Iron-Ore .biz
Iron Ore Information
Production and consumption Iron-Ore
Production and consumption
Estimated iron ore production
in million metric tons for 2006
According to U.S. Geological Survey
Country Production
China 520
Brazil 300
Australia 270
India 150
Russia 105
Ukraine 73
United States 54
South Africa 40
Canada 33
Sweden 24
Venezuela 20
Iran 20
Kazakhstan 15
Mauritania 11
Other countries 43
Total world 1690
Iron is the world's most commonly used metal. It is used primarily in
structural engineering applications and in maritime purposes,
automobiles, and general industrial applications (machinery).
Iron-rich rocks are common worldwide, but ore-grade commercial mining
operations are dominated by the countries listed in the table aside. The
major constraint to economics for iron ore deposits is not necessarily
the grade or size of the deposits, because it is not particularly hard
to geologically prove enough tonnage of the rocks exist. The main
constraint is the position of the iron ore relative to market, the cost
of rail infrastructure to get it to market and the energy cost required
to do so.
World production averages one billion metric tons of raw ore annually.
The world's largest producer of iron ore is the Brazilian mining
corporation Vale, followed by Anglo-Australian companies BHP Billiton
and Rio Tinto Group. A further Australian supplier, Fortescue Metals
Group Ltd may eventually bring Australia's production to second in the
world.
World consumption of iron ore grows 10% per annum on average with the
main consumers being China, Japan, Korea, the United States and the
European Union.
China is currently the largest consumer of iron ore, which translates to
be the world's largest steel producing country. China is followed by
Japan and Korea, which consume a significant amount of raw iron ore and
metallurgical coal. In 2006, China produced 588 million tons of iron
ore, with an annual growth of 38%.