China has closed a border crossing with Myanmar as it seeks to stop the spread of the coronavirus, further disrupting tin concentrate imports, an association official and a Chinese smelter source said, according to Reuters.

China, the world's biggest producer of refined tin, relied on neighbouring Myanmar for 94 per cent of its tin concentrate imports in 2019. That slipped to 91.7pc in 2020 and was below 82pc in January-September due to repeated pandemic-related disruption.

Cui Lin, chief China representative at the International Tin Association, said the Chinese land port of Menga had been temporarily closed after the latest Covid-19 resurgence in Myanmar's Wa state.