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

Industrial enterprises have to cut pollutant emission by no less than 30%

Muted trades in the spot market grew bearish sentiment about prices

Companies which have achieved the emission standards and are in the "positive" list will be exempt from output restrictions amid smog alert.

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

This came on top of the city’s smog-control plan for Sep, which came not as stringent as that for Aug

China exported 33,041 mt of unwrought manganese, manganese scrap, power, wrought manganese, manganese products in Jul

This is down 100 yuan/mt from its tender for Jun