- MOIL lifts Mn ore prices by 2% for grades above, below 44%
- Domestic silico manganese prices edge up m-o-m in Jun’25
Indian manganese ore miners marginally raised their offers in July 2025, reflecting improved market sentiment after MOIL’s price hike and steady demand from the silico manganese industry.
State-owned miner MOIL has revised its manganese ore prices, effective 1 July, implementing a modest increase of around 2% for ferro grades with both above and below 44% Mn content. However, prices of all SMGR grades, including Mn 30% and Mn 25%, were kept unchanged m-o-m, according to a company statement.
Region-wise price adjustments
Madhya Pradesh: Manganese ore grades of 30-32% witnessed a 2% m-o-m price rise in Madhya Pradesh, matching MOIL’s latest revision. This was driven by improved demand in the silico manganese sector, stable inventories, and a slight recovery in South African-origin manganese ore (37%) prices.
Key miners see this as a strategic move to support margins amid steady consumption and cautious optimism in alloy production. It signals a stabilising market after months of subdued price momentum.
Odisha: The state witnessed a modest 5% rise in prices of 30-32% manganese ore and a 2% uptick for the 28-30% grade, in line with MOIL’s revisions. However, supply remained limited.
A key miner told BigMint, “While prices have increased, demand for domestically produced ore remains weak. Most miners are holding back offers this month due to ongoing labour shortages and monsoon-related disruptions.” The current market is marked by constrained supply, with miners cautious amid logistical challenges and subdued buying interest despite higher official prices.
Andhra Pradesh: Miners in Vizag, a key export hub and major producer of low-grade manganese ore (below 25%), kept prices unchanged for grades below 25% for this month. Despite rising input costs and broader market firmness, there was limited buyer response to higher quotes.
A Vizag-based miner noted, “Miners in the state have not revised their offers as there is still low acceptance of increased prices, which has compelled us to hold rates.”
Factors influencing manganese ore prices
Imported high-grade ore reflects mixed trends m-o-m: South African-origin manganese ore (37%) prices went up slightly to a monthly average of $3.96/dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) in June compared to $3.93/dmtu in May. However, for manganese ore of Australian (46%) origin, prices dipped by 4% to $4.67/dmtu in June as against $4.84/dmtu in May. Gabon-origin ore (Mn44%), too, moved down by 4% to $4.36/dmtu in June as against $4.52/dmtu in May.
Global miners trim offers for Jul’25: United Manganese of Kalahari (UMK), a leading global manganese ore producer based in South Africa, set offers for its 36% grade South African semi-carbonate lumps at $3.85/dmtu CIF China for July deliveries, down by $0.05/dmtu m-o-m. Eramet Comilog, another key manganese ore exporter from Gabon, set its July shipment prices at $4.25/dmtu CIF China for Mn44.5% lumps and $4.05/dmtu for Mn43%, down $0.15/dmtu m-o-m.
However, South32, a prominent global mining company, announced a price hike for its 37% grade South African semi-carbonated manganese ore lumps for July shipments. Prices edged up by $0.05/dmtu m-o-m to $3.85/dmtu CIF China. Tight supply and steady Chinese demand supported the slight increase in manganese ore prices.
Domestic silico manganese inches up m-o-m: Domestic prices of 60-14 grade silico manganese edged up m-o-m to around INR 71,800/t ($837/t) exw Raipur in June compared to INR 71,200/t ($830/t) in May, as per BigMint’s assessment. In response to oversupply, key smelters strategically reduced production, leading to localised price improvements. These output cuts helped alleviate inventory build-up and brought a measure of stability to the regional silico manganese market, supporting the slight price recovery observed during the month.
India’s SiMn export offers largely stable m-o-m: Silico manganese (60-14) export offers remained mostly stable at $840/t FOB India in June compared to $839/t in May. Meanwhile, the 65-16 grade fell by 1% to $921/t FOB India in June as against $931/t in May. India’s silico manganese export prices stayed steady m-o-m amid limited bulk deals, firm producer offers, and buyer resistance, leading to some lower transaction levels and cautious market sentiment.
Outlook
The outlook remains cautiously optimistic, with stable silico manganese demand and strategic output cuts supporting prices. However, weak domestic ore demand and global price volatility may limit significant upward movement ahead.
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