krd/mes/5/89
ECA REVIEW OF DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN THE MANGANESE
INDUSTRY (1980-1988) AND PROSPECTS FOR THE 1990S
ECA/MULPOC/LUSAKA OCTOBER, 1989
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pase
INTRODUCTION |
SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW 3
WORLD MANGANESE RESOURCES , 5
PRODUCTION OF MANGANESE ORE .4
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN MANGANESE ORE . Cj
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN MANGANESE METAL I 5
PRICES IN THE MANGANESE INDUSTRY Itf
CD
LIST OF TABLES
Page
1. WORLD PRODUCTION OF MANGANESE ORE 1
2. WORLD EXPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE lO
3. WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (7.
4. WORLD EXPORTS OF MANGANESE METAL |^
5. WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE METAL Q
(ii)
- 1
INTRODUCTION
This draft review of development trends in the manganese industry
(1980-1988) and prospects for the 1990s was prepared by the ECA/MULPOC/Lusaka, It is a desk study based on data and information derived from the Central
Statistics Office (CSO), the University of Zambia, School of Mines, and
the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Limited (ZCCM).
The data and information obtained from the institutions stated above
for the preparation of the review was found to be inadequate for detailed
coverage of the subject. Up-to-date and relevant publications on the
manganese industry are not available in Lusaka either because Zambia is
not an important participant in the manganese industry or foreign exchange
to import such publications by local institutions is limited.
Furthermore, in the course of preparing this review, opportunities
were not provided for consultations with relevant representatives of the
manganese industry, subregional economic institutions and governments in
the African region, to review the present state of the African manganese
industry and establish its priorities for the future. Thus, the present
review could vastly be improved when either relevant institutions provide
information to the MULPOC Office or opportunities for obtaining such
information from relevant countries and institutions in the region arise.
In the review, the countries of the world have been grouped in
geographical regions according to the area of responsibility of the United
Nations regional commissions: the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA);
the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE); the Economic Commission for Latin
America and the Caribbean (ESLAC); the Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Economic and Social Commission for for Western Asia (ESCWA).
The writer wishes to record his deep appreciation to Messrs:
Edwin M. Koloko, Director of Corporate Planning (ZCCM); Peter Freeman,
Consulting Geologist (ZCCM); Henry Mumba, Economist (ZCCM); Muta Mumba,
Senior Lecturer (School of Mines); and Mrs. J.S. Mulenga, Chief Librarian,
Central Statistics Office (CSO) for the kind assistance generously provided
in the preparation of this draft review.
SUMMARY OF THE REVIEW
Manganese is considered a strategic mineral whose primary use is in
the manufacture of steel where it has no economic substitute. Relatively
small quantities of manganese are also used in the chemical industries as
catalysts and oxidisers, as well as in the manufacture of batteries.
Nearly ninety nine per cent of the world's manganese reserves are
reported to be located, in order of importance, in South Africa (78.5%), the
Soviet Union, Gabon, Australia, Brazr'.l and China.' With the exception of Brazil, the major manganese consuming nations of the western world have no
indigenous manganese resources, and thus depend on Australia, West and South
Africa, for their manganese requirements.
The seven largest manganese ore producers during 1980 to 1987
accounted for over ninety per cent of the world total and were ranked as the
Soviet Union, South Africa, Brazil, Gabon, Australia, China and India. The
main manganese ore exporters were: Sou'zh Africa, Gabon and Ghana in the
African region; the Soviet Union in the ECE region; Brazil and Mexico in the ECLAC region; and Australia and India in the ESCAP region. On the other hand, the main importers of manganese ore during the period under review were
several countries of the ECE region and some few countries in the ESCAP
region. Japan was the most important importer of manganese ore in the world.
During the period 1980 to 1987, international trade in manganese ore
declined substantially due to the depressed state of the steel industry and the continued decrease of manganese use per unit of steel production.
