| The TEX Report / Topics | |
| [ Topics List / January, 2005 / Friday, 21 ] |
| *China's Imports Of Mn-Ore In 2004 Will Reach 4.64 Million Tons |
| = Unit Price Has Risen By 73%, 50% 0f Whole Import Is Low Grade Ore |
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According to the customs-statistics released in China, this country imported 4,176,000 tons of manganese ore in January - November of 2004, including 466,000 tons imported in November. In case that China imported manganese ore in December on a similar scale to that in November, the total quantity of manganese ore imported into China in the calender year ( January - December ) of 2004 ) is estimated to reach a scale of 4,642,000 tons. The quantities and unit prices of manganese ore imported into China during January - November of 2004 were as per the table attached hereto. In comparison with 2,863,000 tons of manganese ore imported into China in the calender year of 2003, the imports of this ore in 2004 had a considerable increase of 62.1%, reflecting the facts that the demand for manganese ferro-alloys from domestic market of China expanded and a steep rise of prices for manganese ferro-alloys in overseas countries caused to increased the exports from China, which resulted in an increase of manganese ore imported into China in 2004. In accordance with an increase of manganese ore imported into China, the price of manganese ore imported into China in 2004 had a considerable rise. The unit price of manganese ore averaged for imports in January - November of 2004 was US$124.04 per ton CIF China as a remarkable rise of approximately 73.2% compared with that ( US$71.59 per ton CIF ) averaged for imports in January - December of 2003. The higher prices of high grade lumpy manganese ore with Mn 46 - 48% base already contracted with China in 2004 are sporadically seen to be US$4.50 - 5.00 per Mn 1% CIF but this price trend has been carried over to 2005 and the unit price of Australian high grad lumpy manganese ore contracted with China in 2005 has been kept on a level of US$5.00 per Mn 1% CIF ( US$4.50 FOB plus ocean freight 50 - 60 US-Cents ). However, when the grades of manganese ore imported into China are analyzed, a 46 - 50% of the whole import covers high grade ore and a share of low grade ore is higher than that of high grade ore. Accordingly, it is supposed that the prices contracted on high grade manganese ore will put an impact on the market with a limited effect. Also, China so far imported manganese ore for shipments in 3 months or 6 months but a feature of the contracts concluded by China in 2005 is to cover the supplies throughout one year in order to import manganese ore into China on a stable pace. So far China hesitated to import South African manganese ore, which contains higher manganese of 48% but also higher iron, and these contents cause an incompatible temperament in blending with manganese ore produced in China but China imported manganese ore from South Africa on a scale of 500,000 tons per annum in 2004, having expanded by 3 times compared to that in 2003. When South African shippers stare fixedly at the demand for manganese ore in the future, they recognize an importance of the ore demand from China. It is supposed that Assmang of South Africa so far had taken an attitude to watch about the movements of manganese ore in China but is now increasing their contracts with China on sales of manganese ore. The quantities of manganese ore imported from main sources into China in January - November of 2004 were <> from Australia : 1,349,000 tons ( compared with 1,063,000 tons in the same period of 2003 ), <> from Gabon : 548,000 tons ( 346,000 tons in 2003 ), <> from Ghana : 515,000 tons ( 303,000 tons in 2003 ), <> from India : 235,000 tons ( 116,000 tons in 2003 ), <> from Myanmar : 182,000 tons ( 264,000 tons in 2003 ), <> from South Africa : 490,000 tons ( 110,000 tons in 2003 ) and <> from USA : 164,000 tons ( 5,000 tons in 2003 ).
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| last modified : Wed 26 January, 2005 [10:15] |
