India: Sandur manganese ore auction elicits healthy interest, bids remain stable m-o-m

• 72% of offered quantity draws successful bids
  
  
• Market demand concentrated on Mn 30-32% ore
  
  

On 5February2026, Sandur Manganese and Iron Ore (SMIORE) conducted an auction for 23,688t of manganese ore, for both fines and lumps. The offerings ranged in manganese content from 18%-35% with particle sizes from -10mm to 100mm. The sale drew robust buyer interest, with roughly 17,136t, about 72% of the total, successfully booked, leaving 6,552t unsold. Most of the buying activity was concentrated on higher-grade Mn30-32% ore, with nine lots securing confirmed bids.

Bidding activity mostly stable m-o-m

Bids remained mostly stable in the auction concluded on 5 February compared with the previous auction on 28 January. The weighted average bid for lumps with Mn18-20% content settled at INR 3,224/t ($36/t), marking a slight 1% rise from INR 3,207/t ($35/t) in the earlier auction.

Meanwhile, bids for ore with Mn22-24% content went up by 1%, while those for Mn26-28% grade remained unchanged over the same period.

Meanwhile, BigMint's assessment for silico manganese (60-14) prices in Vizag edged up by 1% w-o-w to INR 73,200/t ($808/t) on 5 February compared to INR 72,600/t ($802/t) on 29 January.