Following the breakdown of a self-imposed tin export ban, political infighting has broken out in the Indonesia Tin Association a smelter organization established to create a unified front for producers.
President Hidayat Arsani said that Mr Rudy Irawan chairman at the ITA, has been removed from the group of 28 smelters in the world's top refined tin exporting country.

Mr Arsani said that "25 smelters listed as registered exporters who are members of the ITA, proposed to me to fire Rudy Irawan of ITA membership Because most members agree with the dismissal orally, we fired him from the ITA."

Mr Arsani said one reason for the dismissal was the actions and statements Irawan made without ITA approval. Irawan did not respond to Reuters' queries on the dismissal.

He added that ITA members would arrange a meeting to discuss finding a replacement for Irawan.

Earlier this month, the ITA lost its secretary after he quit the group and blamed state owned PT Timah for the collapse of the export stoppage.

Last week PT Timah, the world's largest integrated tin miner, blamed the ban's failure to boost benchmark prices on shipments from other producing countries.

Smelters in Indonesia's main tin-producing region of Bangka Island stopped tin ingot shipments from October 1 in an attempt to prop up global prices. The export ban faltered this month, despite a sharp fall in November shipments, after October data showed a surprise MoM rise.

(Sourced from Thomson Reuters)