Quick answer: To import manganese ore, fix your specification, vet the seller, sign a contract with clear sampling, weight and payment clauses, pay by letter of credit against shipping documents, inspect at the load port, ship on agreed Incoterms and settle the final invoice on the agreed assay. Most disputes start with a weak sampling clause or an unverified seller, not with the price.
The import process at a glance
| Step | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Specification | Set Mn grade, impurity limits, size, moisture and quantity. | 1 week |
| 2. Supplier vetting | Check company, export rights, stock and past shipments. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 3. Offer and sample | Receive a firm offer and an independent lot analysis. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 4. Contract | Agree price formula, Incoterm, sampling, weight, payment and rejection terms. | 1 to 2 weeks |
| 5. Payment instrument | Open a letter of credit or agree documentary collection. | About 1 week |
| 6. Load port inspection | Independent sampling, weight and moisture at loading. | During loading |
| 7. Shipping | Bulk vessel or containers to your discharge port. | 2 to 7 weeks by route |
| 8. Customs clearance | File HS 2602 entry with origin and quality documents. | A few days |
| 9. Discharge analysis | Discharge port sampling, weighing and moisture where agreed. | 1 to 3 weeks |
| 10. Final settlement | Final invoice adjusts the provisional payment to agreed results. | Days after final certificates |
Times are typical ranges for a first shipment. Repeat contracts move faster.
Step 1: Fix your specification first
Write the specification before you request offers. Without one, every seller quotes a different grade on a different basis, and no two offers compare. Your specification should state:
- Form: lump, fines, concentrate or sinter.
- Mn content: a minimum, a basis for price and a rejection level.
- Impurities: maximum Fe, SiO2, Al2O3, P and S.
- Size: range in mm with undersize and oversize limits.
- Moisture: maximum free moisture and a rejection level.
- Quantity: tonnage with a tolerance, for example 10,000 t plus or minus 10%.
For grade bands, impurity limits and benchmark specifications, see our manganese ore grades, specifications and prices guide.
Step 2: Vet the seller before you talk price
Bulk mineral trade attracts long broker chains and paper offers. A real seller holds ore, or holds a contract with a mine, and proves both. Ask for these before any negotiation:
A seller who asks for an ICPO, a bank letter or "proof of funds" before showing ore, documents or a lot analysis is usually a broker chain, not a supplier. Real suppliers show product and terms first.
Step 3: The contract clauses that protect you
A manganese ore sale contract runs to many pages, but a few clauses decide almost every dispute. Check each one before you sign.
| Clause | What the clause should say |
|---|---|
| Specification and basis | Guaranteed Mn minimum, price basis, impurity maximums, size and moisture. |
| Price formula | US$ per dmtu or per dry tonne, plus adjustments for Mn above or below basis. |
| Penalties and rejection | Penalty scale for each impurity and the levels where you reject the cargo. |
| Quantity tolerance | For example plus or minus 10% at buyer's or seller's option. |
| Delivery | Incoterm, named ports, laycan dates and loading rate. |
| Sampling and analysis | Inspector, standard, sample split, splitting limit, umpire lab and which result is final. |
| Weight | Draft survey or weighbridge, and how port-to-port differences are settled. |
| Payment | Instrument, provisional percentage, documents required and final settlement. |
| Laytime and demurrage | Allowed loading and discharge time and the daily rate for delays. |
| Law and disputes | Governing law and arbitration seat, for example English law with LMAA or ICC arbitration. |
Example: terms from a real import tender
A public tender by MMTC, India's state trading company, for 1,000 t of imported manganese ore shows how these clauses look in practice:
- Grade: Mn 36% minimum on a 38% basis, Fe 5% maximum, SiO2 10% maximum, P 0.05% maximum, size 10 to 80 mm.
- Penalty: double pro-rata reduction in price for Mn below 38%.
- Rejection: Mn below 36% at the discharge port, or moisture above 15%.
- Sampling: discharge port sample split three ways, for buyer, seller and a sealed umpire portion. Discharge port analysis is final.
