory. Yunnan Tin is the birthplace of China's tin industry, ranking first globally in tin and indium resource reserves. Yunnan Province has formed a complete industry chain integrating exploration, mining, beneficiation, smelting, deep processing, and trade. While leveraging its resource advantages in tin and indium, it has gradually established a relatively complete technological research and development system for the tin and indium industry. This not only safeguards the strategic security of the country's tin and indium resources from the perspective of in-depth development and efficient utilization of tin and indium resources, enriches the national strategic scientific and technological forces in the tin and indium field, but also serves as an important measure to promote the optimization and upgrading of the traditional non-ferrous metal industry. Amid the intensifying global semiconductor competition, tin, hailed as the "computing power metal," and indium, known as the "transparent metal," have become foundational materials for the digital economy. Beyond traditional applications, tin and indium products are widely used in semiconductor chips, 5G communications, new energy, national defense, and military industries, among other fields. With the vigorous development of China's digital economy, the tin and indium industry has vast growth potential. "It must be built, it must be ours, and we are very much looking forward to it," said Peng Jubo, Chairman of the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory, promoting the laboratory's development. He stated that tin and indium, as strategic and scarce resources, are ubiquitous and irreplaceable. It is understood that Yunnan Province's tin and indium industry has evident "strengths and weaknesses," and enhancing the core innovation capability of the industry is imperative. In terms of industry "strengths," multiple technologies at the front end of the mining, beneficiation, and smelting industry chain are leading both domestically and globally. However, in terms of industry "weaknesses," high-value-added products in the new materials sector face issues such as low production, weak market competitiveness, and low profitability. Among these, high-end solder and flux, as well as high-purity materials for semiconductors, are largely dependent on imports, making it difficult to ensure the security of the national strategic tin and indium resource supply chain. Meanwhile, the supply chain for high-end tin and indium new materials is rapidly shifting from external to internal, presenting a strategic development window. However, existing innovation platforms are not enough to support and lead the innovative development of the tin and indium industry. Establishing the Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory can not only leverage the "strengths" to further develop advanced exploration, mining, beneficiation, and smelting technologies and equipment, consolidating and maintaining global competitiveness, but also address the "weaknesses" by enhancing the independent innovation capability of tin and indium new materials, achieving collaborative innovation across the entire industry chain, and accelerating breakthroughs in high-value-added tin and indium "bottleneck" technologies, thereby significantly improving the resilience and security of the tin and indium industry chain and supply chain. "This will help accelerate the creation of a 100-billion-yuan 'world-class demonstration enterprise,' enhancing the international competitiveness and influence of China's tin and indium industry," said Peng Jubo. The Yunnan Tin and Indium Laboratory will focus on technological innovation, industrial innovation, development model innovation, institutional mechanism innovation, and talent mechanism innovation. It will conduct technical research across the entire tin and indium industry chain, build a comprehensive R&D system, and break through key "bottleneck" technologies such as high-end solder and flux, ITO targets, and high-purity materials for semiconductors. Only through the deep integration of technological innovation and industrial innovation can the leap from "exporting raw materials" to "exporting solutions" be achieved. So, what is driving the transformation of Yunnan Tin? In the process of promoting the upgrading of traditional industries and the cultivation of emerging industries, AI technology is comprehensively penetrating from scientific research into commercial applications, becoming an important engine driving industrial transformation. "We are closely following this trend, deeply integrating AI technology with the tin-indium industry, and exploring new models of intelligent R&D and production," said a relevant person in charge of the Yunnan Tin-Indium Laboratory. Scientific research is undergoing a profound transformation, shifting from an empirical paradigm to a big data-driven paradigm. Yunnan Tin is undergoing a significant shift in its R&D model. Relying on the fifth paradigm of "intelligent computing + autonomous experimentation + big data," the Yunnan Tin-Indium Laboratory will take AI technology as its core driving force to fully promote the intelligent upgrading of the entire tin-indium industry chain, aiming to create an interdisciplinary, life cycle-covering intelligent development platform. This move will not only inject innovative vitality into Yunnan Tin but also bring unprecedented innovative momentum to the global tin-indium industry. China's non-ferrous metals industry is currently at a critical stage of enhancing its scale advantages, continuous structural adjustments, increased innovation capabilities, and green and intelligent manufacturing. Actively cultivating and developing new quality productive forces will further accelerate the transformation of the non-ferrous metals industry towards high-end, green, and intelligent development, bringing valuable opportunities for the industry's growth. This also requires more innovative achievements to move out of the laboratory and integrate into the industry chain. Currently, Yunnan Tin has established its position as a leading industry in both tin and indium, leveraging its abundant tin-indium resource reserves. Since 2005, Yunnan Tin has consistently ranked first globally in tin production and sales. In 2024, it held a 48% market share in the domestic tin metal market and a 25% global market share, possessing the entire industry chain for tin metal exploration, mining, beneficiation, smelting, and deep processing. "Overall, the tin-indium industry chain is long, involving multiple professional fields. Currently, the new materials sector is relatively weak. For example, the formulation technology for some tin alloy solders is still protected by foreign patents. However, we have made breakthroughs in this area, developing solder alloy formulations based on independent intellectual property rights, achieving import substitution," said Peng Jubo. The laboratory will promote the integration of the industry chain with the innovation chain, driving the construction of a sustainable development system where "science and technology incubate industries, and industries nurture science and technology." In the future, it will further establish an industry-sharing platform and continuously build an open innovation ecosystem. Through construction over the next 5 to 10 years, Yunnan Tin Group will establish a high-level domestic scientific and technological innovation hub characterized by breakthrough leadership, interdisciplinary integration, and comprehensive synthesis. The innovative development of the Yunnan Tin-Indium Laboratory will serve as a microcosm of China's traditional industries climbing to the top of the global value chain.When people observe tin-indium materials with an electron microscope, they see not only a landscape resembling the ravines on the moon, but also the trajectory of a nation's industrial struggle to scale the peak of global scientific and technological advancement.

On April 22, at the CCIE 2025 SMM (20th) Copper Industry Conference & Copper Industry Expo – Copper Pipe and Billet Processing Industry Development Forum, Xiao Zhu, General Manager of Hunan Gaochuang Kewei New Materials Co., Ltd., shared insights on the topic of "High-Performance Copper Alloy Rod Manufacturing Technology and Applications."