Manganese metal is one of the fundamental raw materials for the steel industry, with over 90% of global steel industry consumption. In recent years, global steel production has seen continuous growth, leading to a significant increase in manganese metal demand.
According to data released by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2015, global manganese resources are estimated at about 570 million tons, but they are unevenly distributed. The majority is concentrated in countries such as:
- South Africa: 150 million tons
- Ukraine: 140 million tons
- Gabon: 24 million tons
- Brazil: 54 million tons
- India: 52 million tons
- Australia: 97 million tons
- China: 44 million tons
- Mexico: 5 million tons
Other countries have very few reserves.
The main types of manganese ore deposits globally include:
- Sedimentary
- Volcanic sedimentary
- Sedimentary metamorphic
- Hydrothermal
- Weathered crust
- Seafloor nodule-crust
High-grade manganese ores (over 35%) are primarily found in countries like South Africa, Australia, Gabon, and Brazil. There are 8 super-large manganese ore deposits worldwide, each with land-based manganese ore reserves exceeding 100 million tons. These include sites such as:
- Kalahari and Postmasburg in South Africa
- Great Tokmak and Nikopol in Ukraine
- Moanda in Gabon
- Nsuta in Ghana
- Groot Island in Australia
- Chiatura in Georgia
Foreign manganese ore generally boasts high grades, particularly in South Africa's Kalahari mining area, where manganese ore grades range from 30% to 50%, and in Australia's Groot Island mining area, where grades reach even higher, between 40% and 50%.
Compared to foreign resources, China's manganese ore deposits are mainly medium to small in scale and lower in grade, averaging 20-30% manganese content. Development and utilization conditions are disadvantaged, further exacerbated by disorderly and excessive development in recent years, resulting in even lower grades. Currently, manganese ores with grades of 15-18% dominate the production requirements.
The world's major manganese ore producing countries include:
- South Africa: 30%
- China: 15%
- Australia: 11%
Other producing countries include Ghana, Gabon, Brazil, India, and Ukraine.
In recent years, global manganese ore shipping trade has mainly flowed to China and India.
While China has significant manganese ore resources, estimated at over one billion tons, they are mostly low-grade ores, with an average usability rate of only about 20%. Consequently, actual usable manganese ore resources are limited, insufficient to meet domestic demand. Therefore, importing manganese ore and blending it with domestic low-grade ores have become the primary solution to China's manganese ore supply-demand contradiction, especially in regions lacking manganese ore. Importation of manganese ore plays a critical role in the production of medium and low-carbon ferromanganese.
At the beginning of the 20th century, India was a major manganese ore producer and exporter globally. However, with the rise of manganese ore-producing countries like Brazil, South Africa, Australia, and various African nations, India has transitioned from an exporter to an importer of manganese ore. With immense growth potential in India's steel industry and substantial room for increased manganese metal consumption, importing manganese ore has become an inevitable choice in the absence of sufficient domestic resources.
Global steel consumption remains on a steady growth trajectory, promising a parallel increase in manganese metal consumption. While there is potential for future growth in global manganese ore production, the supply-demand pattern is expected to remain roughly unchanged. Major exporting countries will continue to be resource-rich nations in the Southern Hemisphere such as South Africa, Brazil, and Gabon, while major importers will include China, India, and Southeast Asian countries.
Keywords: Manganese Metal, Manganese Ore, Manganese, Electrolytic Manganese Flakes, Ferro Manganese, Silico Manganese, Metallic Magnesium