- Weight: if dry weight differs by more than 0.5% between load and discharge ports, the mean of the two is final.
- Payment: 90% against shipping documents, and the balance within 7 days of discharge results.
Source: MMTC Limited tender for import of manganese ore. Terms vary by contract. Use the structure, not the exact numbers.
Step 4: Choose the right Incoterm
Incoterms 2020 decide who pays freight and insurance and where risk passes to you. Seaborne manganese ore trades mainly on three terms.
| Incoterm | Seller pays | Risk passes to buyer | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| FOB (Free on Board) | Ore, inland transport, loading | When ore is on board at the load port | Buyers who charter their own vessels and control freight |
| CFR (Cost and Freight) | Ore, loading and ocean freight | When ore is on board at the load port | Buyers who want one delivered price and arrange their own insurance |
| CIF (Cost, Insurance and Freight) | Ore, freight and minimum cargo insurance | When ore is on board at the load port | First-time buyers and the China benchmark basis |
| DAP (Delivered at Place) | Everything to a named place, not import duty | At the named destination | Container lots delivered to an inland plant |
The seller pays freight, but cargo damage or loss at sea is your risk. CIF insurance covers only minimum (Institute Cargo Clauses C) cover by default. Ask for wider cover, or buy your own.
Step 5: Pay safely
Payment terms decide who carries risk between shipment and final results. These are the common options, from safest to riskiest for the buyer.
| Method | How the method works | Buyer risk |
|---|---|---|
| Letter of credit (LC) | Your bank pays the seller when compliant shipping documents arrive. Governed by ICC UCP 600. | Low, if the LC demands the right documents |
| Deferred or usance LC | Same as an LC, but payment falls due 30 to 180 days after documents. | Low, and helps cash flow |
| Documentary collection | Banks hand over title documents only after you pay (D/P) or accept a draft (D/A). Governed by ICC URC 522. | Medium. No bank guarantee of payment |
| Advance payment (TT) | You pay before shipment by bank transfer. | High. Use only with proven partners |
Provisional and final invoices
Ore invoices come in two stages. The seller draws a provisional payment, often 90% to 95% of value, against the load port certificates. The final invoice adjusts the balance once the agreed final assay, moisture and weight are known. Your LC should allow a final payment or refund based on those results.
Documents to require under the LC
- Commercial invoice (provisional)
- Full set of clean on-board bills of lading
- Certificate of quality, weight and moisture from the named inspector
- Certificate of origin
- Insurance certificate under CIF
- Packing list for container shipments
Step 6: Inspection, sampling and final assay
Price in manganese ore follows the assay. One percent of Mn on a 10,000 t cargo moves the invoice by tens of thousands of dollars, so sampling deserves as much attention as price.
- Name the inspector. SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Alex Stewart or Cotecna, appointed at load port, discharge port or both.
- Name the sampling standard. ISO 4296-1 covers increment sampling of manganese ore. ISO 4296-2 covers sample preparation.
- Split the sample. One portion each for buyer and seller, plus a sealed umpire portion.
- Set a splitting limit. If buyer and seller results differ by more than an agreed margin, the umpire sample goes to an agreed third laboratory.
- State which result is final. Load port, discharge port, umpire, or the mean of two results.
- Measure moisture the same way at both ends. For example free moisture at 105°C, as in the MMTC tender above.
Sellers prefer load port final, because the result is known before payment. Buyers prefer discharge port final, because the ore is tested on arrival. A common compromise: load port results for the provisional invoice, with a right to discharge port or umpire analysis for the final.
Step 7: Shipping manganese ore
Typical transit routes
- South Africa and Gabon to China: the main seaborne flows into Tianjin and Qinzhou.
- Gabon, South Africa and Australia to India: into ports such as Vizag and Haldia.
- Gabon and South Africa to the United States: Gabon supplied 64% of US ore imports in 2021 to 2024, and South Africa 24%.
Step 8: Customs, duty and landed cost
Manganese ore clears customs under HS 2602.00. Many countries charge little or no duty on ore. The United States lists HS 2602.00 as duty-free under normal trade relations, but additional duties on some origins apply, so confirm the full rate with a licensed customs broker before you buy.
