Firebird, Eramet sign MOU for manganese supply in China
ASX-listed Firebird Metals has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eramet for the supply of manganese ore to its planned battery-grade manganese sulphate plant in China. Read More
S.Africa urges mineral export ban if US funding halts
South Africa's Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe, has called on African nations to withhold minerals from the United States, should US President Donald Trump make good on threats to withdraw funding from South Africa. Read More
Jupiter sets manganese price at $4.10/dmtu for March
Manganese producer Jupiter Mines, which operates the Tshipi Borwa mine in South Africa, has announced the offering price for its 36.5% semi-carbonate lump at $4.10/dmtu for March shipments. Read More
South32’s Australia GEMCO mine resumes manganese output
South32's Australia-based GEMCO mine has resumed manganese production and is on track to reach its target of 1 mt for financial year ending 30 June 2025. Read More
EU mulls safeguards against manganese alloys imports
The European Commission is investigating whether to impose safeguard measures on imports of manganese and silicon-based alloys, following complaints from member states. Read More
Transnet unveils framework for private rail access
Transnet’s critical rail Network Statement has been published and widely welcomed as a key enabler to facilitate third-party access to South Africa’s railway amid ongoing reform. The Network Statement, which was gazetted by the Department of Transport on 20 December, has set the framework for private sector participation in rail. Read More
Manganese seen steady after last week’s sharp drop
Global manganese prices are expected to trade in a tight range this week, taking a breather after a sharp 20% drop in high-grade ore the previous week. Read More
Exxaro in “advanced talks” to acquire manganese mine
In this audio interview, Exxaro Resources Riaan Koppeschaar talks about the progress on the acquisition of a manganese mine and plans to expand Exxaro's coal production at Eskom-linked Matla mine. Read More
Botswana’s Minergy finds way to export out of S. Africa
Minergy is finding a way to ship nearly 20% of its high c.v. thermal coal out of landlocked Botswana to South Africa’s ports by using backhaul trucks to save on rising logistical costs. Read More
Manganese prices seen steady as market weighs cuts
Global manganese prices appear to have found a temporary floor with prices seen little changed this week, as the market weighs weak demand against emerging production cuts. Read More
Kudumane rail issue limits junior manganese exports
Junior manganese miners are struggling to make use of the additional 2 mt/y in railing capacity awarded to them by Transnet amid a stand-off with Kudumane Manganese Resources over the use of its private rail link. Read More
Weak demand dampens sentiment at Eurocoke
Falling European steel output, strong steel imports and ample availability of raw materials were major themes at the Eurocoke conference in Vienna last week. Market participants told McCloskey that poor demand from Europe and Asia was forcing United States coal miners to implement both production and wage cuts, while European buyers were contending with rising stockpiles at steel mills and terminals. Read More
Manganese producers to cut output again amid price drop
Some South African manganese producers are looking to cut production again due to the sharp drop in seaborne prices over the past few months. Semi-carbonate prices have tumbled nearly 50% since hitting this year’s high of $5.55/dmtu FOB Port Elizabeth in mid-June. On Friday, the 36.5% manganese weekly price fell to a seven-month low of $2.98/dmtu. Read More
ARM’s new smelting process shows promise in S. Africa
African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) has developed a smelting technology that uses 70% less energy with the aim to offset high electricity tariffs, increase production and resuscitate South Africa's ferroalloys industry. ARM has a 50/50 joint venture with Assore and together own iron ore, manganese and smelting operations in South Africa and Malaysia. Read More
S. Africa manganese miners face declining quality issue
South African manganese miners are seeing deteriorating quality in their opencast production and will soon face the decision on whether to expand underground at greater cost, industry officials said. South Africa, the world’s biggest manganese exporter, has seen the quality of its ore slowly decline from an average of 40% manganese content a decade ago to 37% currently, as the shallow surface of the Kalahari Basin begins to deplete, according to data from the International Manganese Institute (IMnI). Read More
Tshipi omits interim dividend amid manganese downturn
The board of South Africa’s Tshipi é Ntle manganese mine has decided not to pay a dividend to shareholders for the six months to 30 June due to the recent downturn in the global manganese market. Read More
Aveng mulls ownership changes for Tshipi contractor
International mining company Aveng plans to explore “alternative ownership options” for its South African-based Moolmans business, which is a key contractor for the Tshipi é Ntle manganese mine. Read More
Transnet, industry collaboration unlocks loco spares
