April 2026: WIM UK 2025 Summer Internship at the International Tin Association, blog written by Defne Abali
WIMUK / International Tin Association Tin Mapping Resources Internship – Summer 2025
For 8 weeks over the summer of 2025, I had the opportunity to join the Market Intelligence team at the International Tin Association (ITA) as the Mapping Resources intern. Having just completed my BA in Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, it was incredibly rewarding to step outside of academia and use my knowledge and technical skills in an industry that bridges the science and business of critical metal deposits.
My main responsibility was expanding the ITA database of tin mines and their metal reserves around the world, which is important for assisting exploration, expanding existing mines, improving the assessment of future supply and available reserves for long-term planning, among many other things. To build this database, I explored the literature for research and mining reports that document current and historical mines, estimate their resources and reserves, and investigate their geology. Furthermore, I extracted large amounts of geospatial data from published maps using QGIS and Google Earth Pro. Overall, I assembled a database with more than 3000 identified deposits and almost as many Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) records.
Besides collecting data through literature searches, in the final 3 weeks, I had the opportunity to plot my data as interactive graphs and maps using Power BI. This allowed me to not only experiment with the best way to represent my findings but also ensure that my database is clear and accurate. It was very rewarding to visualise my hard work and effort over the previous 5 weeks. Lastly, in my final week, we received a request from a smelter company to present the reserve estimates of several countries. I had the opportunity to use Python to model their historic production data and calculate their total and remaining reserves. To ensure the accuracy of my estimates, I modelled the data using multiple functions and tested their fit statistically, which enabled me to apply my knowledge of regression and calculus on real data. In addition to my 8 weeks of working with ITA, I was invited to present my project at the board meeting in October. I am looking forward to sharing my work.
Both my work and being part of the ITA team were truly insightful for me. Firstly, this was my first experience outside of academia. I found it very fulfilling to see how my knowledge of Earth Sciences and technical skills, such as GIS and programming, can be used to assist the natural resources industry, especially tin, a critical metal that will be essential for our future. This also bridged the gap between the Geology theory I learn during my lectures and its application to businesses and human lives, allowing me to expand my knowledge and understanding of natural resources and pushing me out of my comfort zone.
Moreover, I had the opportunity to experience both an office environment and working from home, thanks to my hybrid schedule. I really enjoyed the flexibility I had for structuring my day and my work environment, while also navigating regular online meetings and inductions. This will undoubtedly be useful for shaping my future career. Finally, I loved working with the ITA team, which, while allowing me to experience a professional work environment, was very friendly and supportive, making me feel welcomed.
Overall, I am incredibly grateful for the chance to work with ITA as a Mapping Resources Intern and would like to thank Women in Mining UK for providing this opportunity. My journey has been very insightful, expanding not only my knowledge and skillset but also allowing me to work in a professional setting for the first time. I am proud of my contribution to the team and looking forward to building a career in the industry.