Poor sentiment and weak activity in Chinese manganese ore market

The Chinese domestic manganese ore market has moved on a slight downtrend during the past week. The mainstream quotations of Australian lump ore with 46 percent Mn content currently stand at $3.20/dmtu at China's Tianjin port, while offers of lump ore of 48 percent Mn content are at $3.28/dmtu. Also at Tianjin port, quotations for 44 percent grade Mn ore from Gabon are at $2.97/dmtu, while offers of South African lump ore of 38 percent Mn content are at $2.81/dmtu.
 
Overall trading activity in the Chinese domestic manganese ore market has remained weak in the past seven days, while sentiment among traders is poor. Observers state that the current period is a very difficult one for manganese ore traders as well as for downstream manganese alloy producers. For the coming week, some further slight downticks are anticipated in manganese ore prices in China.