Locomotive availability, one of the biggest hindrances to South Africa’s rail capacity, is showing signs of improvement thanks to increased collaboration between Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) and industry in obtaining critical spare parts. Read More
ArcelorMittal’s De Paula shares LatAm steel views
Brazil's steel industry is navigating a challenging time with high Chinese steel imports and slow investment in sectors such as infrastructure and manufacturing. In an exclusive interview at the AcoBrasil Congress in São Paulo, Jefferson De Paula, CEO of ArcelorMittal, South America, Long, shared his views with McCloskey’s Ranjana von Wendland on the industry and his company’s business in LatAm. Read More
High-grade manganese rally ends with 33% weekly drop
High-grade manganese prices tumbled 33% in one week, ending a four-month rally, as the market finally capitulated under weak demand and pressure from lower grade material. High-grade manganese ore dropped to $6.02/dmtu CIF Tianjin on Friday, compared to $8.97/dmtu in the previous week and the lowest since late April Read More
Glencore reports S. Africa losses on coal quality, rail
Glencore has written down its South African coal assets by $611m as the operations suffer quality issues and rail constraints. The mining and commodities trading group last week released its results for the half year ended in June, and swung into a $233m loss primarily due to impairments of which the South Africa coal write-downs were the largest. Read More
Port Elizabeth Aug manganese exports likely to fall 20%
Monthly manganese ore exports from South Africa’s Port Elizabeth, the industry’s main export hub, are expected to drop by nearly 20% in August compared with the previous month, due to easing seaborne prices. Read More
With lights back on, S.Africa embraces green transition
With South Africa’s power crisis now over, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s new government is again embracing an accelerated energy transition that could threaten future investment in the country’s coal industry. After two years struggling to keep the lights on, Eskom has gone more than 130 days without rotational power cuts, known as load shedding. The situation has improved so much that the state utility announced last week it had to cut operations because it was producing so much power. Read More
S.Africa’s manganese market oversupplied – Kudumane CEO
South Africa’s manganese market is oversupplied, and producers should more closely follow demand signals, as semi-carbonate prices tumble from this year’s highs, said Kudumane’s CEO. During a McCloskey manganese webinar last week, Kudumane CEO Thembelani Gantsho said the recent drop in semi-carbonate manganese ore prices indicated that demand fundamentals were not there to support such levels. Read More
Industry hits back at mooted raw ore export tax
The Minerals Council South Africa – the industry body representing 90% of mining production in South Africa - has hit back at the mining minister’s musings about implementing an export tax on raw ore. Read More
S. Africa’s Transnet set to receive $1bn ADB loan
South Africa's Transnet is set to receive a ZAR18.85bn ($1bn) corporate loan from the African Development Bank, providing much needed funding for the troubled state-run company to improve its rail operations. The 25-year loan fully guaranteed by the government of South Africa was approved by the bank's board of directors earlier this month. Read More
S. Africa imposes 9% import duty on hot-rolled steel
A provisional import tariff of 9% has been levied on hot-rolled steel coming into South Africa in a bid to protect ArcelorMittal SA (AMSA) from a flood of cheap Chinese imports. The application for tariff protection was lodged with the government’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) in February by the South African Iron & Steel Institute (SASI) on behalf of AMSA, the country’s main primary steelmaker. Read More
Manganese market on edge after S. Africa rail line shut
Global manganese markets could rebound this week, supported by the shutdown of a key South African export rail line. Read More
Ramaphosa’s energy portfolio shift stokes confusion
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to move the critical energy portfolio out of Gwede Mantashe’s hands to fall under Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has given rise to immense uncertainty and confusion over how energy matters will be split across the two ministries. Read More
ArcelorMittal S.Africa warns of losses amid poor market
ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has warned of widening interim losses amid tough trading conditions and operational issues at its hot-rolled steel plant. The steelmaker last week warned earnings losses for the six months ended in June could potentially quadruple as a result of difficult domestic and regional trading conditions; as well as the impact of operational interruptions of the two blast furnaces at flat steel plant in Vanderbijlpark. Read More
S. Africa president reappoints Mantashe mines minister
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced his new Cabinet and reappointed Gwede Mantashe as mines minister, leaving him in charge of overseeing the coal and manganese industries but taking away Eskom from his portfolio. The new cabinet was eagerly anticipated following the formation of a Government of National Unity (GNU), which includes 11 political parties after the African National Congress lost its long-held majority in the national elections in May. Read More