Worked landed cost example
Dry tonnes = 5,000 x (1 - 0.08) = 4,600 dmtPrice per dmt = 4.90 x 44.5 = US$218.05CIF value = 4,600 x 218.05 = US$1,003,030Add port charges, customs duty if any, inspection fees, bank charges and inland freight to get your landed cost per tonne. Compare every offer on this landed basis, not on headline price.
| Cost item | Who usually pays under CIF |
|---|---|
| Ore, loading, ocean freight, minimum insurance | Seller |
| Load port inspection | Seller, or as agreed |
| Discharge port inspection and umpire analysis | Buyer, or shared |
| Unloading, port dues and storage | Buyer |
| Customs duty and taxes | Buyer |
| LC opening and bank charges | Each party pays own bank |
| Inland transport to plant | Buyer |
Price context for importers in 2026
- Seaborne benchmark: Eramet Comilog offered 44.5% Gabonese lump at US$4.90/dmtu CIF China for September 2026 shipment, down from US$5.45 for June.
- India domestic: MOIL raised prices for all ferro grades, chemical grades, SMGR grades and fines by 5% for October 2026.
- Long-run average: 44% ore CIF China averaged US$4.50/dmtu in 2025, per USGS citing CRU.
Read the full price history in our manganese ore prices section.
Eight costly import mistakes
First shipment checklist
Planning your first manganese ore shipment?
Send your specification, quantity, discharge port and preferred Incoterm. Pure Talcum quotes with clear sampling, inspection and payment terms from the start.
Frequently asked questions
How do I import manganese ore?
Fix your specification, vet the seller, sign a contract with clear sampling, weight and payment clauses, pay by letter of credit against shipping documents, inspect at the load port, ship on agreed Incoterms and settle the final invoice on the agreed assay.
What is the HS code for manganese ore?
Manganese ores and concentrates fall under HS 2602.00. In the US tariff schedule, 2602.00.0040 covers ore under 47% Mn and 2602.00.0060 covers ore at 47% Mn or more.
Which Incoterm is best for importing manganese ore?
CIF suits first-time buyers because the seller arranges freight and minimum insurance. FOB suits buyers who charter their own vessels. Under FOB, CFR and CIF, risk passes to the buyer once the ore is on board at the load port.
What payment terms are used for manganese ore?
A letter of credit under ICC UCP 600 is the standard. The seller usually draws 90% to 95% against shipping documents, and the balance follows the final assay, moisture and weight.
Who inspects manganese ore shipments?
Independent inspectors such as SGS, Bureau Veritas, Intertek, Alex Stewart and Cotecna sample, weigh and test moisture at the load port, the discharge port or both. ISO 4296 sets the sampling method.
What is an umpire analysis?
When buyer and seller assays differ by more than the agreed splitting limit, a sealed umpire sample goes to an agreed third laboratory. The contract states how the umpire result decides the final assay.
What is the minimum quantity to import manganese ore?
Container shipments allow trial lots of about 25 to 27 tonnes per 20ft container. Bulk vessel parcels usually start around 10,000 tonnes.
How long does a manganese ore import take?
A first shipment typically takes 6 to 12 weeks from specification to delivery, depending on contract talks, letter of credit opening, laycan and sea transit.
Is there import duty on manganese ore?
Many countries charge little or no duty on manganese ore. The United States lists HS 2602.00 as duty-free under normal trade relations, but additional duties on some origins apply. Confirm the rate with a licensed customs broker.
Related resources
Sources
MMTC Limited tender for import of manganese ore. Example specification, sampling, weight and payment clauses.
ICC Incoterms 2020 rules. Delivery terms and risk transfer.
USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Manganese. US import sources, tariff headings and average prices.
Mysteel manganese ore updates. 2026 producer offers to China.
MOIL price revision for October 2026. India domestic ore prices.
Import manganese ore with clear terms from day one
Send your grade, quantity, discharge port, Incoterm and payment preference. Pure Talcum reviews each request against the lot and route, and supports independent inspection before loading.