Tin, an overlooked critical metal, is enjoying a boom

The metal has been used since ancient times. From the Bronze Age until the 18th century, when it was supplanted by porcelain, tin was the main ingredient in alloys used for kitchenware. Yet it is also extremely modern. Its conductive properties mean that its main use today is as a solder in the construction of electric cars, electronic circuits and solar panels—all central to automation and the energy transition. Lately the market for tin has caught fire. At nearly $38,000 a tonne (see chart), its price on the London Metal Exchange (LME) is up by almost a third since the start of the year. It has been the best-performing metal this year—shinier even than gold.

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “Soldering on”