China has received its first shipment of iron ore from the Simandou mine in Guinea, marking a significant step in the country’s strategy to secure long-term iron ore supplies, according to a report by Reuters.
China Baowu Steel Group stated that the bulk carrier Winning Youth, carrying nearly 200,000 mt of iron ore, arrived at Majishan port in Zhejiang Province on January 17 after a 46-day voyage. The cargo departed the Port of Morebaya in Guinea in early December 2025, representing the first delivery of Simandou iron ore to China. A second shipment is reported to have left Guinea in late December 2025.
Simandou project underpins supply security strategy
Simandou is one of the world’s largest undeveloped iron ore deposits, with a planned annual production capacity of 120 million mt and an iron content of around 65 percent Fe, positioning it as a key source of high-grade ore for the global steel industry.
The project consists of four mining blocks and includes investors such as Rio Tinto, China-owned Chalco, and the Winning Consortium Simandou. China Baowu holds a strategic stake in the project following a shareholding transfer.
The importance of Simandou to China’s raw material strategy was underscored by the attendance of Vice Premier Liu Guozhong at the mine’s commissioning ceremony in November.
Reducing reliance on traditional suppliers
The arrival of Simandou ore highlights China’s ongoing efforts to reduce its heavy dependence on Australia and Brazil, which together currently account for around 80 percent of the country’s iron ore imports.
In parallel with supply diversification, China has taken structural measures to improve its procurement position. In 2022, it established China Mineral Resources Group to centralize iron ore purchasing and strengthen its negotiating leverage with global miners.
