China has initiated a groundbreaking industrial-scale facility to extract iron from previously discarded mine tailings and ultra-low-grade ore, transforming waste into a valuable resource. This development aims to lessen the country’s reliance on imported iron, which currently accounts for over 80% of its needs, primarily sourced from Australia and Brazil.
The facility, as reported by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), can process 5.56 million tonnes of refractory iron ore and tailings annually and is now operating successfully. Despite having the fourth-largest iron ore reserves, much of it is low-grade or difficult to process, leaving significant quantities unused. This new technology is designed to make those hard-to-use ores viable, potentially enhancing China’s resource security and reducing its dependence on imports. State broadcaster CCTV emphasized that this innovation could significantly bolster China’s self-sufficiency in iron production.