International trade in manganese metal ranged from nearly 40,000 to 51,000 metric tons during the period 1980 to 1987. The Republic of
South Africa was the most important exporter of manganese metal with an
annual average of 64.3% of world exports. The ECE countries were estimated
to have accounted for over 93.0% of world imports. The dominance of the
Republic of South Africa on the supply of manganese metal especially to
the ECE countries constitutes one of the factors explaining some of the
ECE countries opposition to trade sanctions against the Republic of South
Africa because of its apartheid practices.
Unfortunately, no statistics on prices of'manganese ore or metal
were available to the writer of this draft review. The 1988 "Mining Annual
Review" reports, however, that in real terms, manganese prices have
declined since the 1950s partly because of the (il)health of the steel
industry and the continuing decline of manganese use per unit of steel
production. Hence, the prospects for the manganese industry, in 1990s
seem uncertain.
WORLD MANGANESE RESOURCES
It is estimated that nearly ninety nine per cent of the world's manganese
reserves are located, in order of importance, in South Africa (78.5%), the
Soviet Union, Gabon, Australia, Brazil and China!.'. South Africa's
manganese reserves are reported as massive at over eleven billion metric tons of potential mineable material—2/ but political considerations have
limited their development opportunities. Unquantifiable amounts of
manganese lie beneath the sea bed in the form of nodules, but the existing
price structure of manganese will almost certainly prevent any commercial
development of these resources in the forseable future. With the exception
of Brazil, the major manganese con; iming nations of the western world
have no indigenous manganese resources, and thus depend on Australia,
West and South Africa for their manganese requirements.
_1/ Engineering and Mining Journal, Ilarch 1987 page 59.
2/ 1985 Mining Annual Review, page 90.
_ 6 -
PRODUCTION OF MANGANESE ORE
The seven largest manganese ore producers account for over ninety per cent of the world's total and are ranked as the Soviet Union, South Africa, Brazil, Gabon, Australia, China and India (Table 1). During the period 1980 to 1987 the world manganese ore production was generally constant with the notable exceptio- of South Africa where production successifvely declined most probably because of political reasons.
Manganese ores find markets as feedstock for three basic industries:
steel making, chemicals and batteries. Steel makers take by far the largest tonnage, 95% of total, primarily in the form of ferromanganese (78%Mn) or silicomanganese (SiMn) smelted from manganese ore. Improved metallurgical technology has over the years resulted in overall reduction in consumption of manganese by the steel industry as measured by the weight of manganese
per unit of steel produced.
Chemical grades of manganese ore range from 74% to 84% manganese oxide and are used as catalysts and oxiders. Some of the higher quality natural.chemical-grade manganese ores provide direct competition for manufactured chemical and electrolytic manganese oxides.
■ .*Battery-grade manganese ores typically contain 78% to 85% manganese
oxide and can be used in ordinary dry-cell batteries. These manganese ores
are r.eported to command a market price of about three times higher than
the metallurgical grade manganese ore for the steel industry.
- 7
TABLE 1: WORLD PRODUCTION OF MANGANESE ORE (thousand tonnes)
ECA REGION
Gabon
Ghana
Morocco
South Africa Metallurgical
Chemical
Zaire .
ECE REGION
Australia^./
Bulgaria
Czecho slovakia—'
Greece
Hungary-
Italy
Romania
USA
•
USSR
Turkey
Yugoslavia
% Metal Content
(50%)
(40%)
(50%)
(40%)
(55%)
(48%)
(?)
(30%)(17%) (50%)
(3O%0
(30%)
(22%)
(10%)
(35%)
(40%)
(34%)
1980
2147
250
131
5695
367
6
58
49
1*
6
83
9
82*
158
9750
42
30
1981
1488
223
110
5040
341
18
56
45
1*
6
71
9
82*
159
9150
15
31
1982
1511
160
97
5217
338
-
62
45
1*
6
83
9
82*
29
9821
7
27
1983
1762
173
74
2628
259
2
65
45
1*
5
59
7
78*
30
9876
3
32
1984
2021
287
59
2858
192
31
67
45
1*
5
67
10
66*
80
10089
43
21
1985
2349
316
44
3443
158
37
60
38
1*
5
62
8
68*
18
9900
11
32
1986
2440
259
40
3564
156
1
59
37
1*
5
62
6
67*
13
9300
8
41
1987
2216
254
43
2767
125
57
38
l-,v
• ..
