One of the world’s largest tin mines, located in Myanmar’s autonomous Wa State, has begun a gradual resumption of operations following a suspension last year, according to an international think tank. The Man Maw mine, situated in eastern Myanmar near the border with China, is a critical source of tin—a metal essential for the manufacture of electronic components used in artificial intelligence and data processing.
The mine’s suspension in 2023 resulted in a disruption to global tin supplies, contributing to price increases amid soaring demand driven by the AI industry. The powerful United Wa State Army (UWSA), which controls the region and the mine, had halted production amid internal disputes rather than armed conflict, the Crisis Group said. The UWSA is one of the world’s largest non-state armed organizations and has longstanding connections with China, which have helped Wa State avoid much of the violence affecting other parts of Myanmar since the military coup in 2021.
According to the Crisis Group, tin ore is again being transported from Man Maw, although current output remains significantly below levels recorded before the 2023 shutdown. China’s customs data shows imports of tin ore and concentrates from Myanmar in the first half of 2026 have already exceeded the total for 2025, reaching nearly 40,000 metric tons. This increase reflects the partial restart of mining activity in the region.
Satellite imagery reviewed by the think tank reveals new infrastructure developments at the site, and heightened night-time lighting indicates growing operational activity. Despite these signs of revival, production is far from the peak recorded in 2016, when Myanmar accounted for nearly 500,000 metric tons of tin ore and concentrate shipped to China, representing over 99 percent of China’s imports of this metal.
The Crisis Group’s senior Asia advisor Richard Horsey described the restart as a "steady but uneven ramp-up." Challenges remain, including technical issues such as flooded shafts and the depletion of high-grade ore, which may affect profitability and the pace of recovery.
The reopening of the Man Maw mine holds significant implications amid the global competition to secure mineral resources critical for advancing AI technologies. While the region remains politically volatile, the combination of Chinese support and commercial interests appears to be facilitating a slow but notable revival of this strategically important mining operation.