The longstanding global pricing benchmark for most traded iron ore cargoes will be adjusted in 2026 to reflect the falling quality of ore from top supplier Australia, pricing service Platts said.

Platts, part of S&P Global Commodity Insights, proposed to revise down the specification for its benchmark index to 61% iron content from 62% due to the declining quality of Australian iron ore fines, the global price reporting agency (PRA) said on Tuesday.

“The update would have baseline specifications more closely reflecting those of major medium-grade fines traded in the market,” it said in a notice on its website.

The benchmark 62% iron ore index has been used to settle contracts among international miners and buyers for decades.

The world’s largest iron ore miner, Rio Tinto RIO, has lowered the iron content of its flagship product – Pilbara Blend Fines – below 61%, multiple sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Rio Tinto did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

The Platts benchmark prices futures, options and swaps on the Singapore Exchange, one of the biggest iron ore futures markets in the world.

“Many investors have built positions and will wait for a potential change from the Singapore Exchange to assess whether the current valuation for their positions is reasonable,” said Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based senior analyst at international brokerage Freight Investor Services (FIS).

Platts has also proposed to change the iron content its benchmark 62.5% Fe China iron ore spot lump premium to 62%.

Both changes will take effect from January 2, 2026, according to the notices.

Platts on Tuesday started publishing a daily 62%/61% basis spread to reflect the calculated difference in value between current and proposed specifications.

Other price reporting agencies including Mysteel, Argus and Fastmarkets, have also recently launched new 61% iron ore indexes.
Source: Reuters