Resources Recycling ISSN:2765-3439(Print) 2765-3447(Online) 자원리싸이클링

There has been a rapid increase in metal prices in recent times, due to global competition to acquire rare metal resources, as well as the resource weaponization policies of resource-rich countries. Some resource-rich countries are strengthening export controls and taxation through protectionist trade policies, enhancing instability in the supply of minerals. Futhermore, the current global reserves and mining amounts of tin are 4.9 million tons and 4.6 million tons, respectively, with an estimated reserve life of 15.3 years. Considering these circumstances, this study conducted a material flow analysis to examine the fluctuation of tin on an annual basis and analyze relevant industry trends. Through this, we aim to achieve stable management of tin, which is a not only a limited resource but also designated as a conflict mineral. The results of the material flow analysis indicate that tin, due to its low melting point and corrosion resistance, is widely used as a key material in industries, such as electrical and electronics, display, and steel industries. Among these products, printed circuit boards, metal products, and gas sensors experienced significant fluctuations in 2021. In particular, printed circuit boards witnessed a 55% increase, as compared to 2018. Furthermore, printed circuit boards accounted for 47%, or 5,625 tons out of 11,963 tons, of the flow of intermediate products in primary processed goods. Currently, the global market size of printed circuit boards is growing consistently, and domestic demand is also increasing. However, in 2021, the resource circulation and recycling rates of tin declined slightly to 4.3% and 27.5%, respectively, compared to 5.1% and 29.6% in 2018. This suggests the need for the recovery of tin within printed circuit boards, from the perspective of resource circulation and recycling rates. Therefore, in this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the material flow of tin in both, 2018 and 2021, to derive key implications and propose measures to improve the rate of its resource circulation and recycling.