Australia-based miner Rio Tinto has announced that it has shipped its four billionth mt of iron ore from its Pilbara operations in Western Australia to China, over a period spanning 51 years. Today, July 19, the company's shipment was loaded at Dampier Port, bound for steelmaker China Baowu Steel Group.
Rio Tinto's first shipment of almost 22,000 mt iron ore was sent from the same port to China's Shangai No.1 steel mill, more than half a century ago. China has become Rio Tinto's largest customer over 51 years, with about 250 million mt of iron ore shipped each year.
Rio Tinto has partnered with Chinese companies over the years. Western Range, Rio Tinto's newest mine, is the latest joint venture partnership with China Baowu. The mine with an annual capacity of 25 million mt of iron ore is expected to commence production in 2025.
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