China will triple its manganese ore imports from Ghana, according to information from global steel industry sources.
Manganese ore which is an important raw material for the production of steel is in high demand following the rising demand for steel and the decline in manganese ore stocks.
China which imports about 80% of its manganese ore from Gabon, South Africa, Australia, the ASEAN region and Ghana is intent on doubling the overall import figure.
China plans to triple the 45,000 tonnes manganese ore import from Ghana by 1.8 times.
Available statistics show that from January to October of 2009 the manganese ore from Gabon through China’s Guangdong port reached 349,000 tonnes up by 41.4%, ore from South Africa rose to 218,000 tonnes, up by 11.1%. The ore from Australia was 166,000 tonnes down by 62.6% and from Brazil, China imported 152,000 tonnes, a significant increase by 1.3 fold. Imports from the four countries accounted for 83.7% of the total manganese ore imports through the Guangdong port. An additional, 78,000 tonnes import was from ASEAN.
According to Guangzhou Customs’ available data of December 3, 2009, from January to October of 2009 manganese ore and concentrate imported through Guangdong port reached 1.059 million tonnes worth US$230 million down by 3.7% year-on-year and 55.3% year-on-year.
Compared with September imports, October imports decreased some 14.9 million tonnes up by 39.1% year-on-year worth US$25.93 million down by 60.1% yearon-year.
China’s growing interest in Ghana can be seen in the fact that it has shown a strong interest in the country’s nascent oil industry. About two days ago, China gave money to Ghana to develop its oil infrastructure. China has also been a strong contender for the stake of Kosmos Energy in Ghana’s largest oil field, the Jubilee field.
In October 2009, a Chinese mining company , Bosai Minerals Group Co. Ltd., offered to pay $30 million for the Awaso bauxite mine in Ghana.
World aluminae giant, Rio Tinto, owners of the mine were reported to have agreed to sell 80% stake in the mine to Bosai.
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