Australian mining company BHP Billiton has announced that it has officially celebrated the shipment of its three billionth metric ton of high-quality iron ore to China.
To achieve this milestone, a 210,000 mt capesize bulk carrier has been loaded at the Port Hedland export facility.
According to the statement, it took nearly 30 years for BHP to deliver its first 100 million mt of iron ore to China following the first shipment in 1973. By 2014, BHP had shipped one billion mt and, following significant investment and growth in BHP’s Western Australia Iron Ore business, has now delivered three billion mt just nine years later.