India: Over 65,000 t of iron ore booked in SAIL’s auction from Odisha

• Full booking seen across SAIL’s latest iron ore auction round
• Higher-grade iron ore attracts stronger bids in auctions

Steel Authority of India Ltd. (SAIL) witnessed healthy participation in its recent iron ore auctions from Odisha, with 67,970 t of material successfully booked across multiple auction rounds conducted between 28 and 31 July 2026. The successful sale of the offered quantities reflects sustained procurement interest from end-users despite prevailing fluctuations in the domestic iron ore market.

In the latest auction held on 31 July, SAIL offered 16,000 t of iron ore tailings (Fe 58.82%) from its Barsua mines. Market sources indicated that the entire quantity was booked at INR 4,250/t and 20,000 t iron ore dump fines (Fe 59.10%) got booked at INR 4,600/t on an ex-mines basis. The price was inclusive of royalty, DMF, NMET and the applicable additional premium.

Earlier, on 28 July, SAIL conducted an auction for 10,000 t of iron ore CLO (10-40 mm, Fe 61.99%) from Bolani mines. The entire offered quantity was successfully sold at INR 5,800/t and 19,970 t of dump fines (Fe 61.07%) got sold at INR 3,950t ex-mines, indicating stronger buyer preference for higher-grade fines. The auction price also included royalty, DMF, NMET, and additional premium.

Market participants noted firm buying interest for higher-grade iron ore, with the 61%+ Fe material attracting relatively higher realisations. The auction outcome suggests that end-users continue to actively procure iron ore despite volatility in domestic prices.