- Manganese ore weakness weighs on alloy prices
- Production curtailments support billet prices
State-owned MOIL Ltd has retained its manganese ore prices for September 2026 deliveries at August 2026 levels, keeping offers unchanged across ferro-grade, silico-manganese-grade fines and chemical-grade categories.
In August, the company had reduced prices by 4% for ferro-grade ores above 44% Mn and 5% for ferro-grade ores below 44% Mn, while SMGR fines and chemical-grade ores were also cut by 5%.
Factors affecting prices
Imported manganese ore prices slide m-o-m: Imported high-grade manganese ore prices dipped in August compared to July, with South African 37% grade averaging $4.3/dmtu (down $0.29/dmtu), Australian 46% ore at $5.22/dmtu (down $0.2/dmtu), and Gabonese 44% material at $4.95/dmtu (down $0.22/dmtu).Prices remained under pressure as subdued smelter demand and improved domestic manganese ore availability reduced the need for fresh imports, delaying procurement decisions.
Global manganese ore miners reduce October offers: South32 cut its October manganese ore offers to China, lowering South African 37% semi-carbonated ore by $0.30/dmtu to $4.20/dmtu CIF China and Australian 42% ore by $0.23/dmtu to $4.77/dmtu. Additionally, Eramet Comilog also reduced October offers by $0.20/dmtu m-o-m to $4.70/dmtu for 44.5% Mn lump and $4.50/dmtu for 43% Mn chips. The reductions reflected cautious Chinese procurement and ample seaborne availability.
Domestic silico manganese prices decrease m-o-m: Domestic 60-14 grade silico manganese prices fell by INR 1,200/t ($13/t) m-o-m to INR 73,900/t ($775/t) exw Raipur in August, as buyers remained cautious amid expectations of lower manganese ore and raw material costs. Although key producers had firm bookings and spot availability remained limited, subdued buying and weak negotiations restricted fresh transactions. Elevated freight costs and container shortages also weighed on export competitiveness, adding pressure to prices.
India’s silico manganese export offers soften: Silico manganese export offers corrected, with 60-14 grade prices declining by $9/t m-o-m to $809/t FOB India from $818/t in July. Meanwhile, prices of the higher-grade 65-16 material also moved down by 26/t m-o-m to $886/t FOB India. A decline in global manganese ore prices intensified competition among major exporters, encouraging buyers to negotiate lower prices amid abundant competitive offers.
Domestic billet prices up m-o-m: Domestic billet prices increased by 4% m-o-m to INR 39,500/t ($414/t) exw-Raipur in August, supported by material shortages and production curtailments, which tightened market availability and enabled producers to maintain higher offers.
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