METALS-Shanghai tin hits near six-month high on Indonesia supply concerns

SHANGHAI, Sept 30 (Reuters) - Shanghai tin rose to a near six-month high on Tuesday, supported by supply fears following reports of a crackdown on illegal mining in key producer Indonesia.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered the closures of about 1,000 illegal tin mines on the island of Sumatra, where mined tin was being smuggled out on small boats and ferries, state media Antara reported on Monday.

The crackdown sparked fears of lower supply from the world's second-largest tin producing country, supporting upward moves in the soldering metal.

The most-active tin contract on Shanghai Futures Exchange SSNcv1 ended daytime trading 1.05% higher at 274,990 yuan ($38,609.18) per metric ton. It gained 0.93% for the month and 3.56% for the third quarter.

Earlier in the day, it climbed to 283,000 yuan a ton, the highest since April 3.

Meanwhile, benchmark three-month tin on the London Metal Exchange CMSN3 was down 0.59% at $35,280 a ton, as 0737 GMT, easing from $35,510 on Monday - its highest since April 4.

The contract was poised for a monthly gain of 0.75% and quarterly rise of 4.64%.

The pullback reflected weak demand ahead of China's National Day holiday from October 1 to 8, which typically sees a slowdown in market activity.

Orders from consumer electronics and home appliances makers declined, keeping demand for tin sluggish, analysts at Chinese broker Jinrui Futures said.

Elsewhere, copper extended gains and overtook tin to become the best performer among SHFE base metals this month. Copper SCFcv1 gained 1.42% to 83,350 yuan a ton, rising 5.11% for the month and 4.26% for the third quarter.

The metal found support from the supply disruptions at Freeports' Grasberg cooper mine in Indonesia, as well as China's plan to stabilise growth in the non-ferrous industry.

Zinc SZNcv1 tumbled 2.6% and lead SPBcv1 dropped 3.18%. Nickel SNIcv1 declined 0.38%, while aluminium SAFcv1 was largely stable.

Among other LME metals, copper CMCU3 eased 0.35%, aluminium CMAL3 was down 0.37%, zinc CMZN3 dropped 0.66%, nickel CMNI3 declined 0.54% and lead CMPB3 dipped 0.25%.

($1 = 7.1224 Chinese yuan)