August Manganese Ore Imports Down YoY & MoM---Port Destocking Still Tough

According to the latest release from the General Administration of Customs and SMM statistics, China’s manganese ore imports totaled 2.5663 million tonnes in August 2026, down 16.82% month‑on‑month and 26.38% year‑on‑year. By origin, Australian ore stood at 359,800 tonnes, falling 17.02% month‑on‑month; South African ore reached 1.702 million tonnes, rising 19.15% month‑on‑month; Gabonese ore amounted to 316,100 tonnes, down 15.36% month‑on‑month; Ghanaian ore registered zero tonnes, a 100% month‑on‑month drop; Brazilian ore was 82,900 tonnes, plunging 63.64% month‑on‑month; and Myanmar ore hit 26,600 tonnes, down 61.87% month‑on‑month. For January‑August 2026, cumulative manganese ore imports came to approximately 23.1428 million tonnes, an increase of 2.4541 million tonnes or 11.86% year‑on‑year compared with 20.6887 million tonnes recorded in the same period of 2025.

Notably, although August monthly imports weakened, the overall import market maintained growth throughout the year. Between January and August 2026, China imported 23.1428 million tonnes of manganese ore, 2.4541 million tonnes higher than the 20.6887 million tonnes in the corresponding 2025 period, representing an 11.86% year‑on‑year rise and indicating expanded overall raw‑material supply. The August import decline stemmed mainly from phase‑wise weakness in domestic downstream demand. Persistent high temperatures in August, coupled with concentrated maintenance across downstream manganese‑alloy and stainless‑steel sectors, dragged down plant operating rates. Shrinking end‑user raw‑material purchasing prompted traders and smelters to cut manganese‑ore stockpiling, which directly reduced monthly port arrivals.

Meanwhile, volatility in international manganese ore prices, tight ocean‑going shipping schedules and fluctuating ocean freight rates kept most import traders on the sidelines. Deferred loading and reduced order placements further weighed on monthly import figures. Significant divergence emerged across source countries. South African ore filled market gaps thanks to steady mine output and cost‑performance advantages. By contrast, shipment disruptions in Ghana, Myanmar, Brazil and other origins caused supply reductions; in addition, low‑grade ores from these regions poorly matched domestic smelting requirements.

Overall, August manganese ore import data leaned bearish. Port inventory destocking remained difficult, limiting upside potential for ore prices. Recent range‑bound weakness on the silicomanganese futures market largely reflected expectations of production cuts amid alloy‑mill losses and marginal stabilization in steel‑mill tenders, rather than improvements on the raw‑material side. Going forward, close attention should be paid to how manganese‑ore import rhythms align with real downstream demand.