NEWSBREAK: Assmang declares force majeure in South Africa

Miner Assmang has declared force majeure on manganese shipments after South Africa imposed a 21-day lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), Fastmarkets understands.

March 25, 2020

By Janie Davies

The company sent force majeure notices to customers on Wednesday March 25, becoming the second South African manganese miner to do so today, after United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK).

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the lockdown on Monday evening, stating it would run from midnight on March 26 until April 17.

All of the country’s mines and smelters will be required to cease operations during the period.

Assmang is part of the Assore mining group, which produced 1.78 million tonnes of manganese ore in the first half of its 2020 financial year as well as 769,000 tonnes of chrome ore and 171,000 tonnes of manganese alloy.