PRICING NOTICE: Clarification of fob bauxite specifications

Fastmarkets will relabel its fob Guinea and fob Brazil bauxite assessments to clarify that bauxite pricing is done on a dry metric tonne (dmt) basis.

This corrects a labelling error that has been in place since the launch of the alumina metallurgical grade assessment in April 2017.

The unit was incorrectly specified as dmtu at the time of launch but the pricing basis for the assessment has been dmt throughout the data series.

Current and historical data reflects bauxite on a dmt basis. Historical data for Kamsar, Guinea can be found here; historical data for Trombetas, Brazil, can be found here.

The updated specifications for the price will be as follows:

MB-BX-0014 – Bauxite fob Kamsar, Guinea
Units: $ per tonne per dry metric tonne
Basis: fob Guinea (other delivery terms normalised)
Chemical specification: total alumina – min 48.5%; max 53%; total silica – min 1.20%; max 2.10%; reactive silica – max. 3.2%; Fe – max 22%; Ti – max 4%; organic carbon – max 0.15%; moisture content – min 5.5%; max 7.5%
Trade size: minimum 20,000 tonnes
Payment terms: 30 days after loading (other payment terms normalised)
Loading port: Kamsar (other ports normalised)
Loading window: within two months
Delivery method: bulk carrier
Publication: fortnightly on Thursdays between 2pm and 3pm London time

MB-BX-0015 – Bauxite fob Trombetas, Brazil
Units: $ per tonne per dry metric tonne
Basis: fob Brazil (other delivery terms normalised)
Chemical specification: total alumina – min 50.5%; max 55%; total silica – min 4.3%; max 5.6%; reactive silica – min 4%; max 5%; Fe – max 12%); Ti – max 1.5%; moisture content – min 9%; max 10%
Trade size: minimum 20,000 tonnes
Payment terms: 30 days after loading (other payment terms normalised)
Loading port: Trombetas (other ports normalised)
Loading window: within two months
Delivery method: bulk carrier
Publication: fortnightly on Thursdays between 2pm and 3pm London time

The relabelling is effective from August 27. The next price assessments will be on September 16.

To provide feedback on this price, or if you would like to provide price information by becoming a data submitter, please contact Alice Mason by email at: pricing@fastmarkets.com. Please add the subject heading “FAO: Alice Mason, bauxite.”

To see all Fastmarkets’ pricing methodology and specification documents, please go to https://www.metalbulletin.com/prices/pricing-methodology.html.

What to read next
The publication of Fastmarkets' flat steel reduced carbon emissions, daily inferred price for Tuesday July 7, 2026 was delayed due to a procedure lapse. Fastmarkets' pricing database has been updated.
Fastmarkets launched three world-first regional price indices in a major expansion to its Saudi Arabian ferrous scrap market coverage, on Tuesday July 7.
Fastmarkets has amended the holiday pricing schedule for the aluminium P1020A, fob Indonesia premium assessment, with the changes taking effect from Tuesday July 7.
Fastmarkets will publish the following eight China containerboard price assessments on Thursday December 31, 2026 at 2pm Beijing time due to the New Year’s Day holiday on Friday January 1, 2027.
Fastmarkets' assessments for MB-AS-0001 Arsenic 99% min As, in-whs Rotterdam, $/lb, MB-RE-0001 Rhenium APR catalytic grade, in-whs dup Rotterdam, $/kg Re, MB-RE-0002 Rhenium metal pellets 99.9% Re min, in-whs dup, Rotterdam $/lb and MB-HF-0001 Hafnium, max 1% Zr, in-whs global locations, $/kg were incorrectly published because of a reporter error.
Fastmarkets is proposing to change the price formation process of 26 global tube and pipe prices to calculations from assessments, effective September 9, 2026.