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| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Price per dry tonne | 4.50 × 44 | $198.00 |
| Dry tonnes (3% moisture) | 5,000 × 0.97 | 4,850 t |
| Contained manganese | 4,850 × 0.44 | 2,134 t |
| Shipment value, no deductions | 4,850 × 198.00 | $960,300 |
Illustrative inputs, not market prices. Use the ore price calculator to try your own numbers.
Step 1: find the right benchmark and match the grade
Index publishers quote manganese ore per dmtu on stated grade and delivery terms. Fastmarkets, for example, publishes a high-grade index delivered CIF Tianjin, with a base of 43.5% Mn, and a separate semi-carbonate index at 36.5% Mn. Pick the benchmark that matches your ore's grade and brand, and note whether it is CIF or FOB. Two sources can show different prices on the same day because grade, brand, port and currency differ.
If your ore is a different grade from the benchmark, a common first approximation is to scale the price by manganese content, because the price is per unit of metal. Treat that as a starting point only: premiums for lump, discounts for impurities and brand differences all move the real number.
Step 2: price per dry tonne
Multiply the price per dmtu by the grade in percent: 4.50 × 44 = $198 per dry tonne. This is the price before any deductions.
Step 3: apply deductions
Phosphorus, silica, alumina and iron above the contract's base level are penalised, and the rates are set in each contract. Convert each into dollars per dry tonne and subtract. The penalty calculator turns an assay, a limit, a step size and a rate into a deduction, pro rata for part-steps.
Step 4: convert wet tonnes to dry tonnes
Dry tonnes equal wet tonnes times one minus the moisture fraction. Moisture is measured on a sample prepared under the contract's standard, for example ISO 4296-2 for manganese ore, and reported on the assay certificate.
Step 5: adjust for freight if the terms differ
A CIF benchmark includes freight and insurance. To compare with a FOB offer, subtract the sea freight and the insurance premium. If the CIF price is $205 per tonne, freight is $35 and insurance is 0.15% on 110% of the CIF value, FOB is about $169.66. The CIF and FOB calculator does the arithmetic in both directions.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the price of manganese ore per tonne?
Multiply the price per dmtu by the Mn grade in percent, subtract deductions for impurities, and apply the result to the dry tonnes.
How much is a tonne of 44% manganese ore worth?
At $4.50 per dmtu it is $198 per dry tonne. USGS reported about $4.50 per mtu as the 2025 average for high-grade ore delivered to China.
Do I price on wet or dry tonnes?
Dry tonnes. Convert the wet weight using the moisture percentage on the assay certificate.
How do I compare a CIF price with a FOB offer?
Subtract sea freight and the insurance premium from the CIF price to get the FOB equivalent.
Sources
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Manganese
- Fastmarkets: manganese ore high grade index, CIF Tianjin, $ per dmtu
- Fastmarkets: manganese ore semi carbonate index, 36.5% Mn, CIF Tianjin, $/dmtu
- ISO 4296-2:1983 Manganese ores: sample preparation
- Metal Journal: manganese ore and ferroalloy market, price recosting by Mn content
Specifications published by index providers are revised over time. Where a figure comes from a pricing notice, confirm the version currently in force with the publisher before you use it in a contract. Corrections are welcome.