The first shipment of high-grade iron ore from the world-class Simandou deposit in Guinea arrived at Rizhao Port in East China's Shandong province on Wednesday, marking a transformative milestone for the global steel industry's transition toward low-carbon production.

The shipment was delivered by SimFer, a joint venture between the government of the Republic of Guinea, Rio Tinto and Chalco Iron Ore Holdings — a Chinalco-led joint venture of leading Chinese SOEs including China Baowu Steel Group Corp.

The arrival represents the first time high-grade ore from Simandou's blocks 3 and 4 has entered the Chinese market, providing a critical new source of raw material for the world's largest steel producer as it seeks to reduce industrial emissions.

Located in southeastern Guinea, Simandou is home to one of the world's largest untapped reserves of high-grade iron ore. The project is being developed through a complex international partnership involving the Guinean government, SimFer, the Winning Consortium Simandou, and China's Baowu.

Upon arrival in Shandong, the iron ore will undergo processing at a dedicated tertiary crushing facility located within the port. This localized processing model, developed in collaboration with Chinese port authorities, is designed to enhance operational efficiency and market competitiveness before the ore is sold to domestic steelmakers.

"We are encouraged to see the first shipment of Simandou iron ore arrival in Chinese port," Xu Feng, Rio Tinto China CEO, said.

"Rio Tinto's long-standing partnership with Chinese stakeholders is crucial to the successful delivery of Simandou project. This premium product will play an increasingly important role in enabling lower-emissions steelmaking and supporting the industry's journey towards net zero, further strengthening our world-class iron ore portfolio in the Pilbara and Canada," Xu said.