Asia’s biggest iron ore mine found in Benxi China

23 June 2009 @ 01:03 pm EDT

A huge iron ore resource with more than three billion tons’ of proven reserves has been found in China's Benxi, Benxi Municipal Government said on Tuesday, making it one of the biggest iron ore mines in Asia.

A worker directs as steel bars are lifted at a steel market in Shenyang, Liaoning province March 14, 2008. China has emerged as the world's top steel maker with a hunger for imported ore to feed its mills. Demand has helped drive iron ore prices sharply higher, with some mills paying double what they did last year.

1 of 1

It’s reported that this iron was found during the second exploration of the city, which is based on the city's fifteen years of geological data. After it was reported to the China Geological Survey, it was perambulated by a team of geologists.

The team made 17 exploratory holes to explore the mine. Iron ore was found in 12 of the holes, covering an area of four kilometers long, three kilometers wide.

According to antecedent survey, a complete core of iron ore has been detected 1,100 to 1860 meters. High-grade resources can even be found underground 2015 meters. The bottom and border zones haven’t been reached, said the team. The identified reserves available are more than three billion tons.

Meanwhile, the Dataigou mine has features of deep-buried depth, wide-spread ore body, steep obliquity and big scale of ore body. The iron deposit is a giant mixture of magnetite and hematite, with iron ore grade between 25% to 62%.

Shaoshi Xu, head of Minister of Land and Resources, paid a site visit there, urging the local government to do their best to make full use of Asia's largest iron ore mine for the nation and local as soon as possible.

Asia’s biggest iron ore mine found in Benxi China

Most Popular Slideshows

Most Popular on IBTimes