Chinese domestic manganese ore prices have moved sideways or up slightly during the past week. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $9.01/dmtu (RMB 64/dmtu) at China’s Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $9.15/mtu (RMB 65/dmtu). Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are at $8.86/dmtu (RMB 63/dmtu), while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $7.74/dmtu (RMB 55/dmtu).
Overall trading activity in the domestic manganese ore market has improved slightly but is still considered to be weak, while some prices have risen supported by ongoing rises in prices and outputs of downstream manganese alloys. Most manganese ore traders are seeking to keep their quoted prices at high levels. As for the week ahead, since inventory levels at ports have declined and as support from foreign manganese ore producers is still strong, it is believed that manganese ore prices may continue to move sideways or increase slightly.
$1 = RMB 7.107