The evolution of the global manganese industry chain trade pattern and analysis of international situation

Strategic mineral resources are regarded as fundamental elements that support the national economy and technological innovation. Their stable supply directly affects industrial security and the construction of national defense modernization, and they have become a strategic high ground in international competition. As a critical mineral resource for the development of strategic emerging industries, manganese is endowed with important academic value and strategic significance when its trade network and international situation are studied. The global manganese resource market is characterized by typical oligopoly, with resource distribution highly concentrated in a few countries such as South Africa, Australia, and Gabon. Major resource-rich countries strengthen resource control through export restrictions and local processing policies, while consumer countries engage in fierce competition in terms of supply chain security and key technologies, which promotes the accelerated restructuring of the global manganese industry chain. In this paper, a trade network for seven types of manganese products from 2003 to 2023 is constructed based on complex network theory, so that the global flow of the manganese industry chain and the trade relationships of manganese products between countries （regions） can be comprehensively depicted. The research results indicate that the global manganese product trade network is highly uneven, with strong node heterogeneity and an obvious core-periphery structure. The upstream of the manganese industry chain is dominated by major manganese producing countries （such as South Africa, Australia, Gabon, and Brazil）, while the midstream and downstream is dominated by countries such as China, India, and Germany. The trade community network shows a clear trend of globalization, while the manganese supply chain is characterized by oligopolistic control, dominated by a few multinational corporations. Western countries reinforce their dominance over the supply chain through capital, technology, and policy alliances, whereas resource-rich countries promote localization to strengthen their bargaining power. China’s manganese industry chain faces multiple risks and challenges, including poor resource endowment, high import dependency, tightening international trade conditions, and prominent structural issues within the industry. Based on the research findings, this paper proposes policy recommendations such as building a diversified import system, promoting the green transition of the manganese industry, breaking through key technological bottlenecks, and deepening participation in global manganese governance, to enhance China’s manganese resource security and provide decision-making references.