State-owned NMDC has revised the prices of its iron ore products effective August 8, 2026, cutting both lump ore and fines by ₹200 per tonne from their July levels, according to a regulatory filing by the company reported by The Hindu BusinessLine.
Price revision from August 8
Under the revised pricing schedule, Lump Ore with 65.5% iron content (10-40 mm) has been fixed at ₹5,250 per tonne, down from ₹5,450 per tonne in July. Fines with 64% iron content (-10 mm) are now priced at ₹4,500 per tonne, down from ₹4,700 per tonne. That translates to a month-on-month decline of about 3.7% for lump ore and 4.3% for fines, based on the July prices cited in the Ministry of Steel data.
| Product | Grade | August 2026 price (₹/tonne) | July 2026 price (₹/tonne) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lump Ore | 65.5% Fe, 10-40 mm | 5,250 | 5,450 | -200 (-3.7%) |
| Fines | 64% Fe, -10 mm | 4,500 | 4,700 | -200 (-4.3%) |
The prices are FOR prices exclusive of Royalty, DMF, NMEDT, Cess, Forest Permit Fee, transit fee, GST, environmental Cess and other taxes, the company's filing stated.
"The above are FOR prices that are exclusive of Royalty, DMF, NMEDT, Cess, Forest Permit Fee, transit fee, GST, environmental Cess and other taxes." — NMDC regulatory filing
Record July production behind the move
The price cut follows NMDC's best-ever July production performance. According to the Ministry of Steel, iron ore production in July rose 31% year-on-year to 4.06 million tonnes (MT). The ministry said the company's operations continued to show sustained momentum.
During April-July 2026, NMDC's cumulative production stood at 19.16 MT, while sales reached 15.15 MT, the ministry said. These figures point to continued expansion in the company's mining operations.
Strategic minerals push in Argentina
Separately, the Ministry of Steel reported that an NMDC delegation held discussions with senior officials in Argentina to explore investment and partnership opportunities in copper and other strategic minerals — strengthening NMDC's international mineral development initiatives.
The disclosure comes as NMDC expands its core iron ore business while also exploring opportunities in strategic minerals. No further details on the Argentina discussions or on any agreements were disclosed in the ministry's release.
Regulatory backdrop
The price revision was disclosed under the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, via the company's regulatory filing. The revised rates took effect on August 8, 2026.
For commodity traders and raw material procurement teams tracking Indian iron ore benchmarks, the August pricing schedule from NMDC establishes a new reference point for lump ore and fines in the 64-65.5% Fe segment. The company's production climbed 31% year-on-year in July to a record 4.06 MT, while cumulative April-July output reached 19.16 MT against sales of 15.15 MT, according to the ministry. Upcoming updates from the Ministry of Steel will show whether this production momentum persists and how it affects subsequent pricing cycles.
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