70
4
65*
...
9400
7
41
TABLE 1: WORLD PRODUCTION OF MANGANESE ORE (Cont'd)
ECLAC REGION
Argentina
irazil
Chile
Mexico
ESCAP REGION
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Philippines
Thailand
(30%)
(40%)
(33%)
(38%)
(48%)
(30%)
(35%)
(50%)
(26%)
(44%)
(45%)
a/
y
*
-
Source:
6
2281
28
447
2020
1600*
1692
4
80
3
54
3
2042
26
578
1449
1600*
1528
3
86
3
11
Manganese content Manganiferous iron
Estimated Nil
Figures not
4
2341
16
509
1127
1600*
1481
18
78
2
8
7
2091
26
350
1370
1600*
1277
8
75
2
7
of domestic iron ore
ore
: available
World Mineral Statistics, (1980-1987), 6
2693
26
476
1849
1600*
1130
12
62
1
9
British
7
2523
36
396
2003
1600*
1259
23
21
0
4
Geological 10
2700
32
459
1649 1600*
1284
2
6
0
5
Survey.
6
2100*
32
385
1853
1600*
1275
1
-
0
9
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN MANGANESE ORE
Tables 2 and 3 show the respt :tive world exports and imports of
manganese ore for the period 1980 to 1987. The main exporters per region
were: South Africa, Gabon and Ghana in the African region; the USSR in
the ECE region; Brazil and Mexico in the ECLAC region; and Australia and
India in the ESCAP region. On the other hand, the main importers of
manganese ore were: several countries of the ECE region and some few
countries in the ESCAP region (Japan, the Republic of Korea and Taiwan).
During the period under review, Japan was the most important importer of
manganese ore in the world in terms of tonnages imported. The 1988 "Mininj
Annual Review" reports that manganese ore trading in the western world
declined substantially during the period 1980 to 1987 due to the depressed
state of the steel industry and the continued decrease of manganese use
per unit of steel production.
- 10
TABLE 2: WORLD EXPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (thousand tonnes)
ECA REGION
Gabon
Ghana
Morocco
South Africa
Zaire
ECE REGION
USA
United Kingdom
Belgium- Luxembourg
France
Germany, F.R. of
Greece
Italy
Netherlands
Portugal
3ulgaria
Hungary
Norway
USSR
Sweden
Turkey
Yugoslavia
1980
2136
163
112
3381
42*
222
8
6
6
1
1
0
40
1
8 *
38
2
1255
0
9
-
1981
1548
142
100
3187
13*
80
6
8
17
2
2
1
45
3
8 a
221
3
1194
0
-
1
1982
1419
97
82
2871
16*
34
7
9
11
1
0
1
42
0
10*
16
0
1144
0
-
3
1983
1987
136
58
1996
31*
21
1
3
21
4
1
1
43
5
39*
10
2
1079
1
-
5
1984
237
70
3038
24*
223
2
3
76
1
0
2
47
-
36*
12
0
1081
-
-
7
1985
252
47
2890
26*
70
4
0
74
1
_
1
48
-
10*
11
-
1126
0
7
13
1986
2551
277
51
2416
63*
42
0
1
95
1
1
2
41
-
7*
9
1
1101
-
1
7
1987
.. .
293 !
