Platts to clarify Chinese manganese metal specs

Platts is proposing to clarify and amend the specifications for its price assessment for Chinese manganese metal 99.7% Mn, effective February 6, 2012, and to align the naming convention for the assessment across Platts Metals Week, Platts Metals Alert and Platts' internal database. The new specifications reflect what has prevailed in the market and will not result in a change to the data history or the consistency of the data going forward.

The name as it appears in Metals Week and Platts Metals Alert will change to Electrolytic Manganese 99.7% Mn FOB China. Platts will assess a range of 99.7-99.9% Mn; flakes, size 10mm x 150mm x 1.5 mm, normalized to 99.7%; 0.05% Si; 0.04% S; 0.04% C; 0.03% Fe; 0.004% P; 0.001% Pb.

Chinese and imported origin material, free market, $/mt, packaging in 250 kg drums, in Customs-sealed, 20 ft containers, export duty paid, shipment loading within 30 days from date of transaction, payment cash against documents, including original bill of lading.

Reported CIF and CFR transactions normalized back to FOB China specification, using prevailing freight rates. Special packaging and payment terms normalized back to stated specification. Assessments made Thursdays, or closest business day, from phone survey of producers, traders and consumers of electrolytic manganese metal flake.