Mill Scale Price Trend and Forecast 2026-2027

Market Overview

Mill Scale prices in Germany, the highest-cost reporting region, firmed 2.3% in Q2 2026 from USD 88.00/MT in Q1 to USD 90.00/MT, extending a run of steady gains that has held through every quarter tracked in this report. Globally, the average edged from USD 77.30/MT in Q1 to USD 78.60/MT in Q2, a 1.7% advance. For H2 2026, a global average of USD 76.00-86.00/MT is expected, with export-linked demand from cement and sinter feed buyers likely to keep the market on a gentle upward path.

Mill scale is the flaky iron oxide byproduct that forms on the surface of steel during hot rolling, collected from rolling mill scale pits and typically containing 70% or more recoverable iron. Rather than being waste, it's a valued secondary feedstock: sinter and pellet plants blend it back into the iron ore charge, cement producers use it as a corrective raw material in clinker production, and specialty users draw on it for heavy-density concrete and counterweight applications. Because it's generated as a byproduct rather than mined or synthesized, mill scale supply tracks steel rolling output almost directly, while demand comes mainly from integrated steelmakers' own sintering operations, third-party cement plants, and export buyers. Freight and inland logistics costs, given the material's low unit value relative to its weight, add a further layer of regional price variation.

Mill Scale Price Forecast for 2026

Mill Scale looks set to hold its steady firming bias through H2 2026. Supply stays tightly linked to hot-rolling output, which is expected to hold up across the major producing regions, while cement-sector corrective raw material demand and export enquiries out of India should keep buyers competing for tonnage rather than the other way around.

The main upside risk is a stronger-than-expected pickup in export demand, particularly from Indian coastal mills, which could push offers toward the top of the forecast range faster than expected. The main downside risk is a slowdown in hot-rolled steel output that lifts scale availability faster than sinter and cement demand can absorb it.

For the Quarter Ending June 2026

Mill Scale Prices Q2 2026:

• Germany: USD 90.00/MT
• India: USD 78.00/MT
• United States: USD 94.00/MT
• China: USD 64.00/MT

Mill Scale Prices in Germany

German Mill Scale prices averaged USD 90.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 2.3% from USD 88.00/MT in Q1, continuing the gradual, unbroken climb that has defined this market since early 2025.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q2 2026 in Germany?

Inland freight and compliance costs kept edging higher, and integrated mills with limited scale pit capacity had every reason to keep clearing material at firm rates. Nothing dramatic happened here, it's simply been a steady grind higher quarter after quarter.

Mill Scale Prices in India

Indian Mill Scale prices averaged USD 78.00/MT in Q2 2026, up 4.0% from USD 75.00/MT in Q1, as pre-monsoon restocking added to the export-led momentum already building through the quarter.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q2 2026 in India?

Western coast mills reported brisk trading as exporters lined up cargoes ahead of the seasonal monsoon slowdown. Limited import availability of comparable byproduct feedstock left buyers with few alternatives, and that scarcity showed up directly in the price.

Mill Scale Prices in the United States

US Mill Scale prices averaged USD 94.00/MT in Q2 2026, up a modest 1.1% from USD 93.00/MT in Q1, holding to the narrow trading band that's characterized this market all year.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q2 2026 in the United States?

Sintering and pellet operations kept buying at a steady clip, and supply from domestic hot-rolling mills stayed balanced against that demand. With no major disruption on either side, the market simply held its course.

Mill Scale Prices in China

Chinese Mill Scale prices averaged USD 64.00/MT in Q2 2026, easing 1.5% from USD 65.00/MT in Q1, the only region to soften as weaker construction-linked steel demand gave buyers a bit more room to negotiate.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q2 2026 in China?

Softer construction activity fed through to weaker steel demand at some regional mills, easing the pull on sinter feed and giving buyers slightly more leverage. Ample domestic scale supply meant sellers had little choice but to concede a bit of ground.

