SHANGHAI, Sep 2 (SMM) – South32 offered South African semi-carbonate manganese ore with 36% Mn at $4.35/mtu, for October delivery to China, up $0.55/mtu month on month.

Tshipi offered South African semi-carbonate manganese ore with 36% Mn, for July delivery to China, at $4.5/mtu, down $0.45/mtu from the first round of offers and down $1.05/mtu month on month. 

Mining company Comilog offered manganese ore originating from Gabon for July delivery, with a grade of 44.5% Mn, at $5.1/mtu for Chinese consumers, down $0.33/mtu from offers for June, SMM learned on June 10. 

The most-active silicon manganese contract for May delivery on the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (CZCE) surged to its maximum daily limit of 6% to a nearly seven-month high of 6,950 yuan/mt on March 26, as a nationwide lockdown of major ore supplier South Africa exacerbated supply woes. South Africa has imposed a 21-day nationwide lockdown from midnight on Thursday, in a bid to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

About 1.2 million mt of manganese ore production in South Africa is expected to be affected by the 21-day nationwide lockdown aimed at containing the coronavirus, a local trader estimates. President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the three-week lockdown on Monday March 23, including closing mines, starting from midnight Thursday March 26.

Prices of spot manganese have not received significant support from the resumption of downstream demand and have extended their slide this week. SMM expects the prices will remain weak with pressure from elevated inventories of #200 cold- and hot- rolled stainless steel.

Daily output of electrolytic manganese across the region is expected to recover to 100-200 mt in the early stage of the resumption

At Tianjin port, Australian manganese ore was mostly offered at 41-42 yuan/mtu as of December 27

Muted trades in the spot market grew bearish sentiment about prices

Average spot prices of electrolytic manganese in China’s main production areas fell 325 yuan/mt month the month in Nov