Rio Tinto reaches four billion tonnes of iron ore shipped to China
(Posted on 22/07/24)
Rio Tinto has celebrates the shipment of four billion tonnes of iron ore from the Pilbara in Western Australia to China.
The shipment was loaded at Dampier Port on 19th July, bound for China Baowu Steel Group, the world’s top steel producer. This milestone comes 51 years after the first shipment of almost 22,000 tonnes of Pilbara iron ore was sent from Dampier Port to China's Shanghai No.1 Steel Mill, which has since become part of China Baowu.
Over more than half a century, China has grown to become Rio Tinto’s largest customer with about 250 million tonnes of iron ore shipped each year.
Four billion tonnes is enough iron ore to produce the steel needed for about 45,000 Sydney Harbour Bridges, or more than 23,000 Beijing National Stadiums (Bird’s Nest).
Rio Tinto partnered with China for the country’s first ever investment in a foreign mining project, and its largest ever foreign investment at the time, by forming the Channar joint venture in 1987. That JV in Western Australia laid the foundation for many projects to follow, and for decades of mutual growth and prosperity between Rio Tinto, China and Australia.
Western Range, Rio Tinto’s newest mine, is the latest joint venture partnership with China Baowu. Production from the mine is expected to commence in 2025, with an annual capacity of 25 million tonnes of iron ore.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Simon Trott said, “China has been a critical partner for Rio Tinto and for Australia’s mining industry for more than five decades.
“China’s strong demand for high-quality minerals such as iron ore has generated substantial opportunities for investment and trade between the two countries.
“Every time I visit China and see the skyscrapers, the high-speed rail, and all the infrastructure that has helped improve the lives of 1.4 billion people, it makes me proud to think that most of what I see contains steel that was made with Rio Tinto iron ore.
“We look forward to continuing our relationship with China well into the future as we continue to deepen our strategic partnership.”
Latest News
Rio Tinto IOC celebrates 70 years in the Labrador Trough
(Posted on 03/09/24)Rio Tinto’s Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) is celebrating its 70th anniversary, marking seven... Read more
BHP delivers strong results on back of solid operational performance
(Posted on 27/08/24)BHP has delivered a strong set of results in FY24 on the back of solid operational performance.BHP Chief... Read more
Partnership to support Gladstone’s Boyne Smelters
(Posted on 18/08/24)The Queensland Government in Australia and Rio Tinto will work together to safeguard a pillar of the... Read more
IFA granted consultative status by the IMO
(Posted on 13/08/24)The International Fertilizer Association (IFA) was granted consultative status by the International... Read more
Patchy improvement in UK heavy-side materials markets
(Posted on 13/08/24)New figures from the Mineral Products Association (MPA) show a modest overall improvement in the sales... Read more
United States Senate passes bipartisan WRDA
(Posted on 05/08/24)The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) in the USA has commended the Senate for its unanimous... Read more
Preparing for harvest 2024
(Posted on 05/08/24)With what could be one of the wettest winters on record impacting the UK harvest, Associated British... Read more
Biocarbon joint venture established in Québec
(Posted on 29/07/24)Rio Tinto and Aymium have formed a new joint venture named Évolys Québec Inc. to manufacture... Read more
Africa’s opportunity to build sustainable logistics networks across mining sector
(Posted on 18/07/24)Capt. Pappu Sastry, CEO of Adhira Shipping and Logistics (ASL) has said that Africa’s mining sector... Read more
Conditions on Simandou iron ore investment now satisfied
(Posted on 16/07/24)All conditions have now been satisfied for Rio Tinto’s investment to develop the Simandou high... Read more
