In February, China's total manganese ore imports fell 33.00% MoM and were up 3.24% YoY [SMM Data]

According to the latest release from the General Administration of Customs, SMM data showed that China’s total manganese ore imports were 2.3064 million mt in February 2026, down 33.00% MoM and up 3.24% YoY. Cumulative imports in January-February reached 5.749 million mt, up 46.29% YoY from the same period last year. In February, imports from Australia were 413,100 mt, down 31.35% MoM; South African ore was 990,400 mt, down 49.55% MoM; Gabonese ore was 375,100 mt, up 13.01% MoM; Ghanaian ore was 270,400 mt, up 1.78% MoM; Brazilian ore was 99,700 mt, down 17.87% MoM; and Myanmar ore was 49,900 mt, up 14.8% MoM.

The main reasons for the MoM decline in manganese ore imports in February were as follows: the Chinese New Year holiday caused procurement and arrivals at ports in China to stall, while arrivals of South African and Australian ore pulled back simultaneously, and the slight increase in ore varieties such as Gabonese and Ghanaian ore was far from enough to offset the reduction in major ore varieties. First, procurement in China stalled during the Chinese New Year holiday: concentrated stockpiling ahead of the holiday had already been completed in January, and in February alloy plants were on holiday and operating rates dropped sharply, with manganese ore procurement shifting from “active restocking” to wait-and-see with only minimal purchases; port arrivals and customs clearance slowed down: during the Chinese New Year holiday (mid-February), operating activity at Chinese ports and customs clearance efficiency fell significantly, while the earlier effect of concentrated vessel arrivals disappeared; overseas shipment pace was mismatched: a large number of vessels arrived at ports in January, and corresponding overseas shipments naturally pulled back in February, forming the seasonal pattern of “surging in January and pulling back in February.” In addition, security inspections were conducted at mines in South Africa’s Kalahari Basin in early February, disrupting production and shipments at some mines. Arrivals of South African ore pulled back.