China's domestic manganese ore market has been mostly stable in the past week, though some upticks in prices have also been witnessed. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $6.88-$7.13/dmtu at China's Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $7.29/dmtu. Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are in the range of $6.32/dmtu, while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $5.67/dmtu.
Although the trading volume in China's manganese ore market has remained slack, upward movement in purchase price quotations for manganese alloys has provided support for the domestic ore market, with some upticks seen in prices of manganese ore from Gabon and South Africa. Meanwhile, with another round of maintenance work due to begin at port facilities in Port Elizabeth in South Africa, export volumes of manganese ore from the port to China will be affected, thereby providing some support for prices of manganese ore in China. It is believed that the manganese ore prices in China will mainly remain stable in the coming period, though some minor upticks may also be seen.