Electrolytic Manganese Price in China: February 24 Market Snapshot
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Chinese electrolytic manganese metal of the 99.70% grade was assessed at USD 2,290-2,360 per tonne on February 24, 2023, with concluded business reported in the range of USD 2,290-2,350 per tonne. The quotation basis for that session was FOB, which means the figures cover the material delivered to the port of loading and leave ocean freight and insurance to the buyer.
Electrolytic Manganese Quotation of February 24, 2023
| Product | Grade | Quotation (USD/tonne) | Transaction (USD/tonne) | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrolytic manganese | Mn 99.70% | 2,290-2,360 | 2,290-2,350 | FOB |
Only the 99.70% grade appears in the published table for this session, so the range describes a single purity class rather than a basket of different qualities. The two columns answer different questions: the quotation column records what sellers were asking, while the transaction column records the levels at which cargoes actually changed hands.
Reading the Spread Between Quotation and Transaction
The arithmetic of the two ranges is informative. Both floors sit at USD 2,290 per tonne, so buyers and sellers shared the same view of the bottom of the market. The ceilings differ by USD 10 per tonne, with the quotation at USD 2,360 and the transaction at USD 2,350. A gap of that size at the top of the range is the normal signature of a balanced session, in which sellers kept a small premium on offer while buyers resisted paying it. When the top of the transaction range closes onto the top of the quotation range, demand is usually outrunning supply; when the two floors separate, the reverse is true.
Where the 99.70% Grade Is Consumed
Electrolytic manganese metal is produced by electrolysis of a manganese-bearing solution, a route that yields a refined flake with low residual levels of carbon, sulphur, phosphorus and silicon compared with carbothermic manganese. That cleanliness is the reason the material is bought in three main application groups:
Steelmaking: final deoxidation and desulphurisation, and the controlled addition of manganese to reach a target analysis in the ladle.
Aluminium alloys: manganese is added to aluminium to raise strength and improve corrosion behaviour in sheet, extrusion and can-stock grades.
Battery and chemical feedstock: high-purity manganese metal feeds the manganese sulphate route used for manganese-bearing lithium-ion cathode chemistries.
What FOB Pricing Means for an Importing Buyer
Because the quotation is expressed FOB, the price corresponds to the cargo loaded on board at the port of shipment. The buyer therefore carries the ocean freight, insurance and any destination charges, and the landed cost will differ from the headline number by whatever those items add. Buyers comparing offers from several origins should normalise them to a single basis, since a CIF quotation and an FOB quotation on the same day are not directly interchangeable. The FOB basis also concentrates the seller's responsibility on inland transport, port handling and export documentation, which is why port selection matters as much as the price itself for delivery reliability.
Quality, Packaging and Inspection Points
For the 99.70% grade, buyers normally confirm the manganese content and the residual element profile against the agreed specification before shipment, because small differences in residual carbon or sulphur change how the material behaves during ladle treatment. Packaging is chosen to keep the flake dry through a sea voyage, and pack sizes are matched to the handling equipment at the receiving works. Weight and quality are established at the port of loading unless the contract states otherwise, so the sampling and assay procedure agreed in the contract is the document that ultimately decides whether a parcel is accepted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the electrolytic manganese price on February 24, 2023?
The 99.70% grade was quoted at USD 2,290-2,360 per tonne and transacted at USD 2,290-2,350 per tonne, on an FOB basis.
Q: Which grade does the quotation refer to?
The table covers a single grade, electrolytic manganese with a manganese content of 99.70%, so the range is not a blend of several qualities.
Q: Why is the transaction range narrower at the top than the quotation?
The floor is identical in both columns at USD 2,290 per tonne, while the quotation ceiling at USD 2,360 is USD 10 per tonne above the transaction ceiling of USD 2,350.
Q: What does the FOB basis include?
It covers the material delivered on board at the port of loading; ocean freight, insurance and destination charges remain with the buyer.
Q: What is electrolytic manganese used for?
Its main uses are final deoxidation and desulphurisation in steelmaking, manganese addition to aluminium alloys, and feedstock for manganese-based battery cathode chemistry.
Q: How is the material supplied?
Electrolytic manganese metal is traded as refined flake, and packaging is selected to protect the material from moisture during transport and storage.
