POSCO·Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering
Core Material for Eco-Friendly Fuel Propulsion Ships
High Manganese Steel LNG Fuel Tank
World's First Installed on a Vessel
China's Production Volume 31.67 Million Tons Last Year
Formed 'Manganese Alliance' Last Year
Attempt to Control Raw Material Prices
Experts Warn "High Dependence on China Should Be Cautioned"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Manganese, a metal that is hard yet brittle, has recently expanded its industrial applications from steel and shipbuilding to the battery sector. When alloyed with iron, manganese enhances strength and improves battery stability, making it a metal re-evaluated as ideal for the eco-friendly era. However, concerns have been raised about the need to reduce dependence on China, which dominates manganese imports.
According to the industry on the 21st, POSCO and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering recently applied high-manganese steel, which uses manganese as an alloying material, to LNG (liquefied natural gas) fuel tanks for the first time in the world, equipping LNG vessels with it. The two companies developed the high-manganese steel after more than ten years of joint research. LNG fuel tanks are key components of eco-friendly fuel propulsion ships.
LNG must be stored in fuel tanks and cargo holds at an ultra-low temperature of minus 163 degrees Celsius to maintain its liquefied state. To achieve this, expensive nickel alloy steel, aluminum, and stainless steel have been used in LNG fuel tanks. These materials are costly, have complicated manufacturing processes, and possess low strength. However, the newly developed high-manganese steel LNG fuel tank is less expensive than existing materials and offers high strength and wear resistance, as well as excellent performance at ultra-low temperatures.
In steel materials, manganese is used as an alloying element to increase the strength of steel. When sulfur content is high in steel, iron sulfide (FeS) forms, causing the steel to become brittle. Manganese is used to control sulfur (S), thereby enhancing the strength and durability of steel. Additionally, manganese combines with oxygen to prevent bubbles or micro-holes from forming inside steel products.
Manganese is also a key raw material used in batteries. It plays a role in improving battery stability and is used in battery cathode materials. Although manganese deposits are evenly distributed worldwide in countries such as South Africa, Brazil, and Australia, China overwhelmingly leads in production. According to the Korea Resources Information Service, China's manganese production last year reached approximately 31.67 million tons, double that of South Africa, the second largest producer, at 16.02 million tons.
On March 17th this year, visitors at 'InterBattery 2022' held at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are examining General Motors (GM)'s Hummer truck equipped with a high-quality nickel-cobalt-manganese-aluminum (NCMA) quaternary battery at the LG Energy Solution exhibition hall. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@
In particular, domestic battery manufacturers mainly produce ternary or quaternary batteries using NCM (nickel, cobalt, manganese) as the primary material, increasing manganese usage in Korea. Compared to cobalt (around $59,000 per ton), manganese (around $1,000 to $2,000 per ton) is cheaper, and its proportion in battery cells is growing. However, concerns have been raised about excessive dependence on Chinese imports. According to the Korea International Trade Association, the import dependency on China for manganese is 99%. This is higher than for aluminum cables (97.4%), magnesium ingots and scrap (94.5%), galvanized steel sheets (93.8%), and graphite (87.7%), meaning all imports rely on China. Manganese, an essential material for steel manufacturing; graphite, a critical anode material for electric vehicle batteries; and magnesium, a key material for automotive lightweighting, are representative Chinese import items.
China holds manganese reserves of 203 million tons, enabling it to weaponize resources at any time. Possessing natural manganese resources worth 100 billion yuan (approximately 17 trillion won), China formed the "Manganese Alliance" last year to attempt controlling global prices of raw materials ranging from iron ore to nickel and manganese.
Professor Kim Pil-su of the Department of Future Automotive Engineering at Daelim University said, "It is time for the government to step in and establish a system that can stably supply raw materials through international agreements." He added, "Especially for batteries and other key raw materials needed in the Fourth Industrial Revolution era, it is necessary to reduce dependence on China, which practically monopolizes these resources."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
