[Ferro-Alloys.com] continued sliding manganese alloy prices amid leveling off future quotation prices for manganese ore dampened alloy suppliers’ operation activity. Under such affect, increasing number of alloys factories were forced to suspend production or cut output which greatly reduced demand on manganese ore, and flat transaction no doubt give rise to downtrend sale prices for spot ore. Given another downturn for steel by the end of February, ethsusactism for ferroalloy suppliers suffered huge hit again. It is estimated that imported manganese ore spot market would still not be optimistic, and the chances of future prices for ore from oversea miners may face fluctuation is great.

As of chrome ore, for the whole year of 2013, chrome ore imports showed a surprising rebound to 1.83 million tons which brought about huge impact on ferrochrome market in China. Despite firm oversea future quotation to China, it seems that chrome ore spot market performance is still disappointing, and ongoing losses wane Chinese ore traders’ activities on importing. Despite ferrochrome suppliers are reluctant for adapting to changes in industry about narrowing profit or suffering loss, increasing ferrochrome production capacity in 2013 will definitely generate growth for ore. Spot prices for chrome ore are gradually getting out of the bottom line, and are expected to edge up slightly.

In terms of Nickel ore, affected by economy period, prices for bulk raw material touched the bottom line, resulting in historical high inventory for Lun nickel, therefore, despite Indonesia carried out nickel ore prohibition as of 12, January, prices for Lun nickel still lingered about USD14,000/mt, which in turn hold down prices for ferronickel.

All in all, unknown changes policy for Indonesia makes future quotation for nickel ore full of uncertainty. In addition, due to continued fog and haze weather, Chinese government will strengthen control on environmental protection in the area of Hebei and Inner Mongolia which may bring about affect on ferronickel production.   

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• [Editor:editer]