Eramet to Develop Mn Ore Source out of Gabon

Major ferroalloy maker of Eramet tries to develop new manganese ore sources other than Gabon. The chairman & CEO Patrick Buffet said at press conference in Tokyo on Thursday the firm started the study in several countries including South Africa, Australia and Namibia. The firm tries to expand the sources both in volume and quality menu while the firm expands the output by 500,000 tonnes to annual 4 million tonnes by 2010 in Gabon. Mr. Buffet also said the firm started study to launch new manganese metal and silicomanganese in Gabon. After the firm confirms cheap hydroelectric electricity availability, the board will decide the project in first quarter 2009 launching the operation in 2011. The firm is world no.2 high grade manganese ore supply and no.2 ferromangenese alloy supply, of which the firm is top maker as mid- and low-carbon manganese alloy. The firm already agreed to acquire Tinfos of Norway, which makes around 180,000 tonnes of silicomanganese, in April to expand the manganese alloy output by 20% from 756,000 tonnes of shipment in 2007.