Man Maw, one of the world’s largest tin mines in Myanmar’s Wa State, is showing signs of a slow restart after a 2023 suspension. Satellite imagery, rising night-time lights and customs data indicate renewed activity and higher exports to China (nearly 40,000 tonnes in H1 2026), although production remains below peak. Any sustained recovery could affect global supplies of tin used in AI and electronics, but access and operational risks persist.
Man Maw Tin Mine Slowly Restarts; China Imports Surge — Think Tank
A mining area believed to be the Man Maw mine, located in autonomous Wa State in eastern Myanmar, near the Chinese border (Handout)
One of the world's largest tin mines, Man Maw in eastern Myanmar's Wa State, is showing signs of a gradual restart after operations were suspended in 2023, the International Crisis Group has reported. Satellite imagery and other indicators point to renewed activity even as output remains below pre-suspension levels.
Why Tin Matters: Tin is a critical component in electronics manufacturing — widely used as solder to attach microchips to circuit boards and to interconnect hardware in data centres. Its importance has grown with the global expansion of artificial intelligence and data-processing industries.
Signs of Revival: Crisis Group analysis shared with AFP notes that "ore is moving again," and Beijing customs data show China’s imports of tin ore and concentrates from Myanmar in the first half of 2026 have already approached nearly 40,000 metric tonnes, surpassing 2025’s total. Satellite images also show new buildings being constructed around the Man Maw complex, and night-time illumination there has increased since the 2023 shutdown.
"Ore is moving again," the Crisis Group analysis said, while adding that "output remains well below pre-suspension levels."
At its peak in the 2010s, Man Maw helped make Myanmar the world’s third-largest tin producer and the dominant supplier to China — in 2016 Myanmar shipped almost 500,000 metric tonnes of tin ore and concentrate to China, accounting for more than 99% of such imports that year, according to Beijing customs records.
Access and Governance: Access to Man Maw and reliable on-the-ground information remain tightly restricted by the United Wa State Army, the ethnic armed group controlling the area. The UWSA is one of the world’s largest non-state armed organisations and has faced international sanctions over alleged links to narcotics trafficking. Analysts say its business ties and Chinese patronage have kept Wa State relatively insulated from wider conflict in Myanmar since the 2021 military coup.
Causes of the 2023 Shutdown and Current Risks: Crisis Group suggests the 2023 stoppage was likely caused by an internal power struggle among local Wa factions rather than open combat. The mine still faces operational and commercial risks, including flooded shafts, depletion of higher-grade ore, and the logistical and reputational challenges tied to operating under armed-group control.
Global Implications: Even a slow, uneven ramp-up at Man Maw could reverberate through global supply chains for electronics and AI hardware, potentially stabilising some supply but also raising questions about sourcing, oversight, and ethical and legal risks associated with minerals produced under non-state control.
Reporting note: Findings are based on Crisis Group analysis, AFP reporting and Chinese customs data; independent verification on site remains limited.
Help us improve.
