Malaysia Smelting Corp
., one of the world’s biggest tin producers, has reported disruptions to deliveries from its Port Klang smelter after a pipeline explosion interrupted gas supply, exacerbating pressure on a market already grappling with global output upheaval.
The blast at Putra Heights in nearby Selangor earlier this week hit gas provision, MSC said in a notice to customers seen by Bloomberg News. It was not clear when fuel supplies would resume and some shipments of tin could be impacted, a company executive said in the notice.
The flagship Port Klang smelter can produce 60,000 tonnes of tin metal a year, according to the company website. MSC is the world’s fifth-biggest supplier of refined tin, producing 16,300 tons of the metal in 2024, according to the International Tin Association.
MSC didn’t immediately reply an email inquiry seeking comments, and calls to its marketing department went unanswered. The supply disruption was reported earlier by the International Tin Association and Chinese industry consultancy Shanghai Metals Market.
The tin market has been facing growing concerns around supply after an earthquake in key producer Myanmar and a suspension of a major mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The metal, used in soldering and canning, rallied to the highest level since 2022 this week, before paring some of those gains.
Dozens of people were injured and more than 100 others evacuated when the Putra Heights gas pipeline leak caught fire earlier this week. The fire blaze prompted authorities to close roads in the area. - Bloomberg
