Tianjin sees rise in manganese ore imports
Data from Chinese Customs indicates that 226000 tons of manganese ore entered
China via Tianjin port during the first quarter of 2005.
The manganese ore imports carried a trade value of $36.02 million. Compared to the previous year, manganese import at Tianjin increased 1.3-fold in terms of tonnage and 3.6-fold in terms of value.
Increased domestic demand and manipulation by global suppliers are believed to be the major reasons behind the surge in manganese imports at Tianjin.
China has proven reserves of 130 million tons of manganese ore. It is estimated that
China may produce 3.5 to 4.5 million tons of finished manganese ore annually during 2005-2020 period. It is also thought that raw manganese demand will be in the region of 7-9 million tons. Based on that,
China domestic manganese ore will struggle to meet market demand.