The Chinese domestic manganese ore market has moved on a stable trend during the past week. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $5.53/dmtu at China's Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $5.69/dmtu. Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are at $5.37/dmtu, while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $4.80/dmtu.
Trading activity for South African manganese ore in the Chinese domestic market has been better than for manganese ores of other origins. However, overall trading activity in the market has continued to remain on the slack side. Inventories of South African ore is at low levels, which gives traders hope that prices of the ore will rebound. However, hopes of a rebound in the market may be disappointed considering the limited profit margins of manganese alloy producers. If costs increase, alloy producers' output volumes as well as their demand for ore will decrease significantly. For the coming weeks, it is thought that the stable trend in the domestic manganese ore market may continue.