BRISBANE: Australia-based Elementos Ltd. (ASX: ELT) has signed binding agreements to acquire up to 50% of Iberian Smelting SL, owner of the Robledollano Tin Smelter in Extremadura, Spain, marking a strategic leap toward establishing the European Union’s only vertically integrated primary tin supply chain.
The €3.625 million deal, structured as a five-year call option, positions Elementos to process tin concentrate from its nearby Oropesa Tin Project into refined tin ingots for European and North American buyers. The smelter, located 220 kilometers from Oropesa, is fully licensed and currently operational, processing tin, lead, antimony, and silver under commercial contracts.
“This agreement locks in our pathway to becoming the EU’s first mine-to-metal tin producer,” said Elementos Managing Director Joe David. “It aligns with the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act and Spain’s strategic goals for domestic mineral production.”
The staged acquisition includes two phases: an initial 30% stake followed by an additional 20%, with payments deferred until late 2026 and spread over five years. The smelter is undergoing upgrades to boost throughput and metal quality, with completion a condition precedent to finalizing the option.
CRM Synergies SL, the current majority owner of Iberian Smelting, will retain a 50% stake post-acquisition. CRM operates smelting and solder manufacturing facilities across Spain, Brazil, and Mexico, and supplies major clients in electronics, automotive, and aerospace sectors.
European and North American buyers currently pay delivery premiums of US$900–1,450 per tonne above LME prices for refined tin, offering Elementos a margin advantage over exporting concentrate to Asian smelters.
The Robledollano facility is licensed to process up to 20,000 tonnes of feed annually and is targeting ISO-14001 and RMAP certifications. Once upgrades are complete, it will be capable of producing 99.99% Sn tin ingots and handling battery recycling materials.
“This partnership is good for CRM, good for Elementos, and good for the European Union,” said CRM Director Manuel Alonso Lopez. “Together, we’re advancing the circular economy and securing strategic tin supply.”
Elementos owns two world-class tin projects and aims to bridge the global tin supply shortfall driven by rising demand from electrification, EVs, and lead-free solder applications.