India: Imported manganese ore prices continue to decline w-o-w

• Mn ore cargo arrivals climb up by 78% w-o-w
  
  
• Falling Mn alloy tags weigh on imported ore
  
  

Imported manganese ore prices continued to decline w-o-w, amid cautious buying in the downstream alloys market and falling manganese alloys tags. Notably, prices dropped in the previous week too.

• Australian high-grade ore: Australian high-grade (46% Mn) ore decreased by $0.05/dry metric tonne unit (dmtu) w-o-w to $5.48/dmtu due to limited demand for high-grade manganese alloys.
  
  
• Gabonese high-grade ore: Prices of Gabonese high-grade (44% Mn) ore edged down by $0.05/dmtu w-o-w to $4.97/dmtu.
  
  
• South African lumps: South African lumps (37% Mn) saw a slight decrease of $0.06/dmtu w-o-w to $4.42/dmtu.
  
  

A key manganese ore importer informed BigMint that exporters have reduced their prices temporarily. However, they are charging higher rates for April shipments at approximately $5.03/dmtu CNF Haldia/Vizag for the Mn 44% grade.

Additionally, exporters have decreased their regular import volumes, which previously included three cargo ships. This reduction in supply may lead to upward pressures on manganese alloys prices over the longer term, as the market adjusts to the limited availability of ore.

Factors weighing on imported ore tags

Manganese alloy prices decline across regions: Manganese alloys prices in India fell w-o-w due to need-based buying and competitive pricing. Silico manganese prices declined by INR 650/t ($8/t) w-o-w to INR 70,600-72,300/t ($825-845/t) in Durgapur, Raipur, and Vizag. Ferro manganese (HC 70%) prices also dropped by INR 680/t ($8/t) to INR 75,000/t ($877/t) exw-Durgapur and by INR 640/t ($7/t) to INR 75,000/t ($877/t) exw-Raipur. Limited inquiries further contributed to the downtrend.

Imported Mn ore prices falter amid reduced inquiries: Imported manganese ore prices declined slightly this week due to reduced inquiries and lower purchase volumes, driven by a sluggish export market for Indian manganese alloys. The lack of buying interest hindered deal closure and contributed to the price decrease.

Weekly manganese ore arrivals increase: Manganese ore imports to India increased by 78% w-o-w, with shipments totalling 111,705 t over 12-18 March 2025.