44 ;
1562
17*
71
0
1
107
2
• • •
0
52
19
11*
12
0
714
-
0
1
- 11 -
TABLE 2: WORLD EXPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (Cont'd)
ECLAC REGION
Brazil 1037 1018 846 747 879 901 760 579
Mexico 136 207 170 143 246 130 120 158
ESCAP REGION
Australia
China
India
Indonesia
Japan
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Source: World Mineral Statistics by the British Geological Survey, 1980-1987 1328
24*
244
10
2
1
19
51
900
22*
430
29
1
3
21
17
906
23*
8
2
-
16
2
1004
23*
358
■28
2
1
20
0
1460
13*
621
26 '
2
-
13
4
1403
4*
486
31
2
-
15
1145
4*
5
1
0
0
1306
7*
5
2
0
0
TABLE 3: WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (thousand tons)
ECA REGION
Kenya
Ivory Coast
South Africa
Zimbabwe
ECE REGION
Canada^/
USA
United Kingdom
Belgium- Luxembourg
Denmark
France
Germany, F.R. of
Greece
Irish Republic
Italy
Netherlands
Austria
Bulgaria
Czechoslavakia
Finland
German Dem. Rep.
Hungary
Norway
1980
1
1
4
5
95
633
127
300
1
1226
490
29
32
410
47
2
100
525
11
47
16
808
1981
2
1
7
4
120
587
278
245
1
881
607
0
16
354
53
0
114
480
0
46
0
485
1982
1
2
4
7
72
208
179
227
1
922
394
26
11
333
68
0
82
502
2
40
0
764
1983
2
1
6
4
42
334
367
163
0
745
434
21
386
44
0
97
506
10
27
0
623
1984
2
1
8
5
78
307
270
222
0
1007
536
28
273
50
1
94
482
7
22
1
737
1985
2
2
5
7
102
344
386
231
1
1039
378
11
24
393
72
1
93
457
10
20
0
702
1986
4
3
24
95
416
160
199
1
761
473
1
35
330
130
0
83
332
2
30
1
818
1987
2
: * *
•..
18
81
309
121
76
1
702
379
0
26
453
125
1
65
438
2
24
0
628
- 13
TABLE 3: WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (Cont'd.)
ECE REGION (cont'd.) Poland
Portugal
Spain
Romania
Sweden
Turkey
Yugoslavia
ECLAC REGION
Argentina
Brazil
Colombia
Mexico
Peru
Venezuela
ESCAP REGION
Australia
India
Indonesia
Iran
Japan
Korea, DPR
Korea, Rep. of
664
174
433
0
2
131
59
29
5
99
1
6
2
10
12
2953
29*
208
583
110
254
1
1
88
56
15
4
64
2
23
2
1
10
2493
15*
282
689
122
26.1
26
2
109
126
11
4
59
2
54
0
5
2146
28*
237
574
69
214
220
25
2
130
95
19
1
155
1
5
1
3
3*
1623
20*
196
648
228
418
165
0
1
148
29
1
4
142
1
29
1
2
4*
2212
42*
255
618
127
299
225
0
1
140
64
4
2
24
1
48
2
5
1
2*
2183
21*
276
671
127
244
196
12
1
133
51
2
4
1
48
2
1
4*
1807
30*
223
682
78
...
U 2
88
1
62
2
2
1581
29*
374
JH-
TABLE 3: WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE ORE (Cont'd.)
ESCAP REGION (Cont'd.)
Malaysia 2
Pakistan
Philippines 7
Singapore 60
Taiwan 143
2
2
81
63
1
3
68
136
1
-
4
45
106
2
25
3
35
97
1
0
3
36
129
1
33
3
29
119
1
28
4
46
132
ESCWA REGION
Saudi Arabia 7 23 20 28 26
a/ Manganese content
Source: World Mineral Statistics by the British Geological Survey, (1980-1987).
15
INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN MANGANESE METAL
International trade in manganese metal was of the order ranging
from nearly 40,000 to 51,000 metric tons annually during the period 1980 to 1987 (Tables 4 and 5). The Republic of South Africa was the most important exporter of manganese metal during the period under review with an average of 64.3% of world exports. With regard to world manganese imports, the ECE countries are estimated to iave accounted for over 93.0% of world imports for the period 1980 to 1986. The dominance of the Republic of South Africa on the supply of manganese metal especially to the ECE
countries partly explains the opposition of some of these countries against
trade sanctions on the Republic of South Africa because of its apartheid
practices.
16
TABLE 4: WORLD EXPORTS OF MANGANESE METAL (tonnes)
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
ECA REGION
South Africa 26200* 27400* 17400* 24634 36603 29126 27166 Total
World %
26200
59.9
27400
70.2
17400
57.4
24634
59.6
36603
71.8
29126
65.6
27166
65.7
ECE REGION
USA
United Kingdom
Belgium- Luxembourg
France
Germany, F.R. of
Netherlands
Sweden
Total
World %
ESCAP REGION
China
Total
World %
WORLD TOTAL
11374
405
306
2276
124
2487
77
17049
39.0
500*
500*
1.1
43749
A
4394
147
141
2987
43
3266
79
11057
28.3
600*
600*
1.5
39057
Estimated Figures not
3266
878
265
4188
99
3845
68
12609
41.6
300*
300*
1.0
30309
5937
1232
1185
4949 143
2257
111
15814
38.3
850*
850*
2.1
41298
available
3718
1001
1489 6434
131
1338
68
14179
27.8
200*
200*
0.4
50982
4805
600*
1327
5789 118
1830
86
14555
32.8
750*
750*
1.7
44431
4804
600*
1960
4014 193
1241
113
12961
31.4
1200*
1200*
2.9
41327
5626
400
1760
5574
461
1100
119
15040
...
1500*
1500*
...
TaTi-it-IH ( 1 QQH._ inQ"7\ t>--!^-'^l 1 _ .. _■ 1
17
TABLE 5: WORLD IMPORTS OF MANGANESE METAL (tonnes)
1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987
ECA REGION
ECE REGION
Canada
USA
United Kingdom
Belgium- Luxembourg
France
Germany, F.R. of
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Spain
Sweden
Total
World %
ECLAC REGION'
—
6957
6937
3292
1178
6930
5731'
1397
2558
713
1565
1459
38717
92.8
—
10371
7573
1962
711
984
5146
1711
3474
351
2869
708
35860
93.0
-
781
5049
2741
1467
1173
5989
1713
4102
320
454
1331
25120
-
2652
5606
3424
1757
1461
5468
1974
2170
1579
676
1442
28209
-
3078
12033
3113
2333
,1184
6102
2653
1560
1121
524
977
34678
-
3757
8609
4215
2096
824
6225
3522
2113
1678
466
1072
34577
93.0
-
2655
8844
4831
2994
1183
1664
1664
2004
1315
674 1726
34234
-
2085
8132
2484
3421
2124
1836
1836
1710
1641
614
2064
31600
Brazil Total
World %
1019 1019
2.4
754 754
2.0
1020 1020
1174 1174
1217 1217
1336 1336
3.6
1364 1364
...
ESCAP REGION
Australia 1838 1693 567 1144 1561
India ' • 136 258
Total * ■ 1974 1951 567 1144 1561
1012
236
1248
649 923
649 923
32523 WORLD TOTAL
41710 38565 26707 30527 37456 37161
36247Source: World Mineral Statistics by the British Geological
Survey (1980-1987)18
PRICES IN THE MANGANESE INDUSTRY
The price for metallurgical grade manganese ore is normally set on annual contract volumes. Negotiations between individual consumers and
producers are usually concluded during the period April to June each year,
Unfortunately, no statistics on prices of manganese ore or metal
were available to the writer of this draft review. The 1988 "Mining
Annual Review" reports that in real terms, manganese prices have declined since the 1950s partly because of the (il)health of the steel industry and the continuing decline of manganese use per unit of steel production. It should be, noted, however, that manganese has no economic substitute for its main ferrous applications and it is, therefore, considered as a strategic mineral. The United States government maintains a strategic stock of manganese ores and alloys.