For the Quarter Ending March 2026

Mill Scale Prices Q1 2026:

• Germany: USD 88.00/MT
• India: USD 75.00/MT
• United States: USD 93.00/MT
• China: USD 65.00/MT

Mill Scale Prices in Germany

German prices rose 2.3% in Q1 2026 to USD 88.00/MT from USD 86.00/MT in Q4 2025, continuing the same gradual uptrend that's held for six straight quarters now.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q1 2026 in Germany?

Rolling output at major German mills stayed steady, and demand from cement producers using mill scale as a corrective raw material didn't let up. Higher energy tariffs at collection and handling facilities added a bit more cost pressure on top.

Mill Scale Prices in India

Indian prices jumped 7.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 75.00/MT from USD 70.00/MT in Q4 2025, the sharpest regional gain of the quarter as export enquiries picked up noticeably.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q1 2026 in India?

Coastal exporters flagged stronger enquiries from Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern buyers as the quarter progressed, and that pull on available tonnage was enough to lift domestic offers well ahead of the usual pre-monsoon pattern.

Mill Scale Prices in the United States

US prices ticked up 1.1% in Q1 2026 to USD 93.00/MT from USD 92.00/MT in Q4 2025, extending a run of small, consistent gains.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q1 2026 in the United States?

Integrated mills kept sintering operations running at a consistent rate, and scale collection from hot-rolling lines matched that demand closely. There simply wasn't much reason for prices to move outside their established range.

Mill Scale Prices in China

Chinese prices rose 3.2% in Q1 2026 to USD 65.00/MT from USD 63.00/MT in Q4 2025, tracking a modest seasonal pickup in domestic steel output.

Why did the price of Mill Scale change in Q1 2026 in China?

A seasonal pickup in construction activity nudged steel output higher, which in turn lifted demand for sinter feed. Supply from rolling mills grew in step, though, keeping the gain modest rather than sharp.

Quarterly Mill Scale Price Trends

Global Mill Scale prices have risen in nearly every quarter tracked in this report, a slow but consistent climb driven by steady hot-rolling output meeting firm sinter, cement, and export demand, with only a brief pause in Q2 2026's pace of gains.

What was Mill Scale Price in 2025?

Mill Scale firmed steadily across 2025 in every market covered in this report, with India's export-linked demand standing out as the strongest regional driver even as the other three markets posted smaller, steadier gains through the year.

Mill Scale Prices in Germany in 2025

German prices firmed from about USD 80.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 86.00/MT by Q4, a gain of roughly 7.5%. Steady cement-sector demand and gradually rising logistics costs kept this market on a consistent, unspectacular upward path all year.

Mill Scale Prices in India in 2025

Indian prices firmed from roughly USD 62.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 70.00/MT by Q4, a gain of about 12.9%, the strongest of the four regions. Growing export enquiries through the second half of the year were the main driver behind the acceleration.

Mill Scale Prices in the United States in 2025

US prices firmed from about USD 88.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 92.00/MT by Q4, up roughly 4.5%, the smallest gain among the tracked regions. Balanced supply and demand kept this market inside a notably narrow band throughout 2025.

Mill Scale Prices in China in 2025

Chinese prices firmed from roughly USD 58.00/MT in Q1 2025 to USD 63.00/MT by Q4, a gain of about 8.6%. Domestic steel output held up better than expected through the year, gradually tightening the sinter feed market.

How We Can Help

Expert Market Research: Your Source for Real-Time Mill Scale Price Intelligence

Expert Market Research tracks Mill Scale prices continuously across every major producing and consuming region, combining hot-rolling output data, sinter and cement demand signals, and export flow trends into a single, regularly updated view of the market. Our team can help your procurement or byproduct-sales function benchmark current offers, plan tonnage movements around the seasonal patterns covered in this report, and build a defensible view of where this niche but persistent market is headed. Reach out to our team for a tailored briefing or a deeper look at any of the regional markets covered here.