The Chinese domestic manganese ore market has moved up slightly during the past week. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $9.77/dmtu (RMB 67/dmtu) at China’s Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $9.33/dmtu (RMB 64/dmtu). Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are at $9.18/dmtu (RMB 63/dmtu), while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $8.38/dmtu (RMB 57.5/dmtu).
Slight upticks in overseas suppliers' manganese ore quotations have provided support for the small rises seen in the past week in the Chinese manganese ore market where overall trading activity has remained at low levels. On the other hand, support for manganese ore prices from the downstream manganese alloy market is on the weak side. Meanwhile, it is considered that demand for manganese ore in China may increase due to decreasing inventory levels in the domestic market. As for the week ahead, it is believed that manganese ore prices in China will mostly just indicate slight fluctuations.