Canadian
iron ore miner Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines Ltd (CLM) has sent its first maritime shipment of
iron ore concentrate to Chinese steelmaker Wuhan Iron and Steel Co. (
WISCO) from the port of Sept Iles, Québec.
The first ship bound for
China was loaded with approximately 165,000 mt of high quality
iron ore concentrate produced by its subsidiary, Bloom Lake
Iron Ore Limited Partnership, at the now fully operational Bloom Lake mine in northeastern Québec.
CLM is committed to delivering 8 million mt of high quality
iron ore concentrate with 66 percent Fe annually to its Asian customers. Bloom Lake is a development-stage
iron ore project that will have a 34-year mine life based on feasibility studies.
As SteelOrbis previously reported, in July 2009
WISCO invested a total of US$240 million in CLM, becoming its largest shareholder. The two companies established a limited partnership in which
WISCO holds a 25 percent interest and to which CLM contributes its Bloom Lake property.
WISCO intends to achieve its target of self-sufficiency in
iron ore supplies within three to five years.