India: Imported manganese ore prices edge down w-o-w across grades

• Limited supply supports alloy tags even as demand softens
• Soaring power tariffs may impact smelters’ production plans

Imported manganese ore prices in India edged down w-o-w, though tags of manganese alloys increased slightly amid tight supply.

• Australian high-grade ore: Australian high-grade (46% Mn) ore dipped by $0.07/dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) w-o-w to around $4.73/dmtu.
• Gabonese high-grade ore: Prices of Gabonese high-grade (44% Mn) ore edged down by $0.07/dmtu w-o-w to $4.42/dmtu, despite rising production and handling costs and ongoing rail maintenance impacting supply.
• South African lumps: South African lumps (37% Mn) saw a slight drop of $0.11/dmtu w-o-w to $3.91/dmtu, amid limited inquiries from smelters.

Market overview

Manganese alloy prices edge up amid tight supply: Indian manganese alloy prices inched up w-o-w, driven by constrained supply, even as downstream demand remained subdued. Mills made limited inquiries due to high raw material costs and slightly declining steel tags. Silico manganese prices rose by INR 200/tonne (t) ($2/t) w-o-w to INR 71,500-72,200/t ($836-844/t) in key hubs such as Durgapur, Raipur, and Vizag.

Ferro manganese (HC 70%) prices also edged up – by INR 200/t ($2/t) in Durgapur and INR 500/t ($6/t) in Raipur – due to ongoing supply shortages and production cuts. Producers held firm on pricing, resisting downward pressure.

Market participants now await MOIL’s upcoming manganese ore price revision for June 2025, which could influence future pricing trends.

SRMA warns of industrial shutdown in Durgapur amid soaring power tariffs: The Steel Re-Rolling Mills Association of India (SRMA), representing industrial units in Durgapur, West Bengal, has made an urgent appeal for government intervention to prevent the shutdown of steel and ferro alloy industries. This follows a sharp 30% hike in power tariffs by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC), raising the effective electricity cost to INR 6.80/unit – significantly higher than the INR 4.42/unit paid by industries in Jharkhand. The West Bengal Electricity Regulatory Commission (WBERC) approved a base tariff of INR 4.64/unit for 2025-26, plus INR 1.36/unit in arrears, with additional charges pushing the total cost further.

This cost surge has led to a steep rise in production costs: silico manganese by INR 5,000/t and ferro manganese by INR 3,000/t. Durgapur, a key manganese alloy production hub, contributing around 1 million tonnes (mnt) annually, now faces a potential slowdown.

The situation may also impact manganese ore procurement and pricing in the near term, threatening the region’s industrial sustainability and competitiveness.

Imported ore arrivals to India up w-o-w: Imported manganese ore arrivals to India rose by 89% w-o-w, with shipments totalling 53,950 t over 14-20 May 2025 compared to 28,550 t in the previous week.