[China Iron Ore Brief] Iron Ore Concentrates Prices in Shandong Region May Remain in the Doldrums

Published: May 18, 2026 17:39

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[China Domestic Iron Ore Brief] This week, the pre-tax acceptance price for 64-grade alkaline concentrate (dry basis) at mines and beneficiation plants in Shandong was quoted at 909, up 5. Steel enterprises raised prices accordingly. Most miners maintained normal production, with a few experiencing slight inventory buildup, while most sold output as it was produced. Local steel mills currently mainly purchased as needed. Hebei steel mills had a better purchasing pace than local steel mills. Low-grade resources from small mills and traders saw relatively good transactions, and overall market transactions were moderate. However, iron ore futures showed a relatively weak trend recently.

[SMM China Iron Ore Daily Brief]

This week, the pre-tax acceptance price for 64-grade alkaline concentrates (dry basis) at mines and beneficiation plants in Shandong was quoted at 909, up 5. Steel enterprises raised prices in tandem. Most miners maintained normal production, with a few experiencing slight inventory buildup, while the majority sold output as it was produced. Local steel mills currently mainly purchased as needed. Hebei steel mills maintained a better purchase pace than local steel mills. Low-grade resources from small plants and traders saw relatively good transactions, and overall market transactions were moderate. However, iron ore futures have recently been in the doldrums, which may have some impact on domestic ore prices. Overall, it is estimated that local iron ore concentrates prices may remain in the doldrums in the short term. [SMM Steel]

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