China begins mining iron from tailings, low-grade ore that can meet its demand for decades
China has launched a large-scale industrial facility capable of extracting iron from low-grade ore and mine tailings using a new magnetizing roasting technique. This breakthrough aims to reduce the country's heavy reliance on iron ore imports from Australia and Brazil.
Why it matters
Securing domestic raw material supplies is a strategic priority for China, potentially shifting global commodity market dynamics.
China has launched a world-first industrial-scale facility to extract iron from previously discarded mine tailings and ultra-low-grade ore, turning waste into a valuable resource that can reduce its dependency on overseas supply.
According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) last Tuesday, a production line capable of processing 5.56 million tonnes of refractory iron ore and tailings per year has passed official checks and is now running steadily.
China is the world’s largest iron ore user, absorbing more than half the global supply. However, relying on imports for more than 80 per cent of its needs – mainly from Australia and Brazil – has long undermined its bargaining power and supply security.
On the other hand, China has the fourth-largest iron ore reserves, yet most are low grade, and nearly half are too hard and costly to process with standard methods. So huge amounts remain unused.
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