[ferro-alloys.com]Mining services company Thriveni Earthmovers expects to become the third largest Indian iron ore exporter with a forecast export volume of around 5.54 million mt for FY2020-21, a company source said July 22

The source said the company would aim to sell 6-7 August-loading shipments of its 57% Fe Indian Thriveni Fines (ITF), with an aim of exporting 3-4 million mt in 2020 alone.

With the completion of the Odisha iron ore mining auctions and environmental clearances in place, domestic Indian supply of iron ore looks set to be tightened with administrative processes expected to lengthen the handover period as well.

Market sources said that with the large majority of supply from those mines staying in the domestic market, export volumes will inevitably be tightened as well.

With the Platts 62% IODEX remaining over $100/dmt CFR China levels, non-mainstream producers, including those from India, were also looking to capitalize on current high iron ore prices.

Most Chinese end-users are still heavily reliant on Australian sinter feed, but a substitution with cheaper low grade fines in small volumes can bring about significant cost savings with limited impact on production efficiency, a procurement source said.

Several end-users pointed to discounted high grade concentrates as supportive for low grade iron ore demand due to the feasibility of mixing both as an economical sinter feed mixture.

Domestic concentrates tend to blend well with FMG's low grade fines but some of the coarser imported concentrates can be blended with Indian low grade fines, a Chinese end-user said.

With Chinese end-users emphasizing sinter feed stability, Thriveni also seeks to sell its iron ore under a single identifiable blend with a focus on consistency at 6% alumina and 6% silica.

A market source pointed to a value-added premium for products with consistency, citing the marketable brands by the big 4 miners Rio Tinto, Vale, BHP and Fortescue Metals Group.

Among the Indian fines, marketable brands with consistency in specifications like Rungta fines have an added premium in their market pricing, the source said.

(S&P Global Platts)

• [Editor:王可]