Ferrexpo produces more than 2.7 mln tonnes of high-grade iron ore pellet in Q1

Ukraine's Ferrexpo produced 2.71 million tonnes of high-grade iron ore pellet in the first quarter of 2021, the company said this week.

Of the total, 2.7 million tonnes were 65% Fe Ferrexpo Premium pellets and 35,000 tonnes 67% Fe Direct Reduction (DR) pellets.

The January-March production figure was just 0.4% shy of 2020’s first-quarter total of 2.73 million tonnes, but was down by 12% from the 3.08 million tonnes produced in the fourth quarter of 2020.

The company said the quarter-on-quarter drop was due to scheduled upgrade work on a pelletizer line, which was completed during the first quarter of 2021. It added that further upgrade works were continuing into the second quarter but, once complete, this would result in overall pelletizer capacity increasing by 0.5-1.0 million tonnes per year.

Ferrexpo also produced 65,000 tonnes of 67% Fe commercial iron ore concentrate during the first quarter.

In November 2020, Ferrexpo concluded its first Globalore sale based of Fastmarkets’ index for iron ore 65% Fe Brazil-origin fines, cfr Qingdao. The index has averaged $199.13 per tonne in April so far, up $5.90 per tonne from an average of $193.23 per tonne in March.

The April average so far this year for Fastmarkets’ index for iron ore 65% Fe Blast Furnace pellet, cfr Qingdao is $221.84 per tonne, down $4.31 per tonne from the March average of $226.15 per tonne.

What to read next
The transition of the iron ore market to a 61% Fe pricing benchmark is reshaping trading dynamics and leading participants across the value chain to reassess grade preferences, emerging demand centers and the growing importance of product quality in a decarbonizing steel sector, according to panelists speaking at the panel discussion “The benchmark transition ​and its implication from different voices​” at Iron Ore Decoded 2026, a conference co-organized by Fastmarkets and Horizon Insights.​
Iron ore market participants said Simandou’s production ramp-up remains on track to meet market expectations, with growing exports from Guinea expected to influence freight markets, high-grade ore pricing and steel decarbonization strategies.
A tentative easing of tensions in the Middle East has failed to convince market participants that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz will quickly return to pre-conflict norms, panellists said at Fastmarkets' Iron Ore Decoded 2026 conference, held during Singapore International Ferrous Week.
India's drive toward 300 million tonnes per year of steelmaking capacity by 2030 is on track from a capacity standpoint, but panellists at Fastmarkets' Iron Ore Decoded 2026 conference said the country's domestic iron ore base is likely to fall short of supporting that growth.
The iron ore market in 2026 shows fragile recovery driven by rising freight costs rather than demand growth. This dynamic challenges pricing signals and margin management for miners and processors.
The proposal can be found here. Why has Fastmarkets issued a price consultation for the 65% Fe iron ore index? This is to ensure that the 65% Fe iron ore index continues to reflect the reality of the physical spot market, as well as to capture more data points for the index.   Will the […]