Spot export offers for Chinese electrolytic manganese metal, or  EMM, on  an FOB basis 

jumped amid limited available material  in  the market and news of environmental checks 

in major  EMM producing areas of Hunan, Guizhou and Guangxi from April onwards whic

h may affect production, industry sources said Friday. 

The  99.7%  manganese  export  price  assessment was lifted to $1,950-$2,000/mt FOB 

China Friday, up from $1,780-$1,830/mt last week as higher bid and offers heard. 

"EMM  offers  have  jumped  sharply early this week to Yuan 10,300/mt ($1,496/mt) and 

$1,870/mt FOB China on news of environmental checks in Hunan and Guangxi. 

Market participants are anticipating a further hike to Yuan 13,500/mt ex-works and $2,00

0/mt  FOB China due to the upcoming environmental checks," said a south China-based 

trader. 

A  south  central  China-based  producer  agreed but said FOB offers were higher at the 

$1,900/mt level and ex-works offers at Yuan 13,300-13,500/mt. 

"There's no significant change in the buying but the supply is tight," the southern Chines

e producer added. 

A northwest China-based said quite a lot of stocks had been bought up when the domest

ic price had fallen below Yuan 10,000/mt earlier on. 

He  added  that many plants had stopped offering as they were not expecting this current 

sharp hike. 

"It's Friday now, and weekend in near. Most prefer to wait until next week. Ex-works offers 

are  at  Yuan 13,500/mt and FOB offers are more than $1,900/mt, maybe around $1,950/

mt at least," said a northwestern China-based trader. 

Another south China-based producer said they had stopped offering. 

"EMM  offers  have  climbed  above Yuan 13,000/mt ex-works to Yuan 13,300-13,500/mt. 

The  main  concern  is  the  upcoming environmental checking in Guizhou which is major 

EMM  producing  area. Any  shutdown  will  affect  the  already tight supply in the market. 

FOB offers should at $1,950-2,000/mt given current domestic level at Yuan 13,300-13,5

00/mt. However, FOB offers can't catch up," this southern central Chinese producer add

ed. 

A South Korean trader, who was trying look for stocks at the $1,900/mt level on CIF Bus

an  basis,  said: "I can't find any material at the $1,900/mt level. I heard offers at as high 

as $2,070/mt CIF Japan."