Activity in the Chinese manganese ore market seems has picked up a little in the past week, though prices have not changed yet. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 44 percent Mn content currently stand at $6.36-6.52/dmtu at China's Tianjin port, while offers of South African origin lump ore of 44 percent Mn content are at $6.50-6.67/dmtu. Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 38 percent grade Mn ore from Australia are in the range of $5.71-5.87/dmtu, while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $5.81-5.96/dmtu.
In the past week, the Chinese manganese ore market has seen greater activity at the ports than in the previous week, with the trading volume indicating an improvement amid increased confidence in the prospects for the market. Activity is still greater at northern ports than at southern ports, due to lower rates of production of manganese alloys in the south. Currently, aggregate manganese ore inventory at Chinese ports is estimated at almost 3 million mt. It is thought that activity levels in China's manganese ore market will continue to improve in the coming week.