In June of this year, Ukraine increased its manganese ore exports by 36.6% compared to the previous month—from 1,720 thousand metric tons to 2,350 thousand metric tons.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service (SCS), a total of 21,946 thousand metric tons of manganese ore were exported during the first six months of this year, whereas exports during the same period last year amounted to 2,218 thousand metric tons, valued at $366 thousand.
At the same time, Ukraine reduced its manganese ore exports in May of this year by a factor of 3.1 compared to April—to 1,720 thousand metric tons from 5,319 thousand metric tons; in April, exports increased by a factor of 2.8 compared to March—to 5,319 thousand metric tons from 1,932 thousand metric tons; in March, exports fell by a factor of 3.1 compared to the previous month—to 1,932 thousand metric tons from 6,072 thousand metric tons—and by a factor of 2.4 compared to January, when 4,553 thousand metric tons were exported.
In monetary terms, $3.729 million worth of this raw material was exported in January–June (for the first six months of 2025 – $366 thousand). Exports were shipped to Slovakia (74.83% of shipments in monetary terms) and Georgia (25.17%).
In January–June of this year, Ukraine imported 5 metric tons of manganese ore from China worth $3,000, whereas there were no imports last year.
As previously reported, Ukraine reduced its manganese ore exports by 50.4% in 2025 compared to the same period last year—to 22,281 metric tons—but ramped up shipments in August–December. While shipments totaled 2,977 thousand metric tons over the first seven months of 2025, exports more than doubled in August, when 5,037 thousand metric tons were shipped; in September, they amounted to 1,725 thousand metric tons; in October, 3,993 thousand metric tons; in November—3,860 thousand metric tons, and in December—4,689 thousand metric tons.
In monetary terms, exports for the entire year of 2025 fell by 45.2% compared to 2024—to $3,599 million. The bulk of exports went to Slovakia (99.22% of shipments in monetary terms) and Poland (0.78%). Over the course of the year, the country imported 37,006 thousand metric tons from Ghana, valued at $5.546 million. All shipments took place in November. In 2024, 84,293 thousand metric tons of ore were imported, valued at $18.302 million.
The Pokrovsk Mining and Processing Plant (PGZK, formerly the Ordzhonikidze Mining and Processing Plant) and the Marganetsk Mining and Processing Plant (MGZK, both located in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast), which are part of the Privat Group, ceased the extraction and processing of raw manganese ore in late October–early November 2023, while the NZF and ZZF plants halted ferroalloy smelting. In the summer of 2024, the ferroalloy plants resumed production.
PGZK and MGZK did not produce any output in 2024, whereas in 2023, PGZK produced 160.31 thousand metric tons of manganese concentrate, and MGZK was idle.
In 2025, PGZK produced 63.9 thousand metric tons of manganese concentrate worth 342.138 million UAH and sold 25.4 thousand metric tons for 216.309 million UAH. In 2026, the plant plans to increase manganese concentrate production by a factor of 3.44 compared to the previous year—to 220 thousand metric tons.
In Ukraine, manganese ore is mined and processed by the Pokrovsk and Marganets Mining and Processing Plants.
The consumers of manganese ore are ferroalloy enterprises.
EXPORT, MANGANESE, MINING AND PROCESSING PLANT, ORE, SLOVAKIA
Pokrovsky Mining and Processing Plant (PGZK, formerly Ordzhonikidze Mining and Processing Plant, Dnipropetrovsk region) plans to increase manganese concentrate production by 3.44 times in 2026 compared to the previous year, to 220,000 tons.
According to PGZK’s interim report for the fourth quarter of 2025, in 2025, the plant produced 63,900 tons of manganese concentrate worth UAH 342.138 million and sold 25,400 tons worth UAH 216.309 million.
At the same time, it is specified that PGZK is considering the possibility of selling its products not only to regular customers JSC “ZZF” and JSC “NZF”, but also for export in order to improve the financial condition of the enterprise (Switzerland, Georgia).
It is also noted that from March 2026, the company plans to launch Chkalovsky Quarry No. 2, where rotary complexes No. 9 and No. 2, walking excavators for ore mining will operate, and from April this year, the Northern Quarry, where rotary complex No. 4 and walking excavators for ore extraction will operate.
“The plant plans to produce 220,000 tons of concentrate from ore mined at Chkalovsky No. 2 and Northern quarries. The company is considering the possibility of introducing new technologies for manganese ore mining,” the report says.
It also states that the company is currently idle. Its main customers are JSC NZF and JSC ZFZ. The main sales market is the domestic market. At the same time, the products were sold under direct contracts with the consignee.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, the slowdown in production continued in the mining and metallurgical industry of Ukraine. Due to the pressure of a number of negative factors, in particular the increase in electricity tariffs, logistics costs, and the shortage of qualified personnel due to mobilization, etc., Ukrainian industry is losing its competitiveness both on the domestic and foreign markets, according to the report. It is noted that the unjustified increase in tariffs by state monopolies in the railway transport and electricity markets, and the risk of maritime transport due to the continuation of Russian aggression are affecting the production plans and capabilities of domestic companies, threatening the loss of export and tax revenues from heavy industry and thousands of jobs, mainly in frontline regions.
The average number of full-time employees in the fourth quarter of 2025 was 1,451, with 9 part-time employees, 4 employees working on a part-time basis, and 9 employees working on a part-time basis (day, week). The wage fund in the last quarter of 2025 amounted to UAH 57 million 625.2 thousand.
PGZK and Marganetsky GZK (MGZK, both in Dnipropetrovsk region), which are part of the Privat Group, ceased the extraction and processing of raw manganese ore at the end of October – beginning of November 2023. In 2024, PGZK was unable to resume operations due to a decline in demand for ferroalloys and a shortage of electricity.
In the first half of 2025, PGZK mined and enriched 22.87 thousand tons of manganese ore.
Four Cypriot companies — Profetis Enterprises Limited, Exseed Investmens Limited, Clemente Enterprises Limited, and Alexton Holdings Limited (all based in Cyprus) — each own 24.3024% of the shares of PJSC.
The authorized capital of the private joint-stock company is UAH 736.134 million, and the par value of a share is UAH 0.25.
Ukraine, in January-October this year, reduced imports of manganese ore and concentrate in physical terms by 53.1% compared to the same period last year – to 481.409 tonnes.
According to statistics released by the State Customs Service, imports of manganese ore and concentrate decreased by 64.5% over the period – to $65.085 million in monetary terms.
At the same time, the main imports were carried out from Ghana (86.79% of supplies in monetary terms), the Russian Federation (9.72%) and South Africa (3.39%).
In January-October 2020, Ukraine exported 47,342 tonnes of manganese ore and concentrate for $7.152 million, while in the same period last year – 27.026 tonnes for $2.587 million. Exports and re-exports were carried out to the United States (81.89% of supplies), the Czech Republic (15.51%) and Hungary (1.76%).
Large ferroalloy enterprises of Ukraine – Nikopol and Zaporizhia Ferroalloy plants – in 2018 totally increased production by 0.8% compared with 2017, to 1.035 million tonnes.
The Ukrainian Association of Ferroalloy Manufacturers told Interfax-Ukraine that over the period silicon-manganese production grew by 6%, to 859,640 tonnes, while ferromanganese output fell by 30.6%, to 79,480 tonnes.
In addition, production of ferrosilicon (45% concentrate) fell by 18.8%, to 75,440 tonnes, and manganese metal – by 2.4%, to 7,460 tonnes.
Nikopol Ferroalloy Plant also produced 13,150 tonnes of other ferroalloys, while in 2017 it was 1,410 tonnes (a 9.3-fold rise).
The country’s two manganese concentrate producers, the Pokrovsky (formerly Ordzhonikidze) and Marhanets mining and beneficiation plants, produced 1.522 million tonnes of manganese concentrate in 2018, which is 6.8% more than in2017.
Marhanets mining and beneficiation plant produced 570,440 tonnes of concentrate (a rise of 4.6%) and Pokrovsky mining and beneficiation plant made 951,460 tonnes (a rise of 8.2%). In addition, the latter produced 196,600 tonnes of manganese sinter(21.3% up year-over-year).
