<article><p class="lead">Chinese manganese producer Zunyi Tianci has temporarily halted its 110-120 t/day flake output, as part of an output suspension plan initiated by the country's main producers.</p><p>The firm is likely to resume production at the start of May after stopping for nearly a month. The producer, located in Zunyi city in southwest China's Guizhou province, has four production lines with a combined capacity of 50,000 t/yr. </p><p>Five key producers, including China's largest smelter Ningxia Tianyuan, suspended output for 10-15 days from 20 March after key producers in the manganese industry alliance attended a meeting on 15 March, according to market participants. The producers include Ningxia Tianyuan, South Manganese Group (Citic Dameng), Guizhou Songtao Sanhe, Guizhou Wuling and Hunan Dongfang Mining. The meeting also called for other small producers to cut output to support prices.</p><p>The major producers at the end of March invested 1.529bn yuan ($230mn) to establish a new company, Qingdao Manganese Series Investment, to support market prices and prevent a competition of low prices. </p><p>The market began to soften this week after gains in the second half of March as some key producers resumed output after their 10-15 day suspensions, although a few others joined the suspension plan. The range for 99.7pc grade manganese flake was assessed at Yn16,400-16,600/t ($2,511-2,542/t) ex-works today, down by Yn200/t from 13 April and down by Yn300/t from 12 April.</p></article>
