Chinese domestic manganese ore prices have followed a slight uptrend during the past week. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $6.41/dmtu (RMB 44.5/dmtu) at China’s Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $5.97/dmtu (RMB 41.5/dmtu). Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are at $5.97/dmtu (RMB 41.5/dmtu), while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $5.04/dmtu (RMB 35/dmtu).
Overall trading activity in the domestic manganese ore market has improved slightly and is considered to be at normal levels. Players in the downstream manganese alloy market have lately been seeking to build up some manganese ore stocks as the National Day holiday period is approaching, and this has provided some support for manganese ore prices. Supplies have been on the low side, and so ore inventories at ports have declined a little. As for the week ahead, since demand may weaken, it is believed that manganese ore prices in China may just indicate some small fluctuations.
$1 = RMB